A Symphony of Splendor on Lake Garda

On the serene western banks of Lake Garda, framed by cypress trees and the soft shimmer of Northern Italy’s most elegant lake, stands a jewel of 19th-century architecture: Villa Feltrinelli. Built in 1892 in the Liberty style, the villa is not merely a hotel, but a living museum of Italian taste and craftsmanship, nestled in the intimate village of Gargnano.

Designed by Milanese architect Alberico Barbiano di Belgioioso, the villa’s architecture is theatrical and romantic, its terra-cotta façade and Venetian-gothic turrets echoing a lakeside palazzo. Inside, its splendor is not staged, but it’s deeply lived-in, layered, and authentic. Under the care of General Manager Markus Odermatt, and with interiors reimagined by Pamela Babey of BAMO, Villa Feltrinelli offers an experience that feels more private home than hotel — if that home were once the domain of Italian nobility.

Each of the 20 rooms and suites, spread between the main villa and four charming park cottages, is individually curated with a refined sense of historic continuity. Seven rooms in the main villa boast original frescoed ceilings painted in the 1890s by the Lieti Brothers, and throughout the property, over 1,000 antique or custom-made pieces infuse the spaces with a deeply Italian sensibility.

Furnishings include handcrafted Venetian glass lamps, silver-framed photographs, and desks outfitted with hand-printed Venetian paper, while bathrooms are fitted with heated marble floors, nickel-plated fixtures from London, and deep soaking French porcelain tubs. Even the draperies are artful: a delicate embroidered sheer recreated by Rubelli of Venice, inspired by an original fabric found within the villa.

Beyond the interiors, eight acres of landscaped grounds unfold like a romantic Italian painting: lemon groves tucked within the original 19th-century Limonaia, groves of olive and magnolia trees, croquet lawns, and lantern-lit paths. Guests may explore the lake aboard La Contessa, the villa’s wood-paneled private boat inspired by 1920s American riverboats, or enjoy a sunset cruise on the sleek Aquariva.

Here, every object tells a story, every space is composed with intention, and every experience is touched by Italy’s enduring romance with beauty and craft.

Villa Feltrinelli’s reputation for understated luxury extends to its Michelin-starred dining, where meals can be taken as formally or as freely as desired: on the lakeside pergola, by the pool, in a private gazebo, or in the opulence of the Private Dining Room beneath a glittering crystal chandelier. For guests seeking a casual moment, the Pantry is stocked around the clock, while the octagonal Bob’s Bar offers digestifs, lakeside views, and a game of chess.

Beneath it all lies a wine cellar with over 500 premium Italian labels, available for private tastings or intimate dinners. It is this juxtaposition that defines Villa Feltrinelli’s ethos.

Villa Feltrinelli

Via Rimembranza 38-40
25084 Gargano (BS), Italy