Weddings at Grand Hotel Tremezzo
A magnificent Belle Epoque palace set in 20,000 square meters of landscaped parkland with terraced gardens, three pools, colorful interiors, golden era glamour and a legendary guest list
WEDDINGS AT GRAND HOTEL TREMEZZO
The iconic grand dame of Lake Como, this family-run hotel cum glamorous lakeside playground is one of those majestic Art Nouveau palazzos you'd imagine spotting in a classic Wes Anderson film. The vibrant color palette of tangerine + white encourages a level of buoyancy and bliss that's truly difficult to find in modern times. It ain't Greece, but nothing captures the spirit of the place better than the "Dancing Queen" moment from Mamma Mia. Sun-soaked dancing, ABBA on full blast, spontaneous leaps into the sea with friends (and maybe some strangers too). We're mooney-eyed just thinking about this liberating energy! All in all, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is a splendid choice for couples seeking a laidback, yet dazzling affair with distinguished experiences, high society vibes and an unceasingly jubilant time.
Old-School La Dolce Vita
Elegant Playfulness
Belle Epoque Meets Garden of Eden
Style
The Western shore of the Lake Como, from the lavish gardens of Villa Carlotta to the the chic wooden Riva boats cruising towards Bellagio and the Grigne Mountains
Views
Historic Luxury Hotel
Exclusive Use & Partial Hire
Type
A magnificent Belle Epoque palace set in 20,000 square meters of landscaped parkland with terraced gardens, three pools, colorful interiors, golden era glamour and a legendary guest list
Photos courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo and by Stefano Anzini, Holly Titheridge, Jeremy Austin and AlexPreview
Photos courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo and by Stefano Anzini,
THE LOOK
Fashionable interiors immortalized by their dramatic colors, textural depth and Art Nouveau glamour have earned the Grand Hotel Tremezzo outstanding praise + repeat business from the international jet-set. Though the sumptuous palazzo was inaugurated in 1910, one couldn't possibly describe it as out-of-touch. A swift glass-fronted elevator connects guests from the lakefront entrance, floating pool and private beach to the first floor, where a resplendent foyer with plush lounges, floor to ceiling windows and original parquet wooden floors invite you to check-in, smell the freshly-plucked roses or simply kick back and relax for a spell. Aperol spritz is never far from reach, we might add.
A greater litmus test for gilded opulence has never existed, and we're happy to report that the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is overflowing with the likes of Italian antiques, museum-worthy oil paintings, crystal chandeliers, marble columns, velvet jewel-toned sofas, heavily swagged curtains and more. Marrying the spirit of Greta Garbo's yesteryear with a more contemporary flair, you'll also find bespoke scarves from Como's venerable silk house, Mantero, decorating the windows of the boutique, rattan armchairs peppering the terrace restaurant that overlooks the lake and candy-striped parasols surrounding the floating pool.
Outside, the garden scene is a multi-tiered labyrinth of tulips, hydrangeas, geraniums, rohododendron and azaleas beneath breathtaking canopies of palm trees, banana trees and ancient magnolias. A grove of over 300 olive trees sits further below! There's simply no corner of this verdant parkland that hasn't been touched by a veritable green thumb. One of the hotel's glittering pools can be found within these meandering footpaths, inviting you to glimpse an almost aerial view of the lake below... or slip into its tranquil waters amidst the blossom-tinged air.
Photos courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo and by Stuart Cantor Photography, November Studio and Paulina Williamson
THE EVENT SPACES
When it comes to event spaces, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo breaks the glass ceiling. Not only does their floating al fresco pool, sitting atop the lake and backdropped by the hotel's emblematic facade, distinguish this property from other notables dotting the banks of Lake Como, the spaces privatized for events are dynamically designed and placed. Depending on the scope of your wedding weekend itinerary, you could host most if not all events on-site, and your guests will always feel like they're discovering something new.
One of our favorite spots to kick things off for the weekend is Giacamo Al Lago - their beachside restaurant that connects to the floating pool. Imagine your guests arriving via classic wooden riva boat to a lively cocktail style Welcome Party with roaming musicians, immersive entertainment and a parade of mouthwateringly fresh aperol spritz. Divine!
