Luxury Hotel Above Lake Como:
THE eLEGANT rEFUGE oF bRUNATE
Not every luxury address on Lake Como sits on the lake. The rarest ones sit above it. Perched among the green hills of Brunate, just seven minutes by historic funicular from the heart of Como, Nuvole Garden Hotel is the truest expression of a luxury hotel above Lake Como: a sanctuary suspended between sky and water, where the lake's first basin unfolds before you like a painting in constant motion.
This position isn't a geographical detail — it's the whole point. While other luxury hotels on the lake offer proximity, Nuvole Garden offers perspective: the calm of the mountains, the clean air of Brunate, and at the same time the cosmopolitan charm of Como just minutes away. Guests arriving from Milan or Malpensa Airport can reach us with ease, and discover that once here, a car is no longer needed.
FROM GRAND HOTEL MILANO TO NUVOLE GARDEN:
A Story of Rebirth
In 1910, Italian architect Achille Manfredini created his Art Nouveau masterpiece here: the Grand Hotel Milano, a glamorous destination for Hollywood stars and celebrated directors in the 1950s. That same unique setting, together with the architectural legacy of Europe's golden age, inspired designer Zoltan Varro a century later to transform the classic residence into an exclusive contemporary palace of 80 rooms and suites, a wellness centre, three restaurants — including one gourmet restaurant — a cocktail bar and a wine bar.
The elegant wrought-iron balcony railings, faithful to the original early-twentieth-century design, remain today the most recognisable trace of a legacy the new design has honoured rather than erased: a quiet dialogue between past and present that runs through every space in the hotel.
A DESIGN THAT SPEAKS TO THE LANDSCAPE
Every suite is conceived by Varro as a sensory experience in its own right, where light, materials and lake views come together in harmony.
The Nuvole Suite plays with transparency and white to capture the sense of suspension that gives the hotel its name. The Marlon Brando Suite, the most iconic of the three, blends vintage elegance with contemporary comfort and a view that takes in the entire first basin of the lake. The Sole Atelier Suite, more intimate, is designed for those seeking a quiet retreat without giving up the view. Each room tells a different part of the same landscape, together forming a living experience unlike any other above Lake Como.
A recurring motif — classical columns suspended over water, rendered in an almost dreamlike black and white — runs through the cushions and wallpaper of several rooms: an exclusive, stylised signature of the hotel, designed to create visual continuity between spaces without ever repeating itself exactly.
Flavour, Suspended Between Water and Stars
The territory can be tasted at the table too. At Ristorante Blu, a dramatic ceiling projects a looping video of moving water, while petrol-blue drapes and large sea-inspired canvases wrap the room in an atmosphere that feels almost submerged: the perfect setting for a menu celebrating the most authentic flavours of Lake Como.
On the fifth floor, Sole Gourmet turns lunch into a ritual, with views stretching across the lake's first basin as the flavours grow lighter and more refined. For aperitivo hour, the Negroni Bar offers classic mixology reinterpreted with contemporary flair, beneath a gilded radial dome converging on a central oculus — a clear nod to the Pantheon — while the triangular, backlit wooden bar counter becomes the room's scenic centrepiece. Terrazza Nuvole, finally, delivers the most photographed moment of the day: an Alpine sunset seen from the heights of Brunate, its floor of floral mosaic tiles glowing at night until they seem to turn to water, guiding guests beneath a wrought-iron arch and crystal chandeliers.
A short distance away, a small red-and-white striped gazebo, dressed with light curtains and a hanging chandelier, offers a more intimate, playful corner from which to watch the valley lights toward Como: a private hideaway that reveals the more lighthearted side of Nuvole Garden's elegance.
Wellness, in Harmony with the Altitude
Luxury here is measured in breath, too. Our spa, with its indoor pool, hydromassage circuit and fitness centre, is designed as a wellness ritual rather than a simple amenity. We tell the full story on our dedicated spa page
BRUNATE:
The Lake Seen From Another Perspective
Choosing to stay above Lake Como means choosing a different vantage point on one of the most photographed landscapes in the world. Brunate is reached by the historic funicular in just seven minutes from Como — an experience worth living, not just crossing. It's also why Nuvole Garden is the natural choice for anyone who wants to explore the lake without driving
A Stay Tailored to Every Occasion
Whether it's a romantic weekend spent suspended between the stars and the lake, a longer stay to truly discover the area, or the choice to book directly with us for exclusive rates, Nuvole Garden adapts to the rhythm of whoever chooses it
How to Reach Us
By Car
Drive up the winding hillside road like in the movies, rounding hairpin bends until you reach the hotel. Contact reception to arrange secure parking.
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