REVIEW: Sheraton Lake Como

Surrounded by the lush hillsides and shimmering sapphire waters of Lake Como, our charming driver Lorenzo was happily pointing out all the main landmarks as we drove through the old town en route to our hotel, until suddenly, he fell silent.

We had just driven past the imposing neoclassical residence Villa Olmo, which was once Napoleon Bonaparte’s summer retreat but today, with its vast public gardens, is a sanctuary to escape the heat of the day for locals and tourists alike. Well, it was until Alan Howard the billionaire British hedge fund tycoon paid €1.3 million to the Como Municipal Council to close Villa Olmo for a month in order to celebrate his second marriage, an issue which has enraged the locals.

Like Mr Howard, I had also sought out the captivating beauty of Lake Como as the perfect place to immerse myself in sheer luxury and unwind, however rather than upset the locals, I booked myself into The Sheraton Lake Como. 

Enveloped by the natural beauty of the Rhaetian Alps, the blue waters of Lake Como and flourishing gardens, The Sheraton is situated in the middle of a private 11,000 m² park and is the first chain hotel to open on the lake. The rooms are as you would expect from a top hotel, attractive, spacious and comfortable, each is decorated with local Italian furniture, and of course the Sheraton’s signature king-size bed. 

However, it is the view from the balcony that really sets this incredible hotel apart. Waking up to open the curtains every morning is a treat, as you gaze across the crystalline waters of Lake Como and lose yourself in the enchanting mountains above. 

The Sheraton is the only hotel in Como to boast a private park, an open-air heated swimming pool and hydro-pool with solarium; when the sun is shining there is no better place to be than relaxing poolside. 

The Kincho bar and restaurant located next to the pool serves exquisite cocktails and delicious freshly made pizzas and small plates, to keep you hydrated and fed throughout the day. However, for those who are after a truly exceptional gastronomic experience then there is only one place to visit, and that is ‘Restaurant Kitchen’, the hotel's very own Michelin-starred restaurant. 

Nestled among the greenery of the private park in a peaceful oasis, Restaurant Kitchen serves Italian cuisine with a focus on local seasonal ingredients; using herbs and vegetables from their own garden in the majority of the dishes. Head Chef Andrea who had worked for seven years alongside the chef Franco Caffara – the only previous Michelin-starred chef in Como city, has created two outstanding tasting menus which both circulate around his philosophy of respecting raw produce. 

There is the fully vegetarian ‘Green Tasting Menu’ which offers six courses of everything from radishes, umeboshi, strawberries, yoghurt and caramelised sesame to the more exotic likes of rehydrated red peppers, egg caviar and Parmigiano Reggiano. I decided to go for ‘The Experience’ which comprises the chef's six signature dishes and is changed quarterly. 

We started our culinary adventure with The Chef’s Welcome which consisted of a triage of delectable amuse-bouches; a squid ink case with foie-gras and cherry gel, a mini taco filled with 8-hour slow roasted local boar, with an aged Parmigiano Reggiano foam, sumac, and hazelnuts. For our first course, Chef Andrea had made a ravioli from thinly sliced celeriac and filled it with goats cheese, lovage and grape, before bathing it in the most refreshing and tasteful fennel consommé. If you could encapsulate the taste of an Italian summer, this was it.

Next came a dish that would not have looked out of place had it been on display at the Pinacoteca di Brera in nearby Milan; perfectly seared scallops on a bed of saffron cream, topped with zucchini flower tempura and a rich chicken sauce. The colours and contrasts were visually stunning, and this extraordinary dish tasted even better than it looked. 

It was then time for Andreas' signature dish, a ravioli with Parmigiano Reggiano topped with balsamic vinegar pearls and nashi pear, served with a foie gras cream and a dark sauce. If truth be told, this sublime dish on its own makes The Sheraton Lake Como worth travelling to; the sharpness of the balsamic pearls against the sweetness of the pear is balanced by the saltiness of the ravioli and the richness of the sauce. It is no wonder this restaurant is rated by Gambero Rosso as among the very best in Italy.

Before pudding was served, there was time for one more savoury treat to come out of the kitchen, which came in the form of a roulade of rabbit, served with asparagus and an Amarone wine gel. For all those who’ve sampled rabbit you’ll know that it can be a rather tough and dry meat at times, so to counteract that this the chefs here have come up with a solution involving countless innovative cooking techniques, and a low temperature bain-marie to ensure that the rabbit you sample at Restaurant Kitchen is the best you’ve ever tasted. 

Of course, it comes as no surprise that the pastry chef is as creative and daring as the rest of the team and so the pudding, which was described as; ‘a rock of passion fruit’ infused with thyme, served with white chocolate shards, alongside a sorbet of apple and ginger, and finished with scatterings of fresh mint, is a complete triumph. 

The fear that I will no longer be able to fit into my trunks for the remainder of my trip, was compounded by the arrival of a selection of fresh petit fours. 

I may not have been looking my best as I lounged by the pool that afternoon but reminiscing on how exquisite my lunch at Restaurant Kitchen had been, assured me that looking like an Adonis was less important than living like one.

This is without doubt one of the most impressive restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of dining at, the food was worthy of the surroundings, and every individual dish was both original and utterly delicious. When I congratulated Chef Andrea on his masterful creations, I was shocked by how young he was. He has great ambitions to take this restaurant to the next level and to acquire that much coveted second Michelin star, so if you have a chance, make a booking now before it's too late. 

Talking about reservations, if you’re looking to escape the monotony of London this summer and properly unwind, I can heartily recommend The Sheraton Lake Como. With its wonderful climate, jaw dropping scenery and exceptional facilities, you can see why there is such a buzz about this fantastic hotel. Come experience the magic for yourselves and I can assure you that unlike Alan Howard, the only problem you’ll encounter in Como is having to force yourself to leave. 

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