“The hotel is nice, big, beautiful, best designer, best service…but we want our clients to experience the region from the water…once you do that, you fall in love with the lake…that’s why we established the partnership with Riva.”

There’s no doubt about it, the best way to really experience the beauty of Lake Como is from the water. This is something that Sereno Hotels owner Luis understands about the essence of Como. The exclusive Il Sereno is continuing the grand tradition of guests traveling and experiencing Lake Como via boat, by offering guests three custom-built Cantiere Ernesto Riva boats for their own private use.

For 300 years the Riva family, owners of Cantiere Ernesto Riva, have been building boats by hand in the nearby town of Laglio. There is no one on the lake that better understands the ebbs and flows of this sought-after destination. Established in 1771, the Riva family revolutionised the boating culture around this historic area. Guided by the philosophy to “never build a boat that is the same as another”, each piece that comes out of the Ernesto Riva Boatyard is a functional work of art. It is for this reason that a partnership with Riva was an obvious choice for Il Sereno.

Guests at Il Sereno are able to travel to other destinations on the lake by renting one of the two custom-designed Riva Jetto’s, which are small outboard motorboats made from wood. The design of the boat ensures this can be done without a special license so guests have the freedom to roam where they wish, and the privacy to enjoy quiet moments on the expansive lake. 

Alternatively, guests can travel aboard the grand Vaporina del Lago, a water limousine, which features interiors designed by Patricia Urquiola. The Vaporina was built for beauty and comfort and can be used by guests to visit various locations around the lake, travel to dinner reservations, or explore historic sites. The cabin is designed to be tall enough so that one can stand comfortably inside, and it has a large outdoor area in the front and back to drink in the jaw-dropping scenery.

The Riva family prides themselves in expert quality and continuing the traditions of this one of a kind destination. As Daniele Riva, part of the sixth generation of the Riva family, puts it “for me, my family has always been a sort of treasure chest, capable of caring about the past and preserving our memories.”
For a chance to take a cruise on one of these historic boats, visit the Sereno Hotels website, email guestrelations@ilsereno.com or call +39 31 547 7800 to make your booking today.