Dolce Mistero Lake Como - Alaura
Como
Self-catering
+44 (0)7941 055011
Visit owner's website
€171 - €228
per night
€1200 - €1600
per week
Modern comforts combine with antique charm, a plunge pool and far-reaching Lake Como views for food lovers and peace-seekers
2 beds
2 bedrooms
Sleeps 4
Children welcome
Your dates are available!
2 Guests 21 Nov 24 - 21 Nov 24
Direct with the owner
Visit the owner’s chosen website for availability, online booking or contact details.
Enquire through Sawday's
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What part does Sawday’s play?
€171 - €228 per night
€1200 - €1600 per week
The Experience
You drive up to the top of the village, continue on foot down a steepish path and arrive at a little stone cottage with mesmerising lake views. This is an elegant and heart-warming restoration of part of an old monastery by the interior designer owner. You get the whole of the downstairs: walk straight in to white walls, wooden beams and doors, original stone niches displaying beautiful objects and two vast windows in the living room overlooking the lake.
Bedrooms (one with lake views from the bed) have embroidered linen, soft pillows and the same combination of pale stone and wood; bathrooms are swish and rustic, the kitchen has all you need to cook up a storm (rather stylishly) and all is unbelievably romantic. You have your own private terrace and plunge pool, and there’s a shared courtyard with the other apartment upstairs.
Explore using the ferry, walk, cycle, swim in the lake, stroll into Sala for your morning cappuccino.
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We think you'll love
- Eating homemade pasta and freshly caught lake fish at Locanda La Tirlindana, a ten-minute walk
- Cooling off in the plunge pool with views
- Sitting on the terrace with a glass of wine, watching the moon rise over the mountains and lake
You should know
- It's not geared up for very young children. Over 7s only please
- There is free parking 70m from the house with a small path to walk back
Essentials
- EV charger
- Self check-in
- Swimming pool
- Hot tub
- Garden
- Open fire / woodburner
- Breakfast included
- Breakfast available
- Meals available
- Vegetarian meals
- Oven
- Parking on premises
- Free parking nearby
- Accessible by public transport
- WiFi
- Television
- Central heating
- Limited mobility
- Wheelchair access
- Mobile reception
- Hob
- Barbecue
- Paid parking nearby
- Air conditioning
- Relaxation areas
- Washing machine
- Tennis court
- Microwave oven
- No smoking
- Credit cards
- Working farm
- Owner has pets
- Electricity included
- Dishwasher
- Pets welcome
Family friendly
- Baby monitor
- Books and toys
- Children welcome
- Babies welcome
- Stair gates
- High chair
- Fire guard
- Cot available
Nearby
- Pub/bar within 3 miles
- Restaurant within 3 miles
- Shop within 3 miles
Activities
- Bikes available
- Food courses
- Kayaking
- Other courses
- Sailing
- Surfing
- Wild swimming
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Pricing
- Nightly price
- from €171
- Weekly price
- from €1200
- Damage deposit
- €250
- 1 Apartment for 4
- From €1712 beds2 bedrooms
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Information
Booking information
- Check in
- From 4pm
- Check out
- By 10am
- Other details
- Minimum stay: 7 nights. Children over 7 are welcome.
- Closed
- 1 October - 29 March.
- No smoking
- Smoking not permitted anywhere in the property.
- Meals
- Restaurants 10-minute walk.
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Reviews
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Dolce Mistero was a great place to explore Como. The apartment itself is stylishly appointed, the view from the terrace is lovely, the master bed is comfy, the showers good and it's well equipped. We particularly liked Sala Comacina. Although it had fewer ferries than the bigger resorts, we found the timings worked well for us and we loved coming back each evening. Karen's recommendations for shops and restaurants were spot on. It is however a steep walk up from the village and take note of the parking arrangements, as it's a very sleep slope down to the apartment as has been noted
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Alaura is a very special place only made more so by the final approach on foot - completely justifying it's Sweet Mystery name. The views are utterly delightful, inspiring constant exclamations of Wow as you first explore. The furnishings and decor are at the same time classy and suitably rustic and cooking italian food in the kitchen was a pleasure, but eating at Locanda Tirlandia was even better! Great place.
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We had a delightful stay here... the apartment is just beautiful. Light, airy and peaceful. The views over the mountains and Lake Como are just stunning. The terrace is perfect for al fresco dining and the plunge pool wonderful when you get too hot and need a quick dip to cool off. It is easy to walk out to the lake and good restaurants as well as on to mountain trails. We really didn't want to leave and hope to return again one day.
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We stayed at Alaura for a week, we were blown away by the accommodation, it is truely beautiful, tasteful, spacious, luxurious and had everything you could need to make your stay comfortable, getting to the accommodation from the car park with big cases was a little difficult, but the stunning location and views totally made it worth while! We fell in love with Alaura and lake Como and cannot wait to return x
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The most wonderful accommodation with breathtaking view and fantastic facilities. The terrace and plunge pool are worth a particular mention. Very well equipped modern kitchen, brilliant showers and comfortable living space. Fantastic! .
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Spent a wonderful week at Dolce Mistero. The house is beautiful, with stunning views and everything you need for a relaxing holiday. The terrace and plunge pool were perfect for the long hot days. The owners, Karen and Steve provided some lovely goodies for our arrival.
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Alaura was the perfect place to relax and enjoy Lake Como. The house was perfect and the small touches left for us made it extra special. The plunge pool was a wonderful addition.
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We all had a wonderful relaxing stay at Alaura. The " cottagio " as we called it was beautiful and has the most amazing views from the patio area. We enjoyed walks in to Lenno and along " the greenway", as well as trips on the lake to Bellagio and beyond. The welcome cakes and prosecco were a lovely touch, Karen is a perfect host and very easy to communicate with. We would definitely recommend Alaura for a relaxing holiday by Lake Como.
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We booked both apartments (Alaura & Ambra) which was bliss as there was plenty of space for everyone. Wonderful views all through the day. Why would we want to go anywhere else! Enjoyed walking to Lenno for pizza and ice cream and then back to the tranquility of the plunge pool and terrace.
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My husband and I had a wonderful, proper holiday rest here. The views were stunning and having our own private balcony and plunge pool made it very special. We did the whole week without a hire car which is perfectly possible. Getting to the property does require a bit of agility so don't have massive suitcases! We loved self catering and all the delicious fresh produce and regular sorbets in nearby Lenno. The apartment is well furnished and equipped and we had two lazy days there just enjoying the peace and quiet. We were just us even though the apartment takes 4. Worth splashing out!
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A wonderful stay at Alaura; the views are stunning and it was difficult to peel my husband away from the patio. The property is a delight and the welcoming goodies delicious. Highlights - awesome views, long lunches at La Tirlindana in Sala Comacina just watching the world go by; various trips on the Lake to exotic places. Two small issues - we were on a long trip so had quite a lot of luggage and did struggle getting it up/down the hill to/from the car; also, although we both drive abroad fairly frequently, we found the main road a little daunting. Would go again, use the bus and pack light!
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The lake and the apartment exceeded our expectations.
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My husband and I stayed here in September and made it our home for a week. That was not difficult to do since Karen and Steve's home is beautifully and quaintly decorated . The decor just lovely with top notch amenities, luxurious linens, well appointed kitchen. Just charming! Then there is the view from our private patio with our own plunge pool. Stunning! Thank you Karen for for all the information you provide starting with a very detail description on how to arrive to Dolce Mistero .
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Luxury defined, beautifully tasteful with a view to die for. No downsides for this hidden gem. Every corner has gorgeous touches and it really did feel like home. We loved glasses of prosecco and dinner on the patio, watching the sunset over the lake. Perfect honeymoon material. Thank you so much Karen and Steve for all your helpful tips on what to do. All in all, highly recommended!!!
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We loved Alaura and will return! - Quiet location, clean, well equipped, home from home, amazing views of the lake. Trying to leave the comfort of Alaura (and get the boys out of the pool) to visit the many beautiful places around the lake was quite a chore! Restaurants are a short 10-15 minute walk away we ate at Taverna Bleu & Locanda la Tirlindana, delicious food, friendly service. The best gelato from la fabbrica in Lenno. Walking the greenway is a great way to see various places around the lake, best experience was hiring a boat. In a nutshell, I would book Alaura before someone else does
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A wonderful conversion of a beautiful building with spectacular views across the lake. From fluffy towels, comfy outdoor furniture to detailed information pack there is everything you could need. Great location to leave the car behind and walk, take a ferry or just enjoy the view. Lovely restaurants in the village. A truly special place to stay.
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We had such a special week staying at Dolce Mistero. It's a beautiful property, exquisitely furnished, and we arrived to a bottle of prosecco in the fridge and a huge panetonne which was a wonderful treat! The views over Lake Como are stunning. Karen couldn't have been more helpful before our arrival, making sure that we had all the information we needed. We didn't have a car but managed fine with walking, buses and ferries everywhere. Would absolutely recommend staying here, we genuinely didn't want to leave and will be going back when we can
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This was the 3rd time we've stayed, once in Ambra, where we developed terrace envy, so last two times have been at Alaura. On all three occasions it's formed the perfect antidote to the maelstrom that is Milano. Visiting pre Easter can have it's drawbacks; not everywhere has woken from the winter slumber, and the temperature can plummet at night, but these minor niggles are massively outweighed by the benefits; the roads are much quieter (although still terrifying) the mozzies are still asleep, and the excellent lakeside restaurant in the village (Tirlindana) is a walk-up. Tutti bene!
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There are 3 key elements to every successful holiday, 1) the anticipation and excitement before arrival, 2) the joy of the holiday itself and 3) the lovely memories you are left with. Karen and Dolce Mistero deliver fabulously on every level. We stayed in Alaura for a week in Sep't and enjoyed every moment and can only endorse the comments made by others. Karen was especially helpful before our arrival booking a specific event for us and everything about the accommodation/area is a delight. Local restaurants are great inc the butcher -such lovely Veal! Don't hesitate to book, you'll love it.
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Location
The neighbourhood
A 10-minute drive will take you to Lenno for stocking up. There's a very good deli counter with fresh local produce including fresh cheeses and cold cuts. Here you'll also find the ferry terminal to reach anywhere else on the lake. Visit Villa Balbianello, location for Star Wars, Casino Royale and other films – book in advance, or just wander the beautiful terraced gardens. Milan is one hour.
Local points of interest from Karen White
- Top of the list ...... well it has to be the delicious italian food ! Local dishes cooked to perfection.... pizza, pasta...and not forgetting ice cream. Just a stone's throw from Dolce Mistero.
- Take an evening stroll down to the port at Sala Comacina and watch the sun go down......a romantic meal on the lake shore would finish the night off perfectly !
- Feeling energetic? The mountains behind Dolce Mistero have walking paths galore..... walk to the Rifugo at the top of the mountain and try some locally produced meats and cheeses. A fitting reward for all your hard work!
- Lose yourself in the magic of Italy......historic churches, ancient ruins, manicured Italian gardens, restored frescoes, art, music festivals......all the things we love about Italy!
- How could we not mention the Lake ! It provides the perfect setting at Dolce Mistero......hire a boat and see all the beautiful lakeside villas......we have many famous neighbours! Spend the day at the lido and swim in the lake....
- Shop till you drop in the chic boutiques in Como! Take the ferry and arrive in style at the port ...there's always a crowd watching the boats come in. The narrow streets are filled with the latest fashions from Milan.... need I say more....?
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Introducing
Karen White
Karen, an interior designer, divides her time between the UK and Italy and loves to spend time in the houses she has restored. She and her husband love to buy old wrecks and then inject some love to restore them. She's available via Whatsapp if you need anything during your holiday.
Spent a wonderful week at Alaura. Only used the car once for a brief food shopping trip; otherwise travelled on the ferries or walked along the Greenway del Lago. The hills kept us fit and the plunge pool with its spectacular views was a welcome option after a hot walk! The house was cool and welcoming with a welcome pack including a bottle of Prosecco when we arrived. Tip: If it's humid, make sure you have some insect repellent when out and about!