Marriott’s new hotel courts global creative class
Byron, Napoleon, Stendhal, Rossini – these are just some of the famous and magnificent names that passed through the Italian jewel of Lake Como on their grand tours in the 18th and 19th centuries. Before them, in the 1400s, Leonardo da Vinci sketched and studied its horizon, and some insist that the landscape found its way into the background of the Mona Lisa.
Whether it’s fact or myth, Lake Como has long existed in the popular imagination as an effortlessly glamorous escape. Summer holidays covered in linen. Vintage Riva boats gliding through glassy waters. Poll of modern celebrities.
The lake continues to attract high-spending leisure travelers. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made headlines with their 2024 visit. Chanel held its Cruise 2025/26 fashion show at Villa d’Este. But it has also become a desirable backdrop for social media posts, making Como a destination that balances historic charm with deeply topical questions about how tourism shapes the places it touches.
The Lake Como Edition enters this evolving landscape at Cadenabbia di Griante on the west coast. Developed by London-based Omnam Group, backed by Bain Capital, whose portfolio includes W Rome and Radisson Blu Florence, the project positions itself as a “radical departure from traditional Lake Como hospitality”. In a region defined by grand ladies and multi-storey properties, this is ambitious stuff.
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But if Lake Como has traditionally created images of classic grandeur, the Lake Como Edition (the 21st iteration of the Marriott brand) seems to have a different energy. Think less screen seclusion, more global creative class. Maybe less Clooney, more Bad Bunny.
The building itself also has a history in hospitality: a hotel built in 1830 and most recently operated as the Grand Hotel Britannia Excelsior. Its original façade, composed of creams, butter tones and clay, remains intact. The high vaults and classical arches inside were also preserved, forming the framework of Edition’s blend of minimalism and social energy.
Edition creative directors Kirstin Bailey and Paul Haslhofer worked with Shanghai-based, multidisciplinary design studio Neri&Hu to steer the interiors towards a sumptuous yet contemporary Italian sensibility. Marble-covered arches, mosaic floors and magnificent greenery soften the geometry. The cantilevered teak entrance is framed by cascading wisteria and climbing roses; Inside, the Palomba stone mosaic and sculptural marble staircase nod to legendary Italian architect Carlo Scarpa’s respect for materiality. A reflecting pool shines next to the polished brass elevators.
The design language is subdued across the 148 keys, including 25 suites, two penthouses and the nine-room Villa Gina. Custom walnut beds rest on pale blue handmade tufted rugs reminiscent of the lake. Calacatta marble surfaces and curved Neri&Hu sofas bring sculptural serenity. Lakeside rooms retain their original French balconies.
Food plays a central role in this repositioning. Three-Michelin-starred Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in France, the world’s No. 1 restaurant of 2019 (according to The World’s 50 Best), is bringing a nature-first philosophy to many venues with his first Italian venture.
Signature restaurant Cetino offers elevated contemporary gastronomy that honors both land and sea, while terrace Renzo, an all-day dining area, reinterprets family-style Italian classics with warmth and conviviality. The waterfront Lobby Bar serves Riviera-inspired snacks under a five-foot geometric ceiling anchored in celadon marble and framed by hand-painted views of the lake. Designed for hotel guests as well as locals, they are spaces that encourage mixing rather than seclusion.
A private dock connects to Edition’s own fleet of boats, offering private lake cruises, while the public ferry stops just beyond the promenade. The floating pool is located directly on the lake with its own lounge and restaurant terrace.
In a distinctly 21st-century interpretation of Como’s long-standing reputation for restorative air and scenery, the hotel is opening Italy’s second Longevity Spa, blending biohacking therapies with holistic rituals inspired by the Blue Zones. Dry float therapy, near-infrared treatments and hydrogen-oxygen sessions sit alongside a thermal circuit, herbal sauna and indoor pool overlooking the mountains.
Of course, no hotel alone can solve the tensions created by overtourism. But Edition’s proposition—immersive dining, cultural programming, lake access, and meaningful wellness—looks at a model of longer stays and deeper engagement rather than quick photo stops.
To see editionhotels.com
Julietta Jameson is a freelance travel writer who’d rather be in Rome, but her hometown of Melbourne is a happy compromise.Connect via email.
