When Il Sereno opened on the shores of Lake Como it quietly reshaped the region’s idea of luxury hospitality. Rather than replicating the ornate grandeur long associated with the lake, the hotel introduced a refined contemporary aesthetic, architectural and deeply connected to its natural setting.
For the 2026 season, Il Sereno returns on 19th March with a new culinary concept, Al Tramonto, alongside immersive experiences that bring together music, design and travel in ways that feel both modern and timeless.
As Il Sereno approaches its tenth anniversary, the new season also marks an important milestone for the hotel. Since opening in 2016, Il Sereno has become one of Lake Como’s most distinctive destinations, celebrated for its modern design, discreet luxury and strong connection to the surrounding landscape. Today the hotel is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading properties, named the #1 Hotel in Lake Como in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2025 and awarded 2 Michelin Keys in the 2025 Michelin Hotel Keys Guide. To mark the occasion, the hotel will introduce a series of special experiences throughout the year, including a celebratory tasting menu at Il Sereno Al Lago and a new anniversary cocktail collection at the Lobby Bar.
The Art of Sunset: Introducing Al Tramonto
New for 2026, Al Tramonto is Il Sereno’s most intimate dining experience yet, a candlelit venue designed around the simple pleasure of watching the sun set over one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.
Set just outside the hotel’s terrace, the space looks directly onto the water, where the lake turns gold as evening falls behind the surrounding mountains. Designed to feel discreet and exclusive, available strictly upon reservation and good weather conditions due to its outdoor nature, Al Tramonto accommodates just five tables, creating a quietly romantic atmosphere rarely found on the lake. The menu, created by Executive Chef Raffaele Lenzi, focuses on elegant Italian classics interpreted with contemporary restraint. The design deliberately keeps the setting understated yet elegant.
A Lake-to-Lake Experience
For 2026, Il Sereno expands its musical concept through a new partnership with Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, introducing the “Lake-to-Lake” experience. This journey connects Lake Como with the Swiss Alps through a spectacular driving route traveled in either vintage cars or high-performance supercars.
Along the way, guests listen to a specially curated soundtrack created by Arman Naféei, Directeur d’Ambiance at Kulm Hotel St Moritz, transforming the drive into a cinematic experience where landscape and music unfold together. The collaboration brings together two iconic Alpine destinations through a shared language of design, culture and sound. Aside from the excitement of driving on the way from Como to St. Moritz, the experience includes 2 nights at both properties filled with memorable wellbeing, culinary and destination moments.
Il Sereno Al Lago Returns and Celebrates a Decade of Culinary Excellence
At the heart of Il Sereno’s culinary offering is the Michelin-starred Il Sereno Al Lago, where Executive Chef Raffaele Lenzi continues to refine his distinctive culinary philosophy. Lenzi’s cooking is defined by clarity and balance, with vegetables and seasonal produce playing a central role alongside subtle reinterpretations of traditional Italian dishes. Set against panoramic lake views, the restaurant offers a dining experience where elegance, flavour and restraint take precedence over excess. “I want guests to leave feeling satisfied yet light,” Lenzi explains. “The desire to return should always be there.”
Later in the season, Sereno Al Lago will also introduce a special tasting menu celebrating ten years of Il Sereno. The menu will highlight some of Chef Lenzi’s most memorable creations alongside new dishes inspired by the hotel’s decade on Lake Como.
New Wellness Ritual at the Spa
For the 2026 season, Il Sereno Spa by Valmont introduces a new signature treatment designed to restore balance and inner calm.
Inspired by the natural energy of crystals, the new Crystal Serenity Ritual combines slow, flowing massage techniques with the gentle warmth of semi-precious stones to release tension and reconnect body and mind. Each experience can be personalised through three sensory pathways: Relax, Balance or Energy, allowing guests to tailor the treatment to their individual needs. Just as the lake restores a sense of perspective and quiet reflection, this ritual invites guests to pause, reconnect with themselves, and rediscover a state of deep inner equilibrium. A moment of pure equilibrium inspired by the peaceful rhythm of Lake Como.
The Darsena Listening Suite: Where Music Meets Lake Como
One of the hotel’s most distinctive features remains the Darsena Listening Suite, an immersive space dedicated to the art of listening. Inspired by the intimate listening rooms of Japan, the suite was conceived as a place where music can be experienced with the same care given to architecture or gastronomy. Soundproofed walls, bespoke walnut furnishings and rare analogue audio equipment create a setting where vinyl records can be enjoyed in remarkable acoustic clarity alongside awe-inspiring views of Lake Como.
The suite’s sound system includes vintage vacuum tube amplifiers and restored reel-to-reel players, while the vinyl collection, curated by Il Sereno’s owner Luis Contreras spans decades of musical history, making this a privileged spot for audiophiles as well as to host small private reception for up to 10 people, comfortably seated around the unique round table designed by Patricia Urquiola.
Discovering Lake Como
Il Sereno also offers guests some of the lake’s most memorable ways to explore the surrounding landscape. Private boat excursions reveal Lake Como’s legendary villas and hidden corners, from Villa Balbianello to the historic Villa Pliniana in Torno. Guests can also experience the lake aboard Il Sereno’s exclusive fleet, including the grand Vaporina del Lago with interiors designed by Patricia Urquiola, the elegant Inglesina boat experience, or take the helm of one of the three custom-made self-driven Jetto boats crafted by Cantiere Ernesto Riva, one of the most beautiful ways to explore the lake’s crystal-clear waters. On land, vintage car tours guide guests through the region’s winding lakeside roads and historic villages, evoking the romance of classic Italian cinema as they pass through Bellagio, Menaggio and beyond.
Rates at Il Sereno start from €950 per night
