Monday, September 12, 2011

A favourite poem.

Tell Me a Story

Long ago, in Kentucky, I, a boy, stood
By a dirt road, in first dark, and heard
The great geese hoot northward.

I could not see them, there being no moon
And the stars sparse.I heard them.

I did not know what was happening in my heart.

It was the season before the elderberry blooms,
Therefore they were going north.

The sound was passing northward.

Robert Penn Warren

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Review of Hotel Cannero on Lake Maggiore


What a welcome! We stepped off the boat from Stresa, and the ever-attentive Deborah from reception was on the stairs of the hotel to take our bags and show us to our rooms. At reception Samuele told us 'we love it when people arrive by boat' so we felt like elegant 19th century travelers. Very beautiful room with parquet floors and balcony with dreamy views of lake and mountains. Our bedroom door opened out not into a cramped hallway, but on to an atmospheric high-ceiling space painted like all of the hotel, in soft pastel colours.

The swimming pool is great, when doing the backstroke, you can look up at the mountains!
Both the restaurant and the cafe with dining tables overlooking Lake Maggiore, are excellent. If you are not staying half-board, I can strongly recommend Trattoria Gino and Gaby up above in the town of Cannero.



Every evening from 5-6 you can visit the atmospheric Cantina and Giuliana will help you choose a wine to match and complement your evening meal. If the wine you are interested in is not 'on tasting' she is quite likely to grab a bottle and open it so that you can have a taste.
Finally, the breakfast is lovely, and the buffet selection is kept fresh right up until ten o'clock. How can you improve on near-perfection? (Freshly squeezed orange juice would do the trick.)
I would recommend a day-trip to nearby Cannobio further up the lake. It is also an attractive lake town with good shopping and a wonderful promenade where you can sit and have a refreshing drink while waiting for your ferry to take you back to Cannero. Incidentally, it is possible to have a great and varied lake holiday without the use of a car.

In summary, Hotel Cannero is an idyllic place to relax in stunningly beautiful surroundings, with attentive and friendly staff looking after your needs. We have stayed in many wonderful Italian hotels over the years, and this one truly is as good as it gets.