Bellagio: Former Grand Hotel Bretagne

Anyone strolling from the center of Bellagio in the direction of Villa Melzi will inevitably notice a large, elongated building on the lakeshore. The former "Hotel Grand Bretagne" is located on the famous peninsula where Lake Como splits into two arms towards the south.

Although in the 19th century the place could only be reached by sea, Bellagio developed into a sought-after meeting place for aristocratic society due to its picturesque location. The "Grand Bretagne" was built in 1861 and, along with the "Metropole Bellagio" and "Villa Serbelloni" hotels that still exist today, was one of three luxurious hotel buildings and the residence of numerous international personalities until its closure.

In the post-war period, a hotel management school was established here, which moved out in the early 1990s. Since that time, the building, in need of renovation, has been unused. In the early 2000s, the Lombardy Region sold the property to a new owner. Many years ago, a reopening of the Brittany was already planned. To date (2022), however, construction work has been sporadic and repeatedly stalled.

Even if a reopening of this aged grande dame is more than uncertain in the near future: For the locals, the empty Grand Hotel on the waterfront is part of the townscape, providing a special kind of photographic backdrop for many visitors and tourists between all the gleaming facades and a last touch of Bellagio Époque.

Hotel Bretagne: Foyer with stair hall

In the former ballroom a casino was opened in the 1930-ies

Expensive: First row with view of Lake Como

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