Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1519536
t's ocial: Passalacqua in Lake Como is the best hotel in the world—at least according to the inaugural World's 50 Best List last year. It was a proud moment for owner Valentina De Santis, who grew up in a hospitality family, running the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a Belle Epoque beauty in mid-Lake Como that her parents Paolo and Antonella have been overseeing since 1973. De Santis, 41, worked as a management consultant for four years after receiving her Master of Science degree in General Management at the University of Milan, but joined the family firm just in time for that hotel's centenary, in 2010, focusing on its sales and marketing. She had a restless energy, though, and was keen to create her own project to expand the business—and so, the 24-room Passalacqua (which is meant to feel like "a villa" as compared to the 84-room Tremezzo) was developed. In late 2018, in a private auction, De Santis commandeered three historic buildings in Moltrasio, about 13 miles south of Tremezzo, to create the new property—including a villa from the 1780s, its onetime stables, and a lakeside cottage. Passalacqua has become an icon of the region almost overnight. Its signature whimsical details act as a shorthand for the boho luxury De Santis champions, whether the bright orange Fiat 500 Spiaggina house car or the maximalist poolside, festooned with textiles from J.J. Martin's Milan-based La Double J. No wonder Jennifer Lopez and Ben A¢eck came here on their honeymoon, and we hear George Clooney sends his houseguests out for a meal or two chez Valentina. Here, De Santis shares the secret of her success, and a few other insider travel tips for navigating her hometown. I From her enviable perch on the edge of Lake Como, third-generation hotelier Valentina De Santis shares what makes Passalacqua the best hotel in the world, and how her experiences led to its creation. BY MARK ELLWOOD BUILDING AN ICON ASK THE EXPERT Valentina De Santis at the pool at Passalacqua—a maximalist design experience styled by Milan-based J.J. Martin. OPPOSITE PAGE A Fiat 500 Spiaggina serves as one of the hotel's house cars. 38 BAL HARBOUR MAY 2024 SPECIAL EDITION P O R T R A I T © M A R I E L A M E D I N A