Golfo Gabella Lake Resort, self catering holidays in Lake Maggiore, Italy – Travel Loving Family

‘Hi ladies.  Do you fancy reviewing a resort in Lake Maggiore, Italy?’  As you can imagine, this email had me jumping up and down in excitement and resulted in a flurry of messages being sent between the group of bloggers who had been fortunate to receive it from the lovely team at Bookings For You.  I was fortunate to enjoy a family holiday to Lake Maggiore a couple of summers ago so I also had the added advantage of knowing exactly how beautiful and untouched this region of the Italian Lakes is.

 

I’ll be honest I had never heard of Lake Maggiore, (Lago Maggiore in Italian) until we started planning our first visit.  Since then I’ve had to explain to dozens of friends and readers where this absolute gem of a place is.  Lake Garda and Lake Como are very popular with us Brits but somehow Lake Maggiore has managed to stay off the UK tourist radar.  I find this surprising being that it’s a short budget 1.5 hour flight from Gatwick and less than a 1.5 hour car journey from Milan Malpensa to the shores of Lake Maggiore.

Fast forward a few months and I was stepping onto Milan soil having just flown from Gatwick with easyJet.  Just to give you a rough idea of price, all of the flights I looked at, including Birmingham and Manchester with easyJet and Ryan Air were between £60 – £100 return flight so definitely feasible even for a weekend getaway.

The drive from Malpensa airport was as beautiful as I remembered it. Shortly after leaving the highway we could see snow capped mountains of both Italy and neighbouring Switzerland. Within an hour of leaving the hustle and bustle of the airport we were driving parallel with the lake and kept catching sneaky glimpses of the shimmering water between trees and buildings.  The lakeside villages and towns we passed were truly spectacular and I immediately started to relax into holiday mode, (whilst already planning my third and much longer visit!)

Our base for our three-night stay was the Golfo Gabella Lake Resort, an aparthotel (a rather fab abbreviation meaning a self catering apartment with hotel facilities) on the shores of Lake Maggiore in the ancient town of Maccagno.  As we pulled up to the resort the four of us in the car all started to excitedly speak at once, pointing out the views, the private jetty and deserted pool/bar terrace which all looked very inviting.

After a very friendly welcome at the reception we excitedly ran around exploring our three-bedroom apartment. I took a few (hundred!) photos of the Instagram worthy views from our private balcony, changed quickly into a summer dress before regrouping to go and check out the pool and jacuzzi.

The next few hours were spent relaxing on the bar terrace enjoying local wine and a few nibbles whilst soaking in the lake and mountain views and waiting for the rest of our group to arrive. It really was the perfect start to our three night stay in Lake Maggiore.

The feature I loved the most about our second floor, three-bedroom apartment were the fabulous views of the surrounding mountains and terracotta roofed buildings.  We also had a partial view of the resort onsite heated swimming pool.  (The onsite superior apartments and penthouses have full views of the lake and pool so worth checking out if you are feeling a little flush). 

The large balcony, which led directly out of my double bedroom was a perfect spot to unwind with a glass of local wine in the evening and enjoy the first brew of the day in the morning…

There was only three of us in our apartment with a capacity for six persons so we were able to spread out. I really liked the way the apartment was set out with one twin room and shower room with toilet on one side of the living area, which could be made more private by closing the corridor door. (Perfect for putting younger children to bed and not having to creep around at night). On the other side of the living area was the second twin room, a larger shower room and double room.

With two options for dining, an inside and outside dining table I felt it was well designed for families or a group of friends travelling together. What the apartment was lacking in character it made up for in practicality, with white tiles and walls throughout and contemporary leather sofas which kept it spotlessly clean and practical for a self catering getaway.

The kitchen was well equipped with a dishwasher and microwave and there was a decent sized grocery store less than a ten minute walk away which was very convenient.  To be honest we didn’t use the kitchen for making anything other than brews as we had breakfast and dinner at the onsite restaurant and lunch whilst out and about sightseeing. I appreciated however being able to make a cup of tea at my convenience (and being able to keep a few bottles of wine cool is always useful!)  The kitchen facilities and onsite laundry facilities would work exceptionally well for a family holiday.

1. My number one favourite feature has to be the lakeside location in Maccagno. It’s within a few steps walk of a fairly new promenade which runs past Maccagno beach (with a lovely bar, kids playground and water sports hire shop) and the Maccogno ferry terminal making it a really convenient location for making the most of a family holiday in Lake Maggiore.  From the Maggagno ferry terminal you can jump on a public ferry to nearby Luino, Cannobio and Laverno plus also take longer boat crossings from here to for example Stressa.

Just to put the location of Golfo Gabella Lake Resort into perspective. A couple of summers ago my family and I reviewed a different property for Bookings For You, a stunning mountainside villa in Lake Maggiore, called Villa Sereni.  We absolutely loved the villa with its gorgeous birds eye views of the mountains. It was very private and gave us lots of space to enjoy each other’s company.  The only downside however was that every time we wished to leave the villa we had to do so in our car.  There were no bars, shops or pool within walking distance.  If you are considering an Italian Lakes holiday and weighing up accommodation options in Lake Maggiore I would keep location firmly in mind and weigh up the pros and cons for your family/group of friends.  The ‘right’ location really does depend on the sort of holiday you enjoy.

