La Palma - Stresa, Italy     

Perfect hotel. We went half board and had a lake facing twin with balcony on the first floor, there is a tree which does block the view straight ahead but it’s hardly a disaster, there’s still plenty of lake and mountains to look at. There was a wide selection of food at breakfast from fruit and cakes to cold meats; scrambled eggs and bacon. One tip if you ask for coffee they bring you a pot of homeopathic coffee i.e. trace elements of coffee and 99.9% water, ask for a cappuccino or espresso and you get a decent cup for no extra charge. It was my first taste of Italian hotel food for evening meals and it was very good, especially when they had smoked salmon and prosciutto, no stinting on the portions. There were around 5 or 6 choices of starters and mains and always a salad buffet as well. No reason to eat in town and the only time we did it was disappointing. The room was comfortable, the air con worked fine, the electric shutter cut out the lights illuminating the hotel, even the usually granite like ear numbing Italian pillows weren’t too bad. The lounge and bar were large and comfortable and great for an aperitivo. The staff were courteous, friendly and attentive. The pool is across the road and we didn’t use it as it’s not that big and there didn’t seem to be enough sunshades, but if you want to sit by the pool all day, you just have to get over there early. The fitness room and solarium on the roof were good, and it was the best view I’ve had from an exercise bike. It is in a perfect location 5 minutes walk from the town and lake boat service. What we also liked was the guests were mainly in the age range late 40’s and upwards and no young children. We didn’t find any fault with this hotel, and would happily recommend it and return.

The Hotel La Palma in Stresa on Lake Maggiore was everything we had expected based on the reviews from Trip Advisor users. It is a beautiful hotel across from the lake. Since it was early June, the flowers were in bloom and this made the setting even more appealing. We had a junior suite facing the lake. It was a nice sized room, but not huge. The bathroom was large and very clean. The balcony/lanai had two very comfortable reclining chairs which made it enjoyable to sit out and look at the lake. The hotel staff was pleasant and very efficient. The breakfast was very nice with plenty of food and good service. The location was also perfect, since it was a short walk to the train station and right near shops and restaurants. I would definitely return to Stresa and stay at Hotel La Palma.