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Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
Blevio, Italy · Mandarin Oriental · Grand Luxury
Villa Roccabruna on Lake Como's Blevio shore, rebuilt for soprano Giuditta Pasta between 1827 and 1829, is where Vincenzo Bellini wrote Norma and La Sonnambula and where Donizetti is said to have finished Anna Bolena. The CastaDiva resort, named for Norma's aria, passed to Mandarin Oriental in 2018 and reopened in 2019 with a Herzog & de Meuron floating pool.
- 75 rooms
- Opened 2020
- Architect: Herzog & de Meuron (floating pool)
- Interiors: Eric Egan
About Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como
- In the early 1800s the house was Casino Ribiere, named for French tailor Ms. Ribier, a favorite of Milanese aristocrats.
- Filippo Ferranti, Pasta's maternal uncle, led the neoclassical expansion with gardens and guesthouses.
- Top Gear filmed Series 21 Episode 2 at the property during the CastaDiva years.
- L'ARIA, Massimiliano Blasone's Italian-Japanese restaurant, holds a Michelin star.
- Seventy-five keys spread across nine buildings on the lakeside estate, including two private villas.
History
Villa Roccabruna was built in the eighteenth century on Blevio's shore of Lake Como. In the early 1800s it was Casino Ribiere, named for a French tailor favoured by Milanese aristocrats. Soprano Giuditta Pasta bought it in 1827. Her uncle, architect Filippo Ferranti, rebuilt the house in neoclassical form between 1827 and 1829 with gardens and guesthouses; it was nicknamed Villa Roda. Chronicles say Gaetano Donizetti finished Anna Bolena here in 1829. Vincenzo Bellini wrote Norma and La Sonnambula in Pasta's orbit; the later resort took its name from Norma's aria Casta Diva.
The Wild family remodelled Villa Roccabruna at the start of the twentieth century. After decades of neglect, entrepreneur Gabriele Zerbi opened CastaDiva Resort & Spa. Top Gear filmed Series 21 Episode 2 here in 2014. Mandarin Oriental bought the estate in 2018 and reopened it in spring 2019 with a Herzog & de Meuron floating pool on the lake. Seventy-five keys spread through nine buildings, including Villa del Lago.
The setting
Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como is set at Via Caronti in Blevio, on the eastern shore barely two kilometres from Como. The resort's heart is Villa Roccabruna, built in 1799 and acquired in 1827 by soprano Giuditta Pasta, whose salon drew Donizetti — said to have completed Anna Bolena here in 1829 — alongside Bellini, Stendhal and Manzoni. The six-acre estate spans nine historic buildings within a centuries-old botanical park, forming a secluded enclave shared with other landmark properties on this eastern shore. Como's Gothic-Renaissance Duomo is eighteen minutes by car, the Tempio Voltiano twenty minutes, and the grand Villa d'Este twenty-nine minutes away, placing the property in one of the lake's most culturally resonant addresses. 6 km from Como Cathedral.
Restaurants and bars
- L'ARIA — Restaurant
- CO.MO Bar & Bistrot — Bar
- NAMI Cafe — Café
Experiences
- Lake Como boating and kayaking, seaplane exploration — Recreational water activities on Lake Como, which can also be explored by seaplane.
- Visits to Bellagio and historic villas — Visit Bellagio and villas including Villa del Balbianello, Villa Carlotta, Villa Melzi and Villa Monastero.
- Hiking trails and cycle routes — Scenic hiking trails and cycling routes around the lake and resort.
- Golf — 20-minute drive to two 18-hole golf courses; under 50 minutes to five further golf courses.
- Watersports, sightseeing, fishing, golfing, parachuting and horseback riding — Activities listed under Leisure for guests at the resort.
- Sports & Adventure — Expert team offers kayaking, windsurfing and guided exploration of the surrounding landscapes.
Amenities
- spa
- floating infinity pool
- fitness centre
- indoor pool
- sauna
- botanical garden
- concierge
- boat rentals
- Hammam
- Hot tub
- Fine dining
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- Italy's Best Hotel Spa (2025)
- Michelin star for L'ARIA (2019)
- Forbes Travel Guide recognition
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