Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Villa Sostaga, Lake Garda
Facts in brief
Official star rating 5
Location On a forested hillside at 400m above sea level, above the village of Navazzo di Gargnano, approximately 10 minutes by car from the lake shore.
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Verona
Distance from airport 1 hour 30 minutes by car
Closest railway station Brescia
Distance from railway station 1 hour 20 minutes by car
Hotel facilities and services
Sostaga Restaurant, Veranda dining room, Liberty dining room, Clarabella salon, outdoor heated saltwater swimming pool (seasonal), garden relaxation area with SPA Hydromassage Jacuzzi and double four-poster sun loungers, Turkish steam bath, Ayurvedic massage treatments, Luxury Spa Suites with private Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and panoramic hot tub, fitness centre, bicycle rental, wine cellar with over 700 labels, Wine-E-Shop, concierge desk, airport shuttle, free parking, and 24hr reception.
Complimentary
Wi-Fi, Turkish steam bath, and parking.
Land sports
Cycling, hiking, and golf.
Out and about nearby
The village of Gargnano, just 10 minutes away by car, is one of the most characterful towns on the Brescia shore, with a picturesque port, the 13th century Church of San Francesco, and the Baroque Villa Bettoni. The ancient Limonaia La Malora – a beautifully preserved 16th century lemon house – is the starting point for the 6.1km Lemon Path walking trail, which winds through terraced citrus groves and olive orchards within the Alto Garda Bresciano Natural Park that immediately surrounds the hotel. Just 18 minutes south by car, Gardone Riviera is home to Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, a remarkable hillside estate incorporating ornate gardens, an open-air amphitheatre, a warship embedded in the hillside, and a mausoleum with sweeping lake views. Salò, approximately 25 minutes south, is one of the lake's most refined towns, with a 15th century Gothic cathedral, the elegant Palazzo del Podestà, the longest lakefront promenade on Lake Garda, and excellent restaurants serving local freshwater fish. Limone sul Garda, 20 minutes north, clings to steep cliffs and is famed for its terraced lemon groves and the historic Limonaia del Castèl citrus garden, as well as kayaking and sailing on the water below. Further afield, Sirmione – around 50 minutes south on a narrow peninsula jutting into the southern lake – rewards with its 13th century moated Scaligero Castle and the Roman ruins of the Grotte di Catullo, while the city of Brescia, a similar distance east, offers a UNESCO World Heritage Site Roman temple complex and a rich archaeological museum.
Sports nearby
Cycling, hiking, horse riding, golf, watersports on the lake, and tennis.
We had an excellent holiday in all respects and are very grateful for your suggested choices, arrangements and friendly communications. Thanks to all concerned.Mrs T, May 2026
From about
Holiday Code EXH4710
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Villa Sostaga, Lake Garda
Built at the end of the 19th century as a hunting residence for Count Giuseppe Feltrinelli, Villa Sostaga sits at 400m above sea level within 40 hectares of protected woodland in the Alto Garda Bresciano Natural Park. The property was later transformed into a summer residence by architect Alberico Belgiojoso, before the Seresina family restored and opened it as a five-star boutique hotel in 2005 – and they remain at its helm today. Throughout the villa, the atmosphere of a noble country estate has been carefully preserved: stucco ceilings, wooden beams, antique furnishings, and period details have all been retained. The 19 rooms and suites are spread across the main villa and the adjoining Meridiana Annexe, each individually decorated in warm tones with parquet or stone floors, four-poster beds, and period furniture. Several categories offer private terraces or balconies with lake views, and the Luxury Spa Suites include a private Finnish sauna, Turkish bath, and panoramic hot tub. The Sostaga Restaurant – housed across three elegant dining spaces including the Veranda and the Clarabella salon – serves à la carte lunch and dinner guided by a philosophy of innovation within tradition, supported by a wine list of over 700 labels. Outside, a heated saltwater pool and a garden Jacuzzi terrace make the most of the villa's elevated position, and the spa's Ayurvedic treatments complete a stay that rewards those who value tranquillity, fine food, and genuine character in equal measure.
Room descriptions
Villa Sostaga at Lake Garda has 19 rooms and suites across the main villa and the Meridiana Annexe. All rooms include a private en-suite bathroom with shower, air conditioning, heating, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, minibar, telephone, in-room safe, kettle and tea and coffee making facilities, bathrobes and slippers, free toiletries, and hairdryer. Every room is entirely unique, with individual style, decor, and size.
We had an excellent holiday in all respects and are very grateful for your suggested choices, arrangements and friendly communications. Thanks to all concerned.Mrs T, May 2026
From about
Holiday Code EXH4710
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Villa Sostaga, Lake Garda
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Villa Sostaga, fly to Verona and collect a hire car for the approximately one-hour drive to the hotel along the western shore of Lake Garda. A car is recommended for exploring Gargnano, Salò, Gardone Riviera, and the wider lake region. Alternatively, we can arrange airport transfers directly to the hotel.
