Boutique hospitality group Sereno Hotels has announced the opening of Il Sereno Lago di Como – an “intimate, design-driven” hotel designed by Patricia Urquiola on the banks of Italy’s Lake Como.
The picturesque location is a popular beauty spot, drawing tourists with its dramatic vistas of the southern Italian Alps and idyllic small towns, and George Clooney, Madonna and Donatella Versace have all snapped up properties on the lake.
Il Sereno Lago is an all-suite hotel, with each of the 30 guest rooms coming with its own furnished terrace and lake views. It features a private beach, an infinity pool, vertical botanical gardens by botanist Patrick Blanc and a restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef Andrea Berton.
Urquiola and her practice, Studio Urquiola,
were tasked by Sereno with creating “a contemporary hotel with understated décor in a contrast with the classical designs that can be found around Lake Como.”
Their design concept – which covers every facet of the hotel, from the architecture to the custom furniture, rugs, wall coverings, lamps, bathtubs, fixtures and even the scarves worn by staff and the boats that transport guests – was inspired by the hotel’s setting.
The designers have developed airy lounge areas that integrate the interior and exterior of the accommodations, with large windows showcasing views of the lake and the Alps. The furnishings come in earthy tones of grey and walnut, with touches of blue and green, to incorporate the colours found in the landscape.
At the centre of the hotel, Urquiola designed an original stairwell that serves as a focal point. Made with natural materials, including walnut wood, the large steps are encased in bronze and are designed to appear as if they are floating above the lobby.
The use of wood is intended to complement the ceppo di grè stone and marble walls found throughout the hotel, including in the signature Ristorante Berton – which utilises the same local stones used in the façade of the hotel for the restaurant tables.
Berton’s restaurant covers an indoor-outdoor space with a traditional Venetian Terrazzo covering the former boat house built over the lake itself.
Other amenities include a 60ft lakefront freshwater infinity pool surrounded by a broad sun-deck and bar, a small beach with direct access to the lake, and gardens featuring hidden passageways leading to the nearby Villa Pliniana,
where Sereno recently opened another Lake Como property. In-room spa services can also be ordered.
Urquiola has also collaborated with Blanc on Il Sereno Lago’s dramatic green flourishes. He has created three distinct pieces in one setting; two vertical gardens and one green sculpture.
The most striking, ‘Le Mirroir Vert du Lac’, features over 2,000 plant types and was inspired by the both the colours and movement of the water. Covering the main façade, the garden is visible to visitors from across the lake.
This garden, formed of nearly 3,000 plants, is attached to ‘Le Canyon’, which evokes the vertical topography of the hotel’s rugged surroundings as part of the entrance to Il Sereno.
Finally, the ‘Les Racines Echasees’ green scupture sprawls from the garden floor in front of the reception area patio and rises more than 35ft in the air “to emulate aerial roots as seen in Mangroves and Banyan Trees”. It includes over 1,000 individual plants.
“We know devotees of Sereno Hotels and new guests alike will enjoy the exquisite design coupled with unparalleled attention to detail, amenities and relaxed service our brand is known for,” said Luis Contreras, owner of Sereno Hotels, reflecting on the opening.
“This project has been a true labour of love between Sereno Hotels and Patricia Urquiola; and we are excited to introduce an entirely new design concept to Lake Como.”
Il Sereno Lago di Com is the third property to join the Sereno Hotels portfolio, after Villa Pliniana and
Le Sereno Hotel & Villas in St. Barthélemy.
