Bellano · Lake Como

Hotel Meridiana

A small waterfront hotel with lake-view balconies, dinner overlooking the water and Bellano within walking distance. A practical Lake Como base for couples travelling independently, particularly by rail.

11 roomsDirect lake accessLa Dolce Vita restaurantBellano station nearby
Plan your Lake Como stay

The ExpertoItaly view

Close to the water, well placed for a rail journey

We recommend Meridiana for the way it combines a useful location with time beside the lake. You can walk into Bellano, take a train towards Varenna or Tirano, and return to a balcony and dinner overlooking the water. It suits guests who like to make their own plans once the main travel arrangements are in place.

The hotel is small and the rooms are compact. Its appeal lies in the waterfront position, the restaurant and the individual room you choose. For a couple, we would start with Deluxe Queen 10, then consider Suite 11 or Superior King 8 if their layout or outdoor space suits you better.

Bellano provides a quieter base north of Varenna, with its own historic centre and places to eat. The trade-off is that central-lake sightseeing needs a little timetable planning, and this is not a hotel to choose for a swimming pool or a large spa.

Our starting point: four or five nights, perhaps after Milan or the Swiss Alps. A week works well if you want walks, lake outings and several days without a full programme.

Hotel Meridiana with its waterfront restaurant and small beach
The restaurant terrace and hotel sit directly on the waterfront.
Furnished lake-view balcony of Superior King Room 8
The furnished balcony of Superior King Room 8; outdoor space varies by room.

Planning your stay

Is Hotel Meridiana right for you?

Best for

Independent couples

A good fit if you value a lake-facing balcony, meals by the water and a town you can explore on foot. Choose the room carefully and leave time to enjoy it between outings.

Travelling by train

A lake pause within a longer route

Bellano is on the Milan–Tirano railway. Meridiana can follow a city stay, break a journey through northern Italy or provide a few restful nights after the Bernina route.

With children

Two quite different family layouts

Family Room 1 has two sleeping areas but no lake view. Room 12 has a lake-view balcony, with everyone sleeping in one room. We match the arrangement to your children’s ages and your need for privacy.

Hotel style

Small scale and compact rooms

The Standard Double is only 13 m². Guests wanting generous indoor space, extensive grounds or a conventional swimming pool should compare the alternatives below before choosing.

Access needs a room-by-room check

The hotel has no lift. Room 12 has a separate first-floor entrance reached by a short flight of stairs. Room 9 has bathroom accessibility features, but this does not establish a step-free route throughout the hotel. Tell us what you need so we can check the entrance, bedroom, restaurant and waterfront together.

Rooms and balconies

Choose the room for how you will use it

The eleven rooms differ in size, outlook, bathroom and sleeping arrangement. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a kettle, mini-fridge, safe and TV are provided; the lake view and outdoor space depend on the category.

Our room advice

Start with Deluxe Queen 10, then compare 11 and 8

For most couples, Deluxe Queen 10 is the clearest starting point. Suite 11 gives you broader glazing and a spacious balcony; Superior King 8 adds a king bed and sofa bed. Tell us if a walk-in shower, twin beds or step-free access is essential, as the rooms are not interchangeable.

Deluxe Queen Room 10 with two glazed doors facing its lake-view balcony
Double windows frame the frontal lake-view balcony.

Our starting choice for couples

Deluxe Queen 10 · 20 m²

A large queen bed, shower room and furnished balcony facing the lake. This is our first suggestion for a couple who wants a sensible balance of bedroom space, a good outlook and somewhere to sit outside.

Suite Room 11 with double and single beds and a broad lake-facing window
The double and single beds share one room, facing full-width glazing.

For the broad lake outlook

Suite 11 · 22 m²

The main attraction is the broad window and spacious frontal lake-view balcony. There is a double bed, a single bed and a shower room. Despite the suite name, there is no separate lounge; choose it for the outlook and balcony, or for three guests sharing.

Superior King Room 8 with a sofa and doors opening towards the lake
A king bed, sofa and doors leading towards the balcony.

For a king bed and two outlooks

Superior King 8 · 22 m²

A king bed, sofa bed and double-exposure balcony with a frontal lake view. The bathroom has a bath with shower over. A useful choice for a couple wanting a little more space, or with one child when the sofa-bed arrangement suits.

Superior Queen Room 7 with a queen bed and lake-facing balcony
Room 7 opens onto a furnished balcony facing the lake.

For a frontal lake view

Superior Queen 7 · 18 m²

A queen bed, frontal lake view and balcony, with a bath and shower over. It offers more floor space than the Standard Double while retaining a compact bedroom. Choose it for the view and outdoor sitting space rather than a large interior.

Queen Room 9 with its side balcony overlooking the lake
The balcony looks towards the beach and lake from the side of the hotel.

For a side balcony

Queen Room 9 · 18 m²

A queen bed and a side balcony overlooking the beach and lake, rather than a straight-ahead lake panorama. The toilet and shower have accessibility features. We confirm the complete access route and the precise bathroom arrangement before recommending it for reduced mobility.

Compact Standard Double Room with a frontal lake-view balcony
The bedroom is compact, with a balcony directly facing the lake.

For a compact lake-view stay

Standard Double · 13 m²

A double bed, or twins on request, a frontal lake-view balcony and a bath with shower over. The balcony is a real benefit, but 13 m² leaves limited space for luggage and moving around. We would usually favour a larger category for a longer stay.

Double sleeping area in Family Room 1 with its exposed natural stone wall
The double sleeping area includes an exposed natural stone wall.

For separate sleeping areas

Family Room 1

Two sleeping areas accommodate a double bed and twin beds, with a shower room and a small furnished outdoor area. There is no lake view. This offers a different sleeping arrangement from Room 12; it is not a self-contained two-bedroom apartment.

Room 12 with a double bed and two single beds in one bedroom
A double bed and two single beds share the same bedroom.

For four sharing one bedroom

Room 12

A family option with a shower room and a lake-view balcony. Its separate entrance is on the first floor, reached by a short flight of stairs. Choose it when the view matters and you are happy to share one sleeping space; allow for the stairs when considering luggage or a pushchair.

Life at Hotel Meridiana

Breakfast, the waterfront and La Dolce Vita

La Dolce Vita restaurant overlooking Lake Como at sunset
La Dolce Vita’s dining terrace looks across the lake towards the sunset.
Seating beside the wine display at Hotel Meridiana
The lounge and wine display offer an indoor place to sit.
Dinner table and mountain views at Hotel Meridiana at sunset
A lakeside dinner is worth planning into the stay.

Morning

An easy start before exploring

Buffet breakfast is served at the hotel, making it straightforward to set off for a walk or a boat trip. We include the agreed meal basis in your holiday proposal and discuss dietary requirements before arrival.

Beside the water

Sun terrace, lake access and Jacuzzi

The hotel has direct lake access and a shared sun terrace with a Jacuzzi overlooking the water. Massages and treatments can be booked. These are small-scale facilities; there is no conventional swimming pool or extensive spa circuit.

Evening

Lake Como and Valtellina cooking

La Dolce Vita draws on local cooking, with fresh pasta and homemade desserts among its strengths. Book ahead in high season and check opening days. Bellano’s other restaurants give you alternatives within walking distance.

A little room in the programme

The on-site wine cellar can arrange tastings, and the restaurant terrace is a good reason to return before dinner. Treatments and tastings are optional extras; we can check availability and costs alongside your room arrangements.

Hotel Meridiana standing directly beside Lake Como in Bellano
Hotel Meridiana stands on the waterfront at the northern end of Bellano.

Location and getting around

Bellano on foot, the wider lake by train and boat

Meridiana is on Via Carlo Alberto, on Lake Como’s eastern shore just north of Varenna. Walk into Bellano for the historic centre, cafés and restaurants, or visit the Orrido gorge. The Sentiero del Viandante offers walks above the lake, with routes chosen to suit your fitness and the weather.

Bellano–Tartavalle Terme station is roughly 12–15 minutes away on foot. We would arrange collection if you have substantial luggage or mobility concerns. The Milan–Tirano line makes both a city connection and onward travel towards the Bernina railway practical.

A car-free stay works well

A car is not essential. Arranged arrival transfers, trains and seasonal boat services cover a well-planned lake stay. Varenna is useful for central-lake ferry connections; we check sailing times before suggesting a day in Bellagio or Menaggio.

A car helps with more extensive touring away from the railway and lake. If you bring one, request a parking space in advance: on-site parking is limited and charged.

See our Lake Como holiday ideas and guide to exploring Varenna without a car for outings to include from Bellano. Allow time between trains and boats, particularly at the beginning and end of the season.

Hotel location

Hotel Meridiana, Bellano

Where it fits

Pair Bellano with one well-chosen city

Meridiana works as a lake base in its own right, or as the slower part of a rail journey through northern Italy.

Paintings in the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan

Art, architecture & the lake

Milan

The most straightforward city companion: galleries, the Duomo and city restaurants, followed by a train to Bellano and time beside the water. It works equally well before or after the lake.

Explore Milan holiday ideas

Piazza San Carlo in Turin

Museums, palaces & cafés

Turin

Give Turin several nights for its collections, architecture and café life, then travel east via Milan. Bellano brings a smaller town, lake walks and a gentler pace to the second part of the holiday.

Explore Turin holidays

The Grand Canal in Venice

A walking city & a lakeside pause

Venice

Combine days exploring Venice’s neighbourhoods and art with four or five nights on Lake Como. Travel between the two by rail via Milan, treating it as a proper change of base.

Explore Venice holiday ideas

Give each base enough time

For seven nights, we would generally choose one base and explore from there. For ten to fourteen nights, two bases usually work best, with four or five nights in Bellano. Add a third only when the journey itself or your interests justify another move.

From the Swiss Alps

Bellano after the Bernina railway

After a stay in the Engadin, the Bernina railway journey to Tirano connects naturally with the train south towards Bellano. We would allow several nights at the lake, rather than making the mountains a rushed out-and-back excursion.

Our Swiss Alps, Lake Como & Milan rail holiday is a useful starting point. It currently features Royal Victoria in Varenna; Meridiana can be considered as an alternative, with the room, connections and price adapted to your plans.

Plan with ExpertoItaly

Include Hotel Meridiana in your Italy holiday

Tell us when you would like to travel, who is coming and whether Bellano is your main base or part of a longer journey. We will recommend the room and fit the lake stay around the places you want to see.

01

A route with time to enjoy it

Plan a week on the lake, a city-and-lake holiday or a journey through the Swiss Alps, with realistic travel days and time to settle into each place.

02

The arrangements joined up

We arrange accommodation, rail journeys, private transfers and selected experiences as a tailor-made, land-only holiday. Flights are booked separately by you.

03

Personal advice and support

ExpertoItaly helps with the room category, access requirements and travel connections, with personal support before and during your holiday.

Your holiday enquiry

Tell us what you have in mind

Share your dates, approximate duration and the places or experiences that interest you. Let us know if a balcony, a particular bed arrangement or easy access is important.

(Places, who’s travelling, special occasions, interests, anything you'd like me to know)

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