Amidst the 20,000 sq. meters of gardens, there's T Pizza (the hotel's informal restaurant), a private garden adjacent to it and the secluded Flower Pool, which receives its glorious shade from the surrounding palm, banana and magnolia trees. This collection of spots is ideal for a symbolic ceremony that rolls into a Cocktail Hour or a casual Rehearsal Dinner starring authentic Neapolitan pizzas from the crackling wood-fired oven. Gelato scoops on standby from the Grand's adorable cart!
A favorite for Rehearsal Dinners or Bridal Party Luncheons is La Terrazza, the hotel's main panoramic dining terrace suitable for up to 60 guests. This picturesque veranda feels entirely cinematic. Meanwhile, the privatization of L'Escale Trattoria & Wine Bar offers you the possibility of live music until 2am for After Parties or nightcaps.
Dancing can take place in the spacious indoor blank canvas space referred to as the Winter Garden. With curved ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, this dance hall doubles as a rain backup space.
THE ROOMS
With 90 uniquely decorated rooms + suites, up to 200 guests can be accommodated at Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Soaring ceilings, gilded furnishings, silk drapes and antique artworks are to be expected, though we'd equate the feeling of seeing your room for the first time to stepping into a warm and at once familiar embrace. Coziness reigns supreme... or is it the views? The expansive terraces, after all, are the most coveted across the lake. Facing either the colorful facades of Bellagio across the water or the lavish gardens of the hotel, you're guaranteed a window to another world.
It's impossible to pinpoint a favorite room, but we'd be remiss to not mention the rooftop front suite Balbianello. Overlooking the Riviera delle Azalee, it boasts the creme de la creme of Bellagio views and contemporary design sense within. A living room with designer furniture from Italian artisans, an open-plan bedroom with a king-sized cocoon promising cool, crisp sheets, a gorgeous walk-in closet, a spacious marble bathroom with Aqua di Como products, floor-to-ceiling windows that connect the terrace to the living room (and open up entirely to extend the size of both spaces!), a marble dining table, a dedicated butler, artworks from the hotel's private collection and a private terrace with a jacuzzi that overlook the lake... Ladies and gentlemen, we're beginning our ascent to Cloud 9.
Suite Greta is another top contender with its ample floorplan, reclining sunbeds, golden-hued design direction and spectacular salute to its namesake Hollywood actress, while Suite Emilia garners equal recognition for its uniquely secluded positioning and spa-level amenities (the bathroom is quite literally an oasis of wellness from the steam room to the double rain shower to the oversized marble whirlpool tub - all bedecked in white Lasa marble).
Photos courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo and by Stefano Anzini, Holly Titheridge, Jeremy Austin and AlexPreview
Photos by Stuart Cantor Photography, Henrik Wergeland, AlexPreview, Sartoria Giuliva, Aly Michalka and November Studio
THE FOOD & BEV
No less than five restaurants can be found at this Lake Como wedding venue that's equally reputed for its world-class gastronomy as its star-studded history. There's La Terrazza, the hotel's main fine dining restaurant masterminded by the first chef to bring a Michelin star to Italy, the late Gualtiero Marchesi. Within and beyond the halls of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, you'll hear him referred to as the Maestro, the Father of contemporary Italian cuisine. Following his decadent elegance meets modern whimsy approach to cuisine, you'll find some of his signature dishes on the menu. Red and black spaghetti with caviar, veal fillet with foie gras and black truffle, saffron risotto topped with 23-karat gold leaf and a tasting menu adapted to the changing seasons. Both Marchesi and Chef Osvaldo Presazzi, who currently helms the Grand's fine dining culinary scene, abide by 19th c Chef Pellegrino Artusi's school of thought: “Cooking in itself is a science… which only the best are able to transform into art.”
Whether you consider yourself an adventurous foodie or not, the cuisine catered by Grand Hotel Tremezzo is superb. Of course, you'll find more familiar fare on the menu like spaghetti alle vongole, wood-fired pizza and fritto misto. Collaboration is at the heart of food + beverage here - from the ingredients to the presentation. You might trade signature cocktail bar menus for signature pizza bar menus or serve ravioli open-faced. We cannot sing higher praises for their unceasing commitment to creativity, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, and excellence in all they do.
Please note that (excluding full buyouts) during the Grand Hotel Tremezzo's peak summer dates, from the end of May to the end of September, plated style service is allowed for guest counts of 70 max. If your guest count exceeds this, buffer style service will be required. During off-peak months (March, April and October), plated service is possible for up to 100-110 guests.
THE LOCATION
A unique setting that combines exclusivity and proximity, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo enjoys a spectacular perch on the southwestern shores of Lake Como. While the unrivaled panoramas of Bellagio and the Grigne Mountains are a major draw, the hotel's strategic positioning at the heart of the lake should never be downplayed. Milan is only an hour away by car, and Como is a snappy 30 minutes. You can walk from the hotel's lakefront entrance to the battello dock in under 5 minutes should you want to zip over to the pastel-colored, postcard-worthy villages of Bellagio or Varenna. Or you can arrange for one of the hotel's Riva boats, Ruy or Batt, to whisk you away to your destination in style.
The town of Tremezzo is fairly quiet and quaint, though the 17th c Villa Carlotta is the Grand Hotel Tremezzo's next door neighbor (and she's not to be missed)! Other notable lakeside mansions nearby include Villa dl Balbianello, Villa Serbelloni and Villa Melzi. We dive into the area at great length in our guide to spending a romantic week in Lake Como here, so bookmark these insider tips for some restaurant, shopping and activity specifics! As you'd expect, the area is full of 'em.
A final word on the location - the roads can be a bit perilous to navigate, especially if heavy rains have caused flooding in the days preceding, so we'd highly recommend a private transfer regardless of the time of day you're traveling. Keep this in mind when planning for your guests as well. The less travel you require of them once they're in Lake Como, the better! The public transportation is infamously unreliable and sometimes even the winding + narrow roads see their fair share of fallen trees causing major disruptions in traffic. We once had to detour through Switzerland to get from Como to the Grand Hotel Tremezzo! Hopefully, these act of God incidents are something you won't face, but here, it's imperative to plan ahead for inclement weather, labor strikes and all the domino effects they cause.
Photos by Sophie Knight
"The style is Liberty, the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, admitting a decided French influence as well as some English elements — unique indeed for a hotel in the heart of Lombardy." - Michelin Guide
THE BEST FIT FOR
The Grand Hotel Tremezzo has long-attracted young and fashionable couples who want to kick off their wedding weekend with high energy, iconic views and a taste of la dolce vita glamour - that elegant, leisurely Italian Riviera lifestyle we all associate with Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo in their heyday.
This Lake Como wedding venue finds its stride in sleeping the couple and their guests for their entire stay, along with hosting the major inaugural weekend events like the Welcome Party and Rehearsal Dinner. While it can absolutely serve as venue for the wedding day too, depending on your guest count and budget, we most often recommend a nearby villa for the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and dance party in an effort to spice things up.
Villa Balbiano and Villa d'Este are two options offering extraordinary lake + mountain backdrops if you're looking for that iconic ceremony aisle leading towards the water. Further, one of these properties or the like will offer you more flexibility for dancing if you have your heart set on a modern glass marquee with sleek black panels (and a secret garden built from the ground up inside!).
Guest counts of 100 and below can celebrate comfortably at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, and we highly recommend taking advantage of the many group activities they offer for the days surrounding wedding events. Riva boat tours of the lake, cooking classes, wine tastings, spa days, tennis matches, golfing excursions, day trips to Bellagio and other lakeside villages, guided walks through the exotic gardens of neighboring Villa Carlotta... the endless indulgences are a major part of the appeal.
Considering that destination weddings in Lake Como come with their own unique set of challenges (transportation, production, weather...), the Grand offers a healthy level of reassurance in that they can host all guests on-site, boast flexible indoor + outdoor spaces and are no stranger to complex logistics + custom structures for events. Not only can you shed your fears about guests missing the ceremony due to a late ferry or unexpected highway detour, you'll find relief in the fact that the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is first and foremost a five-star hotel that will anticipate problems + search for the best solutions on your behalf.
Honoring its Art Nouveau pedigree and contemporary soul with equal finesse, the luxuries, comforts and conveniences at Grand Hotel Tremezzo make it an exceptional choice for couples hosting a destination wedding in Lake Como.
Please note, the hotel is open seasonally from mid-March through the end of October
How to Reach grand hotel tremezzo
PLANE
Lugano Agno Airport (LUG)
1 hr
Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)
1 hr, 20 min
Milan Linate Airport (LIN)
1 hr, 30 min
Bergamo Orio Al Serio Airport (BGY)
2 hrs
TRAIN
Como San Giovanni
30 min (by car or hydrofoil)
Como
30 min
Milan
1 hr
Photos by Stuart Cantor Photography, Henrik Wergeland, AlexPreview, Sartoria Giuliva, Aly Michalka and November Studio
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