Offers stunning views of Lake Como from large terraces and gardens
Spacious, functional rooms, with AC; most have views and terraces
Innovative funicular elevators provide fun way to get around hotel
Restaurant serves dinner and all-day snacks and drinks (in peak season)
Extensive breakfast buffet included in rates
Computer in lobby for guests' use, plus free Wi-Fi throughout
Massages available on request
Meeting facilities for up to 30 people
Private outdoor parking available
Hotel is up a steep road from town center
Room decor is a bit spartan, and some have tube-style TVs
Elevators can be tricky to use
Restaurant closed in low season
Breakfast service begins relatively late
Housed in a stone villa just outside Varenna town center, the mid-range Eremo Gaudio offers spectacular views over Lake Como. A quirky system of funicular elevators makes it fun getting around the property’s large gardens and terraces. Its 25 rooms are spacious but basic, and amenities aren't exactly state-of-the art (expect to see some tube-style TVs). Still, most offer private terraces and views. An extensive breakfast buffet is included in the rates (though it might start a bit late for some), however dinner, drinks, and snacks are available only in peak season. There are meeting facilities, private outdoor parking, and free Wi-Fi throughout. The property is a challenging uphill walk from the town center, which might make it difficult for those with limited mobility. Travelers preferring to stay right in town could try Hotel Olivedo, which is next to the ferry terminal.
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Scene
Romantic if slightly dated cliff-edge property, with killer Lake Como views and quirky funicular elevators
It's all about the views at the romantic Eremo Gaudio -- a cliff-edge property that originally served as refuge for abandoned children after World War II. Work to restore the site began in 1999, and today large arched windows and floor-to-ceiling glass windows make the most of its gorgeous setting. Lovely outdoor spaces include the paved solarium deck and the panoramic terrace, both with sweeping vistas -- and at the top, a chapel, ornately finished in Varenna marble. The attractive gray-stone building sits among tiered gardens, and a system of quirky but somewhat temperamental funicular elevators make getting around the place fun. Inside, there are atmospheric lounge-like spaces with exposed stone walls and old-fashioned orange sofas. Most of the guests are couples looking for affordable accommodations and postcard-worthy views.
Location
Quiet, isolated setting just outside Varenna town center
The Eremo Gaudio is in a quiet, bucolic setting right outside Varenna's town center. It’s reached from a small road, and it's a steep uphill walk from the town center. There are mountain footpaths in the immediate vicinity, and Varenna has a good choice of restaurants, bars and boutiques.- Seven-minute walk to the Villa Monastero Museum
Rooms
Spacious but basic and dated rooms -- but lovely terraces offer stunning lake views
Eremo Gaudio's 25 rooms are spacious and functional, but dated with printed bedspreads and pinewood headboard panels with matching nightstands. Generic prints of botanicals or landscapes adorn the walls. All rooms have large wooden wardrobes and desks with old-fashioned bentwood chairs. Teodolinda Suites add tub seats to the bedrooms, as well as connected living spaces with patterned pink sofas. Like the rooms, the small bathrooms are basic with off-white floors and wall tile. There are freestanding sinks, basic glass shelves, separate bidets, and small shower stalls.Many of the rooms have lovely terraces. In Standard Rooms, they have wooden lattice fences lined with flowering plants (though they offer little privacy from other rooms). Superior Rooms have larger corner terraces, and Teodolinda Suites have gorgeous enclosed balconies with exposed gray stonework and black wicker sofas. Most rooms have stunning unobstructed lake views.Standard amenities include small TVs -- flat-screens in some rooms and old tube-style models in others -- plus phones, free Wi-Fi, safes, mini-fridges, hairdryers, and toiletries.
Features
An extensive breakfast buffet included in the rates, massages on request, and free Wi-Fi
Features are limited at this small hotel, but a breakfast buffet is included in the rates. The restaurant is open for dinner and snacks in high season. Massages on request (for a fee) are another nice perk, and the hotel has a conference room that can fit up to 30 people. There's also private outdoor parking. An internet terminal is available in the reception area, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
