Villa & Palazzo Aminta Hotel Beauty & Spa ★★★★★ L

We had been to some wonderful and memorable places in Italy, but we were determined to save the highlight, the ultimate in luxury and gracious living, for our last few days. The Villa when we arrived certainly looked as though it would live up to our expectations. We saw a flower and palm tree-surrounded outdoor pool and veranda dining terrace in front of the elegant Italian villa, wrought-iron railings and balconies with gently arched delicately painted ceilings. The stately villa gazed out over the water with ferries coming and going, with views of the town and hillsides and distant islands. The surrounding gardens are fragrant and spacious with little paths for strolling among the shrubs.

Inside the hotel, the reception area we found extravagantly decorated silks and rich upholstery, marble floors and columns, chandeliers and decorated urns all lovingly and impeccably recreated in the elegant fin de siècle Belle Epoque style. Our room was no less stylish and immaculate in its period detail. Beautifully hand-painted filigrees framed the bed; slim hand-painted furniture and a lovely chandelier; glowing gold wall-lights – it was unbelievably pretty, not exactly frilly but definitely gracious and feminine. Soft drapes framed the windows, delicate soft blues and yellows set off the bed and living room area. The French doors led to a balcony with intricate white wrought-iron railings looking over the lake. We sat on the balcony and drank in the wonderful view, as well as a glass of Italian wine to celebrate our arrival!

Having settled in to our room, we followed up with dinner in the Restaurant Le Isole. The atmosphere created by the rich décor, surrounded by stuccos and rich intricate wall paintings, with period vases and silverware, was lovely, all enhanced by the twinkling lights reflected in the wide waters of the lake. Traditional Italian cuisine, with some international choices, and fine Italian wine backed up by the hotel’s standard impeccable service, made us feel like really valued guests. We also discovered the next morning that the breakfast buffet in the other restaurant, the more casual Calamondino, was absolutely grand: it had an excellent variety of fruits, pastries, eggs, waffles and, most importantly, good Italian coffee.

I had my long-anticipated spa experience the next morning. There is a hydro-therapy pool in ‘La Grotta’ which is small but intricately decorated with mosaic tiling and delicately swirling floor patterns, all warmly lit so you feel as though you are in a cocoon of luxury. The spa area has some lacquered wooden screens, some Japanese-style screens and Indian statues, making an ambience exotic and relaxing at the same time. There is an amazing range of beauty treatments and massages on offer. I had a Turkish bath, massage and facial and emerged feeling thoroughly refreshed and invigorated.

The hotel is also the best place as a starting point for exploring this region of Italy. It’s easy to take a day trip to the islands Isole Bella and Isole Madre. The hotel staff are happy to make arrangements, and both islands are well worth visiting for their beautiful gardens and villas. You can stroll round the lake to the town of Stresa in under half an hour and that is what we did as we both enjoy walking. The proximity to Switzerland also means there are plenty of other options for a day out. The Villa & Palazzo Amina is undoubtedly a great place to start from for a day of sightseeing, but even better to come back to a superb dinner and gorgeous surroundings at the end of the day.