2. Free bike and kayak hire for resort guest. One of the highlights of my trip was a bike ride along the promenade from the resort.  Jenny and I hired our bikes and helmets from the resort and rode to Luino and back.  It only took about 20 minutes in each direction, (with a stop in Luino for a sneaky drink!)

The scenery was absolutely spectacular and it’s an experience I thoroughly recommend, although only for confident bikers and not kids as it did involve going through a couple of long tunnels on the main road.  I love that these services are free for resort guests.  They also have the option of taking out electric bikes.

3. The history of the site. Golfo Gabella Lake Resort was built on the site of an old glue factory which used to manufacture glue for shoes with the resin from the trees around the lake.  I loved that in the onsite restaurant, Acquadulza (which translates as ‘sweet waters’, after the Lake), still has features of the former factory’s industrial past.  The old factory chimney is now the restaurant wine cellar, (which is a pretty cool retirement job!)

4. The heated swimming pool with incredible views overlooking the Lake Maggiore. I would return to this resort just for the pool alone!  And I know my boys would leave me in peace as they would be happy playing in the kids splash pool. (This pool was being renovated whilst we were there but it certainly looked big enough to keep my boys entertained for many an hour).

5. Pizza and cocktail making. I love staying at places where you have the opportunity to learn something new and be immersed in the local culture.  The pizzas we made with the Italian chef were absolutely delicious and I learnt so much about traditional cocktails and the art of mixology during our cocktail session.  (If you are staying Golfo Gabella Lake Resort and wish to partake in either of these activities you just need to enquire at the reception, there is a small charge but worth it for the unique experience). 

6. Private dining. On our last night we were treated to a delicious three-course meal by chef extraordinaire, Marco Perocco.  He wowed us with mushroom risotto, Melanzane alla parmigiana – aubergines baked with mozzarella cheese and topped with Parmesan and tomatoes, zucchini stuffed with tuna, capers, olives and garlic and a dessert of panna cotta with berry coulis.

It was the perfect treat for a group of mums who rarely get the chance to be waited on and the perfect end to a brilliant few days in Lake Maggiore.  The private dining experience was particularly special as it took place in one of the resort’s stunning four bedroom Penthouse apartments.  Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our side however I can imagine that the views are spectacular from here on a sunny day.

**If you fancy a luxury night in during your stay in Lake Maggiore I can highly recommend you contact Marco who can travel to apartments to offer his private dining services throughout the Lake Maggiore area.

Staying in a villa in Lake Maggiore wowed my family and I two years ago and I was a little apprehensive about returning in case my second visit didn’t live up to my high expectations.  If anything I appreciated the area and it’s stunning scenery even more the second time around.  It truly is a very special place, particularly for people who love being outdoors hiking, biking or taking part in water sports.  You can check out my guide to holidays in Lake Maggiore here – 15 things to do in Lake Maggiore, Italy including day trips into neighbouring Switzerland, bucket rides (yep you read that right, a real bucket!) and the areas best lidos.

If you wish to be within a stones thrown of Lake Maggiore and all of its lake side facilities  Golfo Gabella Lake Resort is a brilliant choice.  The extra immersive facilities and services they offer onsite… biking, hiking tours, cocktail and pizza making etc offer great value for money and will make your holiday in Lake Maggiore, Italy even more memorable.

We picked up a hire car from Malpensa Milan airport to drive to our resort in Maccagno.  The resort is well connected with buses and a train station just a short walk away and so in theory a car is not a necessity however, after two trips to Lake Maggiore, I would thoroughly recommend a car as it allows you to make the most of this area.  Being able to pop over the border into **Switzerland or ride onto a car ferry to cross over to the other side of the lake is what makes a holiday to Lago Maggiore, Italy so interesting and exciting.

You quickly realise after spending a couple of days in Lake Maggiore that your days need to be planned around the ferry timetable.   For this reason I would suggest downloading the Navigazionel Laghi app to your phone in advance to help you plan your family holiday.

**Although Switzerland is not part of the EU you do not have to show your passport to cross the border however just a little word of warning… check with your mobile phone provider regarding roaming charges as both my husband and I during our first visit failed to realise that we had left the EU and racked up pretty hefty phone bills during our day trip to Switzerland.  If unsure have a phone free day and just fully soak in the stunning scenery!

You can book your Golfo Gabella Lake Resort self catering holiday for the exact same price via Bookings for You as you could if you were to book it direct with the resort. The huge advantage of booking via Jo and her UK based team is that they will ensure you have the best holiday possible by sharing their insider tips and area expertise. For example whilst we were there Jo was coming up with great rainy day ideas and rearranging our sightseeing plans, which was incredibly helpful, (especially as none of us can speak Italian!)

Bookings For You also offer concierge services, i.e. our private chef, Marco, was booked via Jo who has worked with him for years.  Let me know if you have any questions about a holiday in Lake Maggiore and click here if you wish to check out other Bookings For You properties in the Italian Lakes.

Pin for later – Self Catering holiday in Lake Maggiore, Italy

 

Disclosure: This review stay in Lake Maggiore, Italy was organised by Bookings For You in exchange for this review and social media promotion.  I paid for my own flights from the UK and some expenses. All words and opinions are, as always, my own.  All images copyright – Travel Loving Family.