Villa d'Este

The building began life in 1568 as a cardinal's summer residence, which tells you everything about the scale of the gardens and the ambition of the architecture. It became a hotel in 1873 and has been the social headquarters of Lake Como ever since — the kind of place where European aristocracy, Hollywood royalty, and Italian industrialists have rubbed shoulders at the floating pool for over a century. The gardens, sloping down to the lake, are among the finest in Italy. 152 rooms, four restaurants, and a position on Lake Como that even George Clooney's villa next door cannot surpass.