Locanda San Vigilio

The 16th-century Locanda San Vigilio has been in Count Guarienti di Brenzone’s family for over 400 years. This small hotel, nestled next to a miniature private peninsula stretching into the lake, that in days of yore offered shelter to fishing boats, has a prime location directly on Lake Garda. If you want to see and be seen by the rich and famous, choose the glamorous Villa d’Este on Lake Como as your hub, but if you desire utter tranquility, the Locanda San Vigilio makes a good choice. Here you will find understated luxury, nothing commercial at all. Only a small sign marks the tree-lined entrance just a few kilometers north of the town of Garda. The entrance to the hotel also serves as access for a public park and at first you might think you have the wrong turn, but tell the attendant at the gate that you have a reservation at the hotel and he will let you pass. The lane runs through century old cypress trees to the parking area for the Locanda. After parking your car in the designated area, you walk past the family’s private villa and then down a path to the hotel, a sturdy stone building so close to the water that waves gently lap the walls. The dining room is especially inviting and if you are lucky, you can dine at one of the cozy tables overlooking the lake. The guestrooms hidden away on the grounds vary in size, some being much more spacious than others. The prize bedrooms are the more expensive ones upstairs with windows overlooking the lake.