Inside A-List Favourite Villa Sola Cabiati, Lake Como

Luke Abrahams is dazzled by Villa Sola Cabiati, one of the most magnificent villas on Lake Como

Review: Villa Sola Cabiati, Lake Como, Italy

STAY

Ask any Italian and they’ll tell you that Lake Como is getting a little crowded. Like Positano, the streets are busy, the roads are chockers, and the locals, well… furious. Naturally, the big grand dames are overrun by unruly Americans and hard-to-please Brits, plus diva socialites who nowadays never seem to be happy. It’s no surprise then the buyout market in these parts is exploding, and hard. Out of all the addresses on this busy, yet stonkingly gorgeous lake, Villa Sola Cabiati rules the roost. The 18th century open all-year round neoclassical villa, still owned by the Sola family to this day, has welcomed everyone from Napoleon to dignitaries, Italian high society, and most recently, Taylor Swift over the years. You guessed it, the place was worthy of the latter’s wildest dreams. 

A historic and artistic landmark, the regal digs were once home to the well-heeled and the exquisitely groomed Serbelloni dukes, who naturally left their bling mark on the place. Think dazzling manicured and Arabesque gardens, lake views, stuccoed ceilings by Muzio Canzio adorned with endless storied frescoes (Virgil’s Aeneid is particularly special) and ornated stuccowork crafted by Italian masters. High ceilings and doors grooved from mahogany, alongside stately Murano chandeliers, Venetian silverware, Marie-Antoinette chairs and stupendously historic touches from masonry to Ottoman weaponry adorning the walls of the regal marble staircase also give Villa Sola that extra dose of exclusive sex appeal. In a nutshell, this villa is dishing character, and in the most unapologetic Italianate way imaginable. 

Showstopper? The Sala degli Stucchi. Aside from lunches and dinners overlooking the balcony canvassed by lake panoramas, it’s the details here that truly boggle your noggin. Cherub frescoes and biblical tales crown the ceiling; and in between all the stonework and carvery, floral motifs and a patchwork of mythical animals are etched into the walls. A secret door also leads into the state apartment, which, yonks back, slept Napoleon and his wife Joséphine de Beauharnais. Wedged in between all the fine tapestries, playful Empire patterns, period furniture, personal totems and mementos is the bed the usurped French scoundrel once crashed in. Carved from oak, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the senses (think whiffs of storied wood). It says something of the villa’s all-round grandness that these priceless artefacts aren’t on immediate display (except to lucky guests) along with other secret chambers. 

The rooms are, you guessed it, just as glorious. Enlightenment poet (and coincidental tutor of the Serbelloni dukes) Giuseppe Parini, once dubbed Villa Sola Cabiati ‘La Quiete’ (the Calm) – and it’s in the bedrooms this drivel truly comes alive. They are more like high society halls than boudoirs. Split over the piano nobile, everything is elaborately decorated. My pad, the Baroque-style Suite Gianvico, featured original 18th century copper-coloured wallpaper clad to the walls, ornate gilt-framed mirrors, royal velvet purple chairs, exquisite period wooden drawers, worn chairs, parquet floors and a doll’s house bathroom with views of the lake. The other suites are more modern in style, but speak to every princess, princess and noble under the sun. 

EAT

You have your own palazzo, so naturally, you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want à la carte. Dishes are prepared in house by local chefs who put their own spin on all the classics and traditional northern Italian bites. The usuals, from beef tartare to truffle sprinkled soups and pasta dishes are the norm, as are other Italian icons: mozzarella-filled salads and lush calamari. Sundowners are cocktail-filled affairs by the pool, in the sala or gardens. And yes, anything can be shaken or stirred to your heart’s content. Breakfast is served banquet style, and the cappuccinos here are the best I’ve had in a long time. 

DO

The team can arrange anything you want. Heli rides, sea planes, boat tours of the lake and exclusive access tours. While it’s all lovely, my advice is to pack a good book and read in the gardens or by the private umbrella-flecked pool. Sure, you can have a party and get blind piddled, but Villa Sola Cabiati is all about embracing the art of switching off. 

FINAL WORD

The villa is spectacular, and one of the finest you can get on the lake. I arrived sceptical and checked out feeling schooled. I haven’t stayed at an address of this calibre for years, and when it comes to that dreadfully overused word ‘authentic,’ this grand dame by the lake ticks all the boxes. It’s genuinely unique, and that’s rare in this day and age. 

BOOK IT:

From 10,000 euros per night. grandhoteltremezzo.com

Imagery by Nicolas Quiniou