.jpg)
Located on Lake Lecco, a boat ride away from the more famous Bellagio the hotel venue is fantastic.
Reading lonely planet, Lecco did not get high ratings, but we were pleasantly surprised and happy that we chose this spot over the more popular Bellagio and Como.
It had a town feel, plenty of shops and places to eat and have a relaxing atmosphere.
We arrived by train from Milan - an ok but not too enjoyable experience - worth it though.
Having booked Lecco due to Bellagio being busier/pricier we thought we'd best check of what/if we had missed out on anyting and so decided to take the (quite expensive) boat trip to Bellagio. The village is nestled in between the water and mountains and has some fabulous scenery - one day we sat lake side for 4 hours taking it all in.
The boat trip was about 1.45 to 2 hours each way and the views were amazing. Although the boat was a little noisy it was a very relaxing trip.
On arrival in Bellagio we enjoyed a very quick trip round the city (the boat trip was a bit of a pain as the timings were not so good, you can either stop in Bellagio for 30 minutes or 5 hours) we decided to whip round the very small place in 30 minutes and were happy with the choice as we were still able to see most of the cobbled lanes, whiz past the shops, get all the photos we wanted, post cards and an gelato and be on our merry way.
After visiting Bellagio we were comforted with our choice of staying in Lecco as there is much more space and things to do, more choice in terms of where and what to eat, plus it is cheaper and more easily accessible - in our opinion Lonely Planet got it wrong and this place is great.
The hotel Griso was a welcome haven compared to other hotels expreienced throughout Europe with commanding views across the serene water. Our room was spacious with a large, well equiped bathroom (shower only) and a large balcony over looking the amazing lake and mountains- the view was fantastic.
Breakfast was above the typical fare offered by European hotels however McDonalds is a 20 minute leisurely walk around the lake for those who need to indulge in a heavier breakfast to get prepared for the day ahead.
The hotel restaurant served modern food with a seasonal menu that had a wide range of dishes. Please ensure you check the dress code as flip flops etc are not acceptable in the hotel restaurant.
All in all a great base for those wanting to take time to explore the Italian Lakes District over a week or so, or a lovely stop for those who have 3 nights to spend in a picturesque place but that also has a variety of choices in terms of things to do and places to eat in the lakes.
Could have sat on the balcony for the duration of the trip !
