Du Lac et Du Parc Grand Resort ★★★★

We came here a few years ago when the kids were younger and absolutely fell in love with the place. The main appeal is its extraordinary setting. Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy – a fjord-like paradise where majestic cliffs and snow-capped mountains meet tropical vegetation and pebbly beaches. The hotel complex is made up of a few separate buildings that provide a very wide choice of accommodation options. The most interesting building is most definitely the main central structure, a stately 19th-century villa that once belonged to local dignitary, Count Von Torresani. When the Count passed away, the house was transformed into a hotel until the outbreak of WWII, when it was used as a military hospital. In the early 50s, an entrepreneur who saw the amazing potential of the building and its grounds set about renovating and expanding the place, turning it into the magnificent resort it is today.

The last time we stayed, we chose to occupy one of the bungalows that line the east and west sides of the property. With our small children in tow, we wanted to have our own kitchen, as it (usually) makes life much easier when travelling with picky eaters. As it turned out, we didn’t need the kitchen at all, only using it to keep drinks cool in the fridge. The resort has so many eating options on offer, from poolside snack bars to refined dining at the Capannina Pool Restaurant by night; we didn’t have to cook at all. So this time, we decided to forego the self-catered accommodation in favour of the spacious and modern rooms in the Murialdo Suites – a great glass structure that should seem out of place in such a bucolic environment, but somehow blends right in.

Upon arrival, we settle into our rooms. A quick scan of our sleeping arrangements assures me that the extremely high standards have not dwindled since our last stay. I sneakily hide the remote control to the flat-screen TV and remind the kids that the minibar is off limits before donning my sun hat for a stroll around the park. There are over 200 species of plants and flowers to discover here, including some rather rare specimens like the ‘Taxodium Distichum’, a bald cypress tree planted by the Count himself in 1845 which today measures over six metres in circumference, or the Sophora Japonica, or Japanese Pagoda tree, which actually comes from China, despite its misleading name. While I check out the fauna, our two youngest are already marking their territory for the week to come. My husband points out the tennis courts, challenging Romeo to a match later, and my daughter is making sure that her first ever holiday with her boyfriend is well documented, snapping photos left and right with her smartphone before posting them to the Internet for all her friends back home to admire.

We make our way to the Capannina Pool Restaurant for a drink and snack while we plan the activities for the week. Tennis courts and windsurfing lessons are booked. We also reserve a catamaran trip around the lake, complete with a captain and crew so we can just sit back and enjoy. Romeo is an avid biker and it doesn’t take much persuading to get us to hire mountain bikes for a day of exploration along the numerous trails in the area. I just hope it won’t be too steep! My 7-year old also looks slightly daunted at the prospect of an entire day of mountain-biking so we book him and his 9-year old brother into the mini-club for the day in question. They will be kept occupied by experienced child minders who will oversee activities ranging from sports and team games to arts and crafts, face-painting, and treasure hunts!

My husband and the boys head off to the tennis courts, leaving us girls time to do some girly stuff. We get our dancing gear on and try out one of the Zumba fitness classes, just one of the many fitness options available. My body-conscious teenager is concerned about her (inexistent) cellulite so we reserve ourselves a few early-evening treatments at the Armonia spa – anti-age for me, anti-low-self-esteem for her!

When we get back to our building, the guys are waiting for us at the Murialdo swimming pool, one of three pools at the resort (two outdoor and one indoor in the spa). They practically have the pool to themselves. What is so great about this place is that it never seems crowded, even when full. With so many activities on offer, guests are simply too busy having fun to get under each other’s feet. I’m getting ahead of myself here, but as I discreetly watch my daughter and her Romeo having a quick kiss and a cuddle, I can’t help but feel that this would be a wonderful place for a wedding! In 10 or so years’ time, of course! We’ll have to find another good excuse to come back here beforehand – I don’t think I’ll be able to wait that long for our next holiday in this Mediterranean paradise!