Living La Dolce Vita

MANILA, Philippines – When I complained to our travel guide that hotel rooms’ prices in the Lake Como area have tremendously increased in the past few years, he threw his hands in the air like a typical Italian and said, “Blame George Clooney!” Ever since the superstar purchased three villas in the area, real estate prices have skyrocketed five fold.

I’ve always dreamed of visiting Lake Como ever since I saw Star Wars episode two (The Phantom Menace) over a decade and a half ago where some of the most picturesque scenes where shot but twice backed off because hotel rooms with a view of the lake costed €500 upwards per night. Last Christmas, while having dinner at my compadre Greg Garcia’s place, he informed me that we should visit Lake Como soon because the hotel rooms now cost close to €1,000 and are still increasing by the year. I bit my lip and agreed and said to myself I’ll do this only once.

Clooney who bought three villas, Madonna who got married at the Lake Como vicinity, Richard Branson who bought a lodge by the lake, George Lucas who shot some romantic scenes with Queen Amidala and a young Darth Vader for Star Wars episode two and the producer of the new version of the James Bond movie Casino Royale are all to blame for Lake Como’s sudden popularity.

But anyone (myself included) who visited would instantly fall in love with the place. Como which is just minutes away from the Swiss border with a breathtaking view of the permafrosted Swiss Alps was like a journey to the past century where there were no malls, big shops or tall buildings that overwhelmed the scenery. The air was pure and unpolluted my lungs gave me a high five when I had my first gasp of air. Our tour guide intimated that all tap water in the Como region is potable which is a rarity nowadays.

Our residence in Como was the sprawling 25-acre Villa d’Este. Although the property is close to 500 years old, it has been well preserved with every corner of the hotel screaming opulence with a capital “O.” Villa d’Este was once a Cardinal’s residence, then a Jesuit center, then purchased by a Count and finally in 1873, converted into a luxury hotel exclusive for nobility. In 2009, Forbes magazine called it the best hotel in the world. Villa d’Este is surrounded by gardens, century-old sculptures including the mythical Hercules hurling Lychas into the sea, three heated swimming pools and shops that sell designer bags, jewelry and high-end collectibles.

A highlight of our stay in Como was the day trip to Bellagio. As we disembarked from our two-hour boat ride, our guide proudly announced, “This is the real Bellagio not the fake one in Las Vegas.” Casino magnate Steve Wynn once visited and fell in love with the place and decided to name his luxury Vegas Hotel & Casino “Bellagio.” Bellagio is a small but lovely commune by Lake Como but of late has been crowded by too many tourists. I guess tourism got boosted because of its Vegas namesake. I’d like to add that this is where I truly enjoyed artesanal pizza.

At the end of our stay, we were all singing Arrivederci Como and promised to return soon. Upon leaving, I checked the room rates per night and was aghast that it has risen to €1,300.