Where to Stay in Lake Como with Kids: Best Family-Friendly Places to Stay

Italy has a way of making family travel feel effortless, and Lake Como is a particularly good example of this. The combination of mountain scenery, beautiful villages, good food, and lake access means both adults and kids will have something to enjoy.

We spent a long weekend there when our daughter was two, flying into Milan Malpensa and hiring a car, and came away thinking it was one of the most spectacular short breaks we'd done as a family.

The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, and there are a handful of key bases families tend to choose from. Bellagio sits right at the centre fork and is the most popular village to stay in. Menaggio and Varenna face each other across the lake from the Bellagio promontory and together make up the "Golden Triangle". These three towns are connected by regular ferry and between them cover most of what you'd want to do on a lake visit. Como itself, at the southern tip of the western arm, is the largest city on the lake and the easiest to reach from the airports. Each has a different character, and the right choice depends mostly on your priorities and whether you're hiring a car.

For the full itinerary and practical tips, read our 48 Hours in Lake Como with a Toddler guide.

Where to Stay in Lake Como with Kids

Como — For the Easiest Airport Connection and a City Base

Como is the largest settlement on the lake and sits at the southern foot of the western branch, about 50 minutes from Milan by train and well connected to all four nearby airports. It's a proper city with a cathedral, a medieval old town, good restaurants, and a funicular up to the hillside village of Brunate for views over the whole lake. If you're not hiring a car, Como is the most practical base to start from, as the train connection from Milan is direct and the ferry network runs north from here to the other lake towns.

1. Hotel Barchetta Excelsior (from around £130/night)

Sitting directly on Como's lakefront piazza, this historic 4-star hotel has the best location in the city: the ferry terminal is steps away, the old town is a 5-minute walk, and the Como-Brunate funicular is within easy reach. The rooms facing the lake have balconies over the water, and the Bistrot Barchetta restaurant on the ground floor opens onto the piazza. Family rooms sleeping three are available. Cots are available on request. Paid parking is close by. A good base for families who want Como's easy transport links alongside a hotel with real character.

2. Borgo Vico Luxury Suites (from around £150/night)

A self-catering apartment complex in a beautiful lakeside building about 15 minutes' walk from Como's historic centre, right next to Villa Olmo. The apartments are large, impeccably maintained, and come with a fully equipped kitchen including dishwasher, oven and coffee machine, a private balcony with mountain and lake views, spa facilities, a sauna, steam room and fitness room. Free private parking. Wine, fruit and chocolates are provided on arrival, and the hosts Yuliya and Luca go the extra mile when it comes to organising boat trips, restaurant recommendations and airport transfers. Family rooms are available. Check cot availability at time of booking.

Bellagio — The Hub with Picturesque Views

Bellagio sits right at the tip of where the two arms of the lake divide, which gives it views in three directions and a central position perfect for exploring by ferry. It's the most photographed village on the lake with pastel houses, cobbled alleys, and the waterfront restaurants are exactly what you'd picture when you think of Lake Como. However, it is also the most touristy, and in peak season the main streets can feel very crowded between about 10am and 5pm. The evening atmosphere, once the day-trippers have left, is considerably more relaxed. There are steps everywhere so a carrier will make things easier.

2. Aria Bellagio (from around £200/night)

A self-catering apartment about a 25-minute walk from the centre of Bellagio (5 minutes by car), with two bedrooms, two private terraces, and uninterrupted lake views from the living room that we sat in front of at the end of every day doing very little. The kitchen is fully equipped with an induction hob, oven, dishwasher and good cookware. Free parking for two cars, including an electric charging point. A thoughtfully planned space, the owners have clearly considered what guests actually need, and extra details such as the provision of complimentary local wine and pasta on arrival make you feel right at home here. Cots available, confirm at time of booking.

3. Hotel Belvedere Bellagio (from around £170/night)

A family-run hotel since 1880, passed from mother to daughter for five generations (currently grandmother Lucia, mother Tiziana, and daughter Giulia) with 61 rooms and suites, a pool with lake views, a spa with Turkish bath and sauna, and a panoramic restaurant open for lunch and dinner between April and October. The hotel sits on the hillside just above the centre of Bellagio, with a free shuttle down to the ferry port and bus stop. Most rooms have a balcony or terrace. Children of all ages are welcome; cots are available at an additional charge. Free parking on site. A good mid-range hotel option if you want more facilities than a self-catering apartment without going into the top luxury tier.

Menaggio — For the Best Hotel Facilities on the Lake

Menaggio sits on the western shore directly opposite Varenna and is a short ferry ride from Bellagio. It's a pretty town with a good waterfront promenade, a beach area, and a more relaxed atmosphere than Bellagio with fewer tourists, more of a local feel, and a good base for exploring the northern lake and the Swiss border area.

5. Hotel Adler (from around £130/night)

A family-run hotel in the hills above Menaggio, with a large garden and outdoor swimming pool overlooking the lake and mountains. The family who run it (Giacomo, Caterina and their son Andrea) are warm and welcoming with excellent local knowledge to help you during your stay. Rooms have lake or mountain views, some with balconies. Breakfast is buffet-style and the onsite restaurant serves dinner and poolside snacks. Free parking on site. Worth knowing: the hotel is about a 20-30 minute walk downhill from Menaggio's waterfront, so it works best for families with a car who want a quieter, more residential feel alongside lake access. Cots available, confirm at time of booking.

4. Grand Hotel Victoria Menaggio (from around £220/night)

An Art Nouveau 5-star hotel 300 metres from the pedestrian centre of Menaggio, with extensive private gardens running down to the lake, a large outdoor pool, an indoor pool, a full spa, and a panoramic terrace restaurant with views of Bellagio and Varenna across the water. The setting and the facilities are the best combination on the lake at this price point. Rooms are elegant and very spacious. Cots are available, confirm at time of booking. Free parking. Live piano music on the terrace most evenings gives it a classy feel. The ferry terminal is a short walk away.

Varenna — For a Quieter Village and Villa Monastero

Varenna is the smallest and, in my opinion, the most unspoilt of the three Golden Triangle villages. The stepped paths connecting the waterfront to the village run above the lake's edge rather than along it, giving you views down over the water that feel genuinely dramatic. Villa Monastero with its botanical gardens stretching along the lakeside, is one of the best activities on the lake for young children, with space to roam freely and a beautiful, calm atmosphere that's welcome after the busier villages. There's a playground right next to the ferry terminal. The village has fewer tourists than Bellagio or Menaggio and a noticeably quieter pace.

5. Hotel Villa Cipressi (from around £130/night)

A 4-star hotel set within the terraced botanical gardens of the historic Villa Cipressi, directly on the Varenna waterfront. The gardens run down to the lake's edge and are shared with the property which is a beautiful setting for a family with young children who want outdoor space without going anywhere. The hotel is part of the R Collection group and recently renovated. The ferry terminal is a short walk along the waterfront. Cots available, confirm at time of booking. Paid private parking on site.

6. Hotel Royal Victoria Varenna (from around £180/night)

Also part of R Collection Hotels and recently renovated, the Royal Victoria sits right on Varenna's main piazza and has an outdoor pool, a spa, a terrace bar with lake views, and the famous Visteria restaurant. Free breakfast included. Paid private parking available. Children of all ages are welcome and cots available on request. A step up from Villa Cipressi in terms of facilities and price, with the pool being the primary practical advantage for families.

A Few Final Thoughts

Lake Como rewards you for getting off the main tourist circuit, even slightly. Book a self-drive boat for a morning and you'll see the lake in a way no ferry tour can match. Drive up to Polentoteca Chalet Gabriele in the mountains above Menaggio for dinner and watch the sunset over the water with a litre of wine that costs €10. Swim at OnnoLuLu Beach on the way back from the airport because the lake is warm, the mountains are right there and you might as well.

For families visiting for the first time, Bellagio is the natural base, with the best ferry connections and the most central position on the lake. Aria Bellagio is the best self-catering option and where we stayed; Hotel Belvedere is the right choice if you want a hotel with a pool and on-site restaurant. Varenna is worth choosing if you want a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere then Hotel Villa Cipressi is excellent value set in the botanical gardens, and Hotel Royal Victoria is the pick if a pool is a priority. Menaggio suits families who want a larger hotel with the best facilities on the lake and Grand Hotel Victoria is the standout option, and Hotel Adler is a very good mid-range alternative with a pool and a family welcome that's hard to match. If you're flying in and want to start or end the trip in Como city, Borgo Vico Luxury Suites is a cut above the standard holiday apartment and worth considering.

All three Golden Triangle villages are connected by ferry. The best approach is to stay in one and use the ferry to visit the others.

Read our full 48 Hours in Lake Como with a Toddler guide for the complete itinerary, restaurant recommendations, and practical tips.