The apartment is very clean and well appointed. Claudio and Luisella are excellent hosts. The short walk up the hill to the property from town is well worth it for the spectacular views from the balcony and not challenging for the reasonably fit. A minor point (which may now have been made) is that the online listing did not make it clear that one of the king size beds can be split into twins - useful for some. We loved it here and hope to return.

I'd stay there again with out hesitation!

The apartment was the one on the top of the building. There were two others below and the owners across for ours. It was great walking to the plaza, ferry, or bus station. There is a small section on the busy street that you walked on the roadside but it didn't last long and we found it no problem. The owners were attentive and gave us a ride to the ferry when we left. We would stay there again.

Lake Como is beautiful and this is the perfect place to enjoy it. The accommodations are excellent and the owners are wonderful hosts. They even transported us and our luggage to and from the ferry dock which was much appreciated. We highly recommend this property and hope to return there soon!

We stayed here in late October and enjoyed our stay - especially the views. There were 5 of us - our youngest daughter slept on a pull out bed in the kitchen area. The place was a little larger than I had imagined given the square footage. The bathrooms were great! You just couldn't beat the views. Windows were equipped with metal shades on the outside so we were able to sleep in a bit in the mornings. We loved staying in Menaggio - less touristy and a really sweet town. We loved having breakfast by the lake every day at a small cafe. The apartment is located up a hill with a small portion of the road having no sidewalk. At night we made sure to have the flash lights on our phone turned on. It would have been nice to have 2 sets of keys since there were 2 couples staying. Also the bed in the front bedroom could probably use a better mattress. But all in all, if you're looking for a good place to stay and visit Lake Como, you can't beat this location. Also, the owners met us at the ferry and drove us to the apartment upon arrival. That was very helpful!

My wife and I have used VRBOs for years and we have had amazing hosts on our previous trips - but nothing comes close to the courtesy and kindness of Claudio & Luisella of Menaggio, Italy. We spent four wonderful days and nights at their beautiful property overlooking Lake Como. You to have to take a ferry to get across the lake if you train into Varenna and even though we did not request any help getting to the property - Luisella insisted on meeting us at the ferry dock with her car and bringing us to our hillside home. But first she drove us around the quaint little town of Menaggio showing us where the market was, suggesting places to eat & sights to see.Then she took us to our beautifully appointed 2 bedroom villa with an amazing wrap around balcony with wonderful views of Lake Como & the magnificent mountains.The two bedroom villa is perfectly equipped with a full kitchen and two very nice bathrooms. She showed us all the features of our VRBO rental - A storm had been building as we were crossing the lake on the ferry and as Luisella finished showing us our place, the clouds exploded with heavy rain & lightening - not more than five minutes went by after Luisella had left & there was a knock on our door - it was Claudio holding an umbrella insisting in a very gentle way that he would take us to the market by car so that we could buy groceries without getting drenched (the rain was coming down very hard). Claudio patiently waited as my wife and I navigated our first small Italian market - which was an adventure in itself.The villa is a perfect launching point to visit the Lake Como region. The Menaggio ferry dock is a ten minute walk & it is about the same to the town center which has multiple places to eat, drink, shop or simply walk along the lakefront. There is also a great family run pizza place about four minutes walk, just down the hill from the villa.We had to catch a very early train on our last morning at Menaggio, so we told our hosts the night before that we would leave our key inside their delightful villa since would be leaving at 5:45 AM - the next morning before the sunrise, we stepped outside - a voice startled us in the dawn light - it was Claudio standing by his car, insisting kindly again that he would drive us down to the ferry. We can not recommend a better place to stay in Menaggio other than with Luisella & Claudio. They and their VRBO property are the best of the best.David & Lynn HerzbergAug. 28th - 31st 2018

The apartment was ideal for our stay as two couples. It is very well equipped, very clean and has amazing views of the lake from the balcony and bedroom. The town of Menaggio is easily accessible with a short walk down the hill, taking care as there is no footpath. Our hosts were lