If what you are looking for is a relaxing, friendly atmosphere and breathtaking views, than Hotel Il Perlo Panorama in Bellagio might be just perfect for you. A family owned hotel, providing all the comforts of a home, Il Perlo is run by two of the most lovely people on Earth – Carlo and his beloved mother. The two of them welcomed us into their hotel with opened arms and never shied away from going the extra mile to keep us happy.
Location
Built on top of the hill overlooking Bellagio and the fairy-tale like Lake Como with its perfectly manicured gardens and luxurious villas, Il Perlo is the perfect point to start exploring the lake. For me personally, if there is a heaven it can only be fond in the Alps, therefore, in my opinion, Hotel Il Perlo is located in one of the most breathtaking locations in Europe. And when a hotel offers the best panoramic views over heaven, I cannot help it but fall in love with it. So here is my love story. 
Due to its location up the hill, and the lack of public transportation, Carlo drives the guests to and from Bellagio in a black Opel. He runs the shuttle service three times a day, but if you need a pick up in between, all you need to do is call the reception and they will send the car for you in no time.
The room
Il Perlo Panorama is a 2-star hotel, but you would never guess that. The service, design, friendliness with which the guests are welcomed, are bringing this family owned hotel close to 4-stars. We stayed in one of the corner rooms facing the lake and loved everything about it.
Starting with the artwork decorating the walls (which by the way, guests could purchase and take home as a souvenir), the private balcony from where we could admire Bellagio and the snow caped mountains in the distance, the large and comfy bed, beautiful wood furniture, and the generous size of the room, and finishing with the overall decor, so homey, and welcoming, this place inspired us a tremendous joie de vivre.
Also the attention given to details was impressive and definitely a luxury sign. The housekeeper would leave on the bed a towel swan one day, a towel boat the other. We found this very resourceful, cute and personal. Plus the room was very clean and extremely well maintained, as was the whole hotel.
The bathroom was large as well, and came prepared with all kind of facilities, but what it stood out for were the views. If you never thought about a bathroom with a view as something important, believe me, it’s a life changing element.
The views
Oh, the views! There are many hotels in Bellagio and around Lake Como, but none of them has quite this breathtaking views. Waking up, having breakfast and going to bed with this show nature puts up every day here, believe me, it’s priceless. I could have stayed here, caught in this perfect state of bliss, forever, letting the gentle May sun caress my face, while watching the mountains reflecting in the mirror of the lake disturbed by nothing but the boats and ferries operating between the villages sprinkled around it. It’s not only that we could see the whole Bellagio at our feet, but also at the tip of the peninsula we could spot the famous Villa Serbelloni and its gardens. 
I also loved the ever-changing sky and the fact that the view was enough to make me wake up happy every morning, with a big smile on my face.
The common areas
What characterizes Il Perlo is it’s classy decor, in warm shades of brown and orange. The various rooms downstairs are great to chat and connect with other travelers, exchange stories and make new friends while comfortably sitting on one of the sofas.
But to be honest, my favorite place was the terrace overlooking the lake. See how I keep getting back to the views? The wisteria nearby was simply marvelous too, and since I’m a sucker for flowers, it made my day. Every day!
Breakfast
So having breakfast on this terrace was like the peak of the day. The breakfast to top all breakfasts.
Picture this. My husband and I wake up in the morning with the smell of coffee and freshly backed pastries. Go down to the hotel’s restaurant and put some absolutely delicious home-made pies on a plate. Then head outside on the terrace where we would have a long, lazy breakfast overlooking Lake Como.
We finish just in time to take the shuttle to Bellagio where we would visit our favorite gardens on the lake – The Gardens of Villa Melzi. We would romantically walk the cobbled streets of Bellagio, discover its secret corners, admire the boats dozing near the shores, take a ferry to Villa del Balbianello to see where Casino Royale and Star Wars movies were shot, stop by Villa Carlotta on the way back…
But even knowing all the marvelous sight we are about to see, doesn’t make it any easier to leave the Il Perlo’s terrace.
So in the afternoon we come back, our souls drunk with all the beauty seen during the day, take our seat on the terrace again, order an aperitivo and enjoy life. The four days we spent at Il Perlo were some of the best of our life. And the fact that every guest of the hotel we’ve met had a sparkle in their eyes, tells us we were not the only ones enjoying this hotel to the max.
