Grand Hotel Majestic

We have recently spent 7 nights at this wonderful, old hotel by the side of Lake Maggiore. We had booked a junior suite with a side view of the lake but, due to booking direct and the length of our stay, we were upgraded to a corner room with a balcony and front and side views of the beautiful lake and mountains. This was a massive, comfortable room with sofa, armchairs, coffee table and a useful desk. Being at the garden side, it was very quiet and we slept well. The weather was mostly good so we were able to sit on the balcony on four afternoons on return from our excursions. It was interesting to watch the ferries and other boats coming and going. Not many birds to be seen, though curiously the whole time we were there, a group of up to 15 great crested grebes bobbed around in the exact same area, apparently doing nothing. Although we loved our room, there were some negative points: no TV channels in English, no tea-making facilities, only 1 shallow drawer in the whole suite, only 1 complimentary bottle of water (not replenished - surely an expensive hotel like this could provide more than one!), no shower screen so water splashed on to the floor and the plugs in both basins leaked badly, so we wasted a lot of water. On the plus side the lighting was good, there was more than enough wardrobe space, the bed was comfortable, there was always hot water and the shower temperature was consistent. WiFi was reliable and fast enough. Breakfasts were excellent with a massive choice of items to suit all tastes; the brown breads and cheeses were especially nice. Tea was delivered to the table though the teapot was not really big enough for two and sometimes we had to re-order. We had dinner in the hotel only once and this was a special 5-course meal marking 150 years of the hotel's operation. The food was exquisite and interesting and the service impeccable. Five nice wines were served and the 4 sommeliers patrolled regularly, offering a top-up. Appropriate live entertainment (pianist and lady singer) was provided. All told, it was a delightful, unhurried evening and, we felt, worth the €65 pp charge. The staff at reception were all very pleasant, helpful and very happy to chat and seemed genuinely pleased that we had chosen their hotel. There is a lovely, relaxed, calm atmosphere about the place and this adds to its charm. No noisy, badly behaved children here - it's not the sort of hotel that would appeal to most families! Even the few dogs accompanying their owners at breakfast were well behaved and completely silent. Restaurants where we had good, reasonably priced meals in Pallanza were Gattabuia, Emiliana and Bolongaro and in Intra, a neighbouring town, Hostaria de la Sostra. We ate at Il Burchiello, the restaurant nearest to the hotel; the food was nice but portions were small and overpriced and the waiter was dour. However, the young lady serving was charming and spoke good English. Our final day was spoiled by continuous heavy rain but apart from that the weather was good. Overall a very pleasant stay but 5 or 6 nights would have sufficed. The hotel is in a delightful, peaceful location and I can certainly recommend it for those who want a bit of luxury.

Certainly not a 4 star superior hotel. Poor service from the moment you arrive. Passports confiscated and not told when we could collect. Room is extremely dated and whilst clean not worthy of 2 stars in terms of facilities. TV which does not show English channels. Noisy fridge. Lights not working. As we stayed in September air con was not available. Some of the Shutters for the windows didn’t open making room much warmer than necessary. Noise from the bar and terrace down below was late into the evening on our first nights stay. Breakfast was very poorly labelled (buffet style) so anyone with a food allergy would have difficulty knowing what they were eating. Only one cup of tea or coffee was offered. Cups were also dirty and no apology offered when we asked for another. food was not covered so potentially unhygienic. No kettle in the room so had to request hot water from the bar for a cup of tea. This despite a request as to why there wasn’t which was ignored by reception. Toilet continued to flush and water wasted. Unhygienic shower curtain hanging in the bath. No separate shower. So problematic for mobility issues. Separate toilet but only one bin between the 2 rooms. Stayed 2 nights but towels not changed or carpet vacuumed. No bathrobe despite website saying* they were provide. Broken safe, very small queen size bed. Don’t expect USB charging ports. Oh and no drinking water provided, yes you can drink water from the tap but they still don’t provide more than 1 small glass in the bathroom. If you mention anything to reception they say ‘you only need to ask’ but why should I expect to keep asking for the basics? I don’t want to waste my holiday asking for these things, just provide! 4 star hotels should do. Which are all of the above. Does this really sound like a 4 start hotel even for Italy?

What a fabulous hotel! If you want to experience the Italian Lakes as you’ve seen them in the films, this is the place for you. Beautiful traditional decor, sumptuous with high ceilings and views to die for. Immaculately clean and with lovely grounds, including a private beach with direct access to the water. Nothing is too much trouble for the wonderful staff. A new favourite that we will return to next year.

It was our first time in Verbania and in this hotel and we were not disappointed. If you are looking for a quiet holiday in a romantic location, I'd really recommend it. The hotel is situated close to the centre (with mainly restaurants and cafes, not many stores) and directly on the lake in which one can swim (the hotel has an indoor swimming pool as well). It is a very impressive family-owned old building, truly 'majestic'. We were upgraded to a maisonette suite (5th floor) with a terrace and fantastic views on the lake and the Borromeo islands opposite the hotel. The bedroom and bathroom were situated upstairs, and the living room downstairs. What has proven rather impractical was that the wardrobes were downstairs (there are only a few shelves upstairs) and there was no mirror there. So you may be walking up and down until you are happy with your looks - you can also look at yourself in the balcony window but it's not the same. The bathroom also lacks a magnifying mirror. The hotel has one upmarket restaurant for lunch and dinner with really delicious food. Breakfast was varied but I found strange that around 15 minutes before the end of breakfast, food was not replenished and sometimes the food was being taken away even 5 minutes before the end of breakfast. And at times we had to ask the staff to bring food that was missing even earlier. Otherwise service was great throughout the whole stay. In addition, we met the hotel General Manager a few times; he was very friendly and helpful, personally making sure the guests are happy. We took two trips - to the Lake Como (Como town) by car and also to three Borromeo Islands by boat. Both trips were very interesting and the locations are worth visiting, particularly the islands. Overall a great experience although the weather was not the best - it kept changing and it was raining a couple of days but was still warm.

We stayed there at the end of August : The hotel is magnificent: the reception hall, the terrace and the garden with lake view are very picturesque. The room itself, with side lake view and balcony was OK. We paid for an upgrade to have a balcony but it’s not really worth it as it was on the street side. The mattress and pillows were too firm to our taste. The pool area and water was warm , the lounge chairs in the garden were nice. We tried the massage provided at the spa which was a nice experience. The sauna would need to be renovated as the lower bench was broken and could be dangerous. The only negative point would be the parking situation : the hotel makes you pay to “privatize” the street with a plastic sign… not very sure it’s fully legal, the only advantage is that your spot is guaranteed but I honestly think that if you don’t pay you would still have a space…