Hotel Review • Europe • Italy • Lake Garda
Grand Hotel Fasano: A Former Royal Hunting Lodge-Turned-Luxury Hotel on Lake Garda
Experience classic Italian grandeur at Grand Hotel Fasano on Lake Garda. Discover Michelin-starred dining, a revamped spa, and year-round luxury in Gardone Riviera.
Courtesy of Grand Hotel Fasano
BY JENN RICE
Why it works
Hotel Snapshot
Grand Hotel Fasano is an 86-key five-star hotel on the shores of Italy's lesser-trafficked Lake Garda, on the Gardone Riviera. Its history dates back to the 18th century, and the hotel building took its current neoclassical form in 1903. Its 12,000-square-meter lakefront park holds a Michelin-starred restaurant, private beach, and Aqva Spa.
My husband and I drove to Grand Hotel Fasano for a peaceful end-of-year getaway. While summer is optimal lake time, late fall is equally magical, with its warm days, chilly nights, and way less commotion. The Gardesana road to the hotel is one of Italy's most scenic drives and sets the tone. Upon arrival, we tossed our keys and bags to the bellman and headed straight for the last moments of sun-glistening lake time (with a glass of Costaripa rosé, of course).
Mornings were slow, starting with an espresso on our private terrace and continuing with breakfast and lake views. We dined at Il Fagiano and planned our weekend around Albergo da Gustare, one of the coolest hotel events at the end of the season (and in 2026, New Year’s Eve too!), featuring local products, wines, and chefs from around the area. We ate caviar and oysters in the laundry room, which had been transformed into a Ferrari Trento sparkling wine stop, and mingled with winemakers and chefs in the kitchen while they cooked and served tasty morsels. It was honestly one of the best weekends I've had on an Italian getaway.
Design and Character at Grand Hotel Fasano
A sweeping staircase up to the rooms is one of the building's memorable details. Interiors favor creamy hues, light rooms, and shades of blue echoing the lake, with whimsical touches like a birdcage and fruit-basket-shaped sconces. Palm and banana trees give the park a tropical feel by the lake. The main house took its neoclassical form in 1903, while Villa Principe served as the property's original hunting lodge for the Austrian royal family. A recent renovation refreshed rooms with modern tech, without altering the building's bones.
Rooms at Grand Hotel Fasano
With 86 rooms and suites, Grand Hotel Fasano has several options. Standard rooms in Villa Principe keep it simple with wooden floors and partial lake views, while the Superior and Deluxe categories move into the main house, adding balconies, parquet floors, and in-room espresso machines for optimal morning terrace enjoyment. The suite with a lake view is the one to book for a top Lake Garda stay, with a separate living room. The newest spa-wing suites have direct access to the spa for a more wellness-focused stay.
Courtesy of Grand Hotel Fasano
Dining at Grand Hotel Fasano
Five venues cover every mood: newcomer Bistrò 1888 for all-day garden dining; Michelin-starred Il Fagiano, where Chef Maurizio Bufi's tasting menus shift with the seasons (try the chef-driven cocktail pairings in lieu of wine); Chef Valerio Dallamano's Magnolia, for dining underneath 200-year-old magnolia trees; and Osteria Il Pescatore, where you can find Mediterranean-style fish dishes and more; and Ramas Lounge Bar, where Rama Redzepi's Seven Wonders of Lake Garda entails a cocktail crafted around each lake town.
Amenities at Grand Hotel Fasano
Aqva Spa recently completed a full renovation, adding tunnel-connected pools, a Turkish bath, a sauna, and a hydromassage. Outside, a private beach and a gorgeous new beachfront bar sit within sprawling gardens, while the concierge can help arrange everything from helicopter excursions to Monte Baldo to private cooking classes in Tresnico. For the first time, the hotel stays open through Christmas and New Year, closing on January 6, 2027. It's pet-friendly, with two meeting rooms (though we'd argue for pleasure over business).
Location: Gardone Riviera, Italy
Grand Hotel Fasano sits on the western shore of Lake Garda in Gardone Riviera, at the edge of the Dolomites. Vittoriale degli Italiani (Italian poet and novelist Gabriele D'Annunzio's eccentric estate-turned-museum) is an 11-minute walk away, as is the Heller Garden, a gorgeous botanical garden with sculptures by Keith Haring and Auguste Rodin. Ferries from the hotel's private pier cross to Toscolano-Maderno, an easy way to skip the lake traffic.
Fast Facts: Grand Hotel Fasano, Gardone Riviera
Address: Via Zanardelli, 190, 25083 Gardone Riviera, Italy
Neighborhood: Gardone Riviera, western shore of Lake Garda, Brescia province
Nearest Airport: Verona Valerio Catullo Airport (VRN), about 55 minutes by car
Star Rating: 5-star
Starting Rate: From $450 a night
Room Count: 86 rooms and suites
Vibe: Lakefront Belle Époque grandeur with up-to-date amenities
Best For: Couples, honeymooners, food-focused travelers, multigenerational family trips
Amenities: Aqva Spa, indoor and outdoor pools, private beach, Il Fagiano, Magnolia, Osteria Il Pescatore, Bistrò 1888, Ramas Lounge Bar, 24-hour concierge, pet-friendly, open through the holiday season, including Christmas and New Year (for the first time ever)
Nearby attractions: Vittoriale degli Italiani, Heller Garden, Lido 84, the town of Salò, Lake Garda ferry docks
Our Favorite Thing: A parting gift of Felicetti spaghetti, tucked into an envelope at checkout
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Gallery
A closer look
Courtesy of Grand Hotel Fasano
Courtesy of Grand Hotel Fasano
Courtesy of Grand Hotel Fasano
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