Boutique Hotel Villa Sostaga

This villa is magical. I have travelled to so many countries. I knew it deserve a bet after I randomly called and Francesco - the owner or manager- answered and was very kind to listen to what I wanted and make an extra effort to accommodate my family. I was driving but I thought it have to be good. 2 hours later we start going up on a road on the side of Lake di Garda. Before arriving to the villa I asked my family to start filming. I can see and smell and unforgettable experience. First, the location is spectacular you can see the entire Lake Di Garda and the snowy mountains on back. Second, Francesco himself was awaiting and ready to help with anything, he gave us a fantastic room, renovated. With a balcony to the entire lake. There is a big bathroom, comfortable bed for me and my wife and a big sofa for my two kids 7 and 9. We were hungry so how about getting ham, cheese and other Italian wonders at your room. Then 7 pm time for dinner at the beautiful dinner space with the view of the lake. Wine, Cod, Pasta, Sorbeto whatelse can somone ask. Loris an Italian guy was always with a smile, looking to make you feel at home. I had to wake up at 7 am to go to my first 1:30 run in the most beautiful woods, with rivers, lakes and falls. (Only to be careful of Italian driving like they are in the highway like Francesco warned me) Overall, one of the best places I stay even comparing 5 stars luxury places. Kudos! If I have the money one day, I will Run this hotel :)

I had the Tempura fish, prawns and vegetables as a starter…the Tempura batter was light & crunchy, exactly as it should be and the fish and prawns were very fresh. For mains I had the Lamb Rack with pistachio crumb and artichokes…this dish was really, really good. The lamb was perfectly cooked, rose but not fatty. My partner started with the Gnocchi with venison ragu…the gnocchi was very light and delicious For mains she had 2 types of A5 Wagyu…the local Italian Wagyu was awesome but the Japanese one was just way too fatty, in fact, not sure it had any meat at all. Dessert was Pistachio Crème Brûlée…best ever crème brûlée!! The Service was superb…friendly, attentive, knowledgeable and the wine recommendation was spot on!! We’ve already booked for another visit in a few days… Thanks to the whole team at Villa Sostaga

My wife and I spent a night at the villa during the off season. Everything was perfect! The suite was beautifully decorated with a spectacular view from the balcony. Dinner was luscious with a perfect wine paring by the owner Francesco.

The Villa was built in the 19th century and every room has its own character and full of lovely antiques.The hosts make you feel at home. Lovely restaurant with a great menu and wine list. For breakfast they present you a rich menu. I definitely want to return in the summer when the weather is better.

Service: After check-in, the host/concierge at the desk showed us to our room and helped us bring up our bags. At breakfast and dinner the servers were attentive and knowledgeable about the food and drinks. We did not try out the spa services, so cannot comment on that. On our last day, we wanted to enjoy the view just a bit longer and there was no problem checking out 30-40 minutes late (after letting the staff know). Room: Classic Room Dépendance Lake View. It was just enough for us two. (Bringing a baby might also be fine, but I would find it hard to be comfortable in this size room with a kid on a cot/rollaway bed.) With the thermostat you could control your own room's temperature. There was plenty of closet space, a nice mini fridge, a desk, a coffee/tea station, a spacious bathroom... The whole place was clean and well kept. Location & amenities: It's about a 20 minute drive up from Gargnano. Close to some villages, but isolated enough to enjoy nature and a great view of the lake and surrounding mountains from a height. Breakfast is included and you order a la carte. Lunch and dinner are also available on site; we had dinner one night and it was excellent! Our dishes were meat and cheese tray, mixed salad, venison ragu, pistachio-crusted lamb chops, hazelnut parfait, and rose cake with lemon sauce. They offer more spa treatments than listed on the website, so be sure to ask upon booking or at check-in if you wish to book something (they ask for 24-hour notice). Facials, various massages, depilation, etc. The complete list is in a little booklet along with a price list that they leave in your room when you arrive. Liked best & least: Some of the best aspects at Sostaga are the view, the kindness of the whole staff, and the calmness that comes with being away from busy streets. The two small complaints I have would be the mattress was not quite as plush as I need to be comfortable with arthritis, and the second morning at breakfast there was too much lemon juice on the fruit salad (the apples were very sour and the acid started to hurt my mouth). I would definitely recommend this hotel for a stay on the south end of Lake Garda and would go here again if the opportunity presents itself!

With fabulous views over Lake Garda and set in very nice and extensive grounds, Villa Sostaga is the place for a relaxing time . Breakfasts outside looking across to the mountains on the Eastern Shore of the Lake were so enjoyable in warm September sunshie. The restaurant provided not only great cuisine but one of the most extensive wine lists we have experienced and which would suit Wine buffs.

A mixed experience, but the lead feeling on departure was disappointed. The location is stunning (though NB there’s a construction site on the hotel grounds, which makes for a less picturesque arrival and overall setting). The Villa has some nice period charm. The food was good, and the wine excellent. The atmosphere, however, was not the “homey comfort” we had read about, nor the relaxing experience we had hoped for. For the price, the room was underwhelming. Clean, certainly, but lacking the charm, comfort, and sense of style and care you’d expect from a 4* hotel. What struck us more, however, was the attitude of senior staff. From the rather brusque welcome on arrival to the impatient air surrounding simple requests and the dismissive attitude surrounding any feedback, one did not have the impression of a team who value paying guests and enjoy hospitality!

Hesitant to write a review, given the host’s defensive, persecutorial and frankly quite disturbing responses to any critical feedback. But for the sake of other guests, here goes! What worked: food (dinner & breakfast) and wine were great. The views from the terrace were spectacular. The directions to the property were helpful. The grounds are generous and ambient nature / birdsong was lovely. What did not work: the service was flustered and stressful, with an edge of hostility. We often got the impression we were an inconvenience, rather than welcome guests. Reception was often unattended. Queries were met with impatience or lack of care. It was generally unclear who was in charge. The spa did not meet expectations. For the price, the room was clean and comfortable but basic. Given the other positive reviews, perhaps we had an unfortunate, off-season impression, but we would have loved to have felt more welcome.

This really is a gem of a hotel and worth the higher price bracket. Being that the hotel is up the mountain a bit, there is always a cool breeze in summer, unlike the hotels at lake level. The food was the best we’ve eaten in Italy and we’ve eaten a fair few places. There is plenty of room around the pool, so you’re never stuck for a sun lounger and for those that would like an even more peaceful experience, there is a garden area next to the pool with more four poster bed type sun loungers. There are buzzers available on the parasol umbrellas for requesting drinks/snacks. There are also two ice cream stations. They have a separate garden containing different types of relaxing seating, with a lovely view down to the lake, which is adults only. So no matter whether you would like a family holiday or an adults only holiday, there is plenty for both options. The outside gym was also far more extensive than I was expecting (the photos do not do it justice). They have approximately 12 machines where you can adjust the resistance (all with an amazing view). Lunch is served for a limited period. Between the lunch and dinner periods, cold snacks are available, such as cold meats, cheeses and salad. The food was by far the best we’ve eaten in Italy and we’ve eaten a fair few places. There were plenty of vegetarian options. Rather than a buffet breakfast, it is table service, where you are given a ‘tick box’ menu card. You just indicate on the menu what you’d like. The options are very extensive and all is very tasty. The views are nothing short of amazing and in the evenings there are sometimes storms on the other side of the mountains, which are beautiful to watch. The drive up to the hotel is not for inexperienced drivers. There is a single lane unmade road that leads to the villa. The road is 700m long. When you arrive there is a traffic light to make sure no one is coming the other way (waiting time no more than 3 minutes). The nearest lake side town is Gargnano, which turned out to be our favourite of the lakeside towns. There is a public pebble beach there, where you can swim (the water is very nice!), or rent SUP or pedal boats. The restaurants around the harbour are also very nice. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this hotel. It’s a beautiful place.