By Melanie Macleod
Copyright hellomagazine
Reclining on the beach club loungers at Lake Como’s Villa Serbelloni, one of my fellow guests breathed that this was a ‘bucket list’ moment for them. I heard the same phrase as I watched a couple leap into the lake from the hotel’s private pontoon, and I found myself saying it when I drew open the white curtains on my balcony to reveal breathtaking views of the world-famous lake.
It’s no surprise that Bellagio in Lake Como elicits such awe from visitors. The town offers unparalleled levels of glamour. It’s a place dreams are made of, with breathtaking views around every corner and an old-money air that exudes luxury and opulence.
Every time I caught glimpse of Villa Serbelloni’s bright blue pool, set against the backdrop of the lake and mountains I was wowed, as if it were the first time I was seeing the vista – and while I could spend all day singing the praises of the hotel (the 24 carat gold ceilings, painstakingly hand painted each year, the fine dining restaurant where they prepare pasta and ice cream tableside, the ‘have to see it to believe it’ breakfast room that made me feel like royalty…) I was visiting Villa Serbelloni to check out their sparkling new spa, Luce del Lago.
Wellness in Lake Como
Luce del Lago translates to ‘light of the lake’ and this concept is echoed throughout the serene space, with blue and white cloud-inspired walls, beautiful lighting in tones that bring a sunrise to mind, and an unrivalled peaceful atmosphere. “The beige makes homage to the sandy beaches, the pink to the lake’s breathtaking sunsets, and the blue mirrors the waters,” general manager Jan Bucher, who is the fourth generation of his family to be at the helm of the hotel, tells me.
Jan went on to explain that Villa Serbelloni’s spa reopened this year, with the view to lead the way for wellness in Lake Como – and as someone who has visited spas worldwide, I can confirm he’s definitely hitting the right mark.
Not only does Luce del Lago have the region’s first ever hammam (more on that later), it has seriously high-tech wellness offerings on the spa menu too – we’re not talking simply massage and facials (thought they do these exceptionally well), but treatments at the forefront of the wellness industry, including heated sand quartz beds and a first of its kind sauna which goes far beyond the traditional wood sauna, integrating sound and light therapies with water wave projections for immersive 10-minute sessions combining meditations and visualisations – I challenge even the most stressed of CEOs to leave feeing anything other than blissfully recharged.
On the tranquil heaven they dreamed up, chief wellness officer Dusia Bucher explains: “We sought to create a space where time slows down, where guests can reconnect with themselves and with the timeless beauty of Lake Como,” a sentiment entirely evident in the hammam…
Villa Serbelloni’s hammam
I’m lucky enough to have experienced several hammam treatments over the years, one in Harrods, no less – but I have to say, the one at Villa Serbelloni was a step above the rest. The therapists travelled to Morocco to be trained, creating a truly authentic experience unlike any I have tried before.
The hammam was designed in shades of blue, once again reflecting the lake’s connection to water and serenity. If you’re not familiar with hammam treatments, it begins with you stripping down to your underwear, before being rubbed with black soap. While being nude can be daunting, the blissful blue, ambient sanctuary of the hammam area takes away any embarrassment.
Once the soap had been gently applied by my therapist, I was invited to sit in the caldarium (a private steam room with ultra soothing tiled seating) to allow the soap to penetrate, before I was exfoliated head to toe.
The magic really began when my therapist wafted traditional cotton bags (akin to a pillowcase) over me, causing a cascade of bubbles to float onto my body. It was a sensation I’d never experienced before, and one that Jan told me is traditional in authentic hammams, hence why they brought it to the shores of Lake Como.
The session concludes with a sublime full body massage which left my limbs feeling light as air – no mean feat, considering I’d run 10km in the hotel’s recently refurbished gym just hours before. I floated out of the treatment room and into the relaxation space, already dreaming of my next visit to the ultimate sanctuary.
Nightly rates at Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni start from €850, breakfast included. For more information, visit www.villaserbelloni.com. Book via Booking.com