Additional information
Children: Villa Sostaga welcomes families and is also dog-friendly, with pets accepted on request.
We had an excellent holiday in all respects and are very grateful for your suggested choices, arrangements and friendly communications. Thanks to all concerned.Mrs T, May 2026
From about
Holiday Code EXH4710
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Villa Sostaga, Lake Garda
About Italian Lakes
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to the Italian Lakes spans the northern Italian regions of Lombardy, Piemonte and the Veneto. We offer hotels located by the undisputedly beautiful Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Lake Garda and also the smaller, quieter lakes of Orta and Iseo, both well-worth exploring in their own right. Each lake has its own character and atmosphere, distinctive terrain, architecture and style. Placed as the lakes are to the south of the Alps and to the north of the Po Valley, they naturally possess a charming mixture of the vibrant coolness associated with the Alps but enlivened by the warmth of the South. The landscape around the Italian Lakes is one of deep blue waters surrounded by greenish-blue tinged mountains, often snow-capped. On the shores of the lakes and the lower slopes of the hills you find a profusion of lemons and olives, chestnuts and palms, magnolias and camellias. Pretty villages with rustic stone and wood houses hug the sheltered bays and fishing boats still moor next to sailing boats. Wrought-iron balconies and colourful shutters adorn gaily-painted houses with terracotta roofs. Dining is usually al fresco in the summer months and a magical atmosphere is created with the lapping of the waters and the twinkling of the lights around the lake and in the hills above. The close proximity to Milan and Verona as well as other less well-known but artistically interesting cities means that you can visit the Italian Lakes quite easily for just a weekend or short break as well as a longer holiday. The Italian Lakes can all be visited as part of a rail holiday, and the many beautiful gardens located in the vicinity of Lakes Como and Maggiore are well worth a visit as part of a garden tour holiday. Our favourite four and five star hotels for luxury holidays in the Italian Lakes include Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni and Villa d'Este on Lake Como, and the Hotel Cannero Lakeside Resort on Lake Maggiore.
Highlights of the Italian Lakes
Historic villas are to be found on every lake from the Grotte di Catullo Roman villa at Sirmione on Lake Garda to Villa Melzi and Villa Olmo on Lake Como and the Palazzo Estense in Varese. Most of these villas also have extraordinarily beautiful gardens (which can be visited as part of an Expressions Garden Tour holiday) such as the Villa Carlotta on Lake Como, the Isola Bella in Lake Maggiore and Villa Taranto at Punta della Castagnola on Lake Maggiore. Monte Mottarone above Stresa on Lake Maggiore and Monte Baldo above Lake Garda can both be reached by cable car and afford spectacular views. At Gargnano on Lake Garda you can see the stone pavilions where lemons were traditionally cultivated. Within the region there are national parks such as the Stelvio National Park north of Orta and the Parco Nazionale della Val Grande above Verbania on Lake Maggiore.
Cultural highlights of the Italian Lakes
Much of the artistic and architectural cultural wealth in the region is concentrated in the great cities such as Milan and Verona but also in the less well-known but culturally-rich centres of Bergamo, Brescia, Pavia, Mantova and Vicenza (not directly on the Lakes but within reach for a day`s excursion). Highlights include the frescoes by Masolino at Castiglione Olona, the Rocca (castle) at Angera, the Flemish tapestries on the Isola Bella Lake Maggiore, the marble cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore at Como and the works of art in the Galleria dell`Accademia Tadini at Lovere on Lake Iseo. Milan has La Scala, the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, the Brera Gallery (containing Raphael`s `Marriage of the Virgin` and the Montefeltro altarpiece by Piero della Francesca) and its Gothic cathedral. Verona has its annual opera festival from June until the end of August, the Romanesque church of San Zeno, the Renaissance Loggia del Consiglio and the Roman Arena.
Festivals in the Italian Lakes
The Verona Opera Festival takes place in the Roman Arena every year with performances running from June until the end of August. Verona also celebrates Carnival every year culminating on the Friday before Shrove Tuesday. Como holds a flea market, the Fiera di Pasqua, over the Easter weekend. Music festivals take place in Bergamo throughout the year. The Mille Miglia veteran car race starts and ends in Brescia (via Ferrara to Rome in May each year).
Gastronomy in the Italian Lakes
The cuisine of northern Italy tends to contain more meat and butter than further south and rice and polenta compete with pasta. Saffron is used extensively as in Risotto alla Milanese. Bresaola is cured raw beef served as an antipasta (now often with rocket and parmesan). Manzo al Barolo (beef in Barolo wine), Costolette alla Milanese (veal cutlets in breadcrumbs) and Ossobucco (veal in wine and tomatoes) are all popular dishes. Panettone cake and Zabaglione are two regional desserts. This region produces some of Italy's most famous cheeses such as Gorgonzola, Bel Paese, Fontina and Taleggio as well as some of Italy's most exportable wines such as Soave, Bardolino and Valpolicella. Less well known but interesting wines are produced in the Valtellina in the north of Lombardy and in Franciacorta near Lake Iseo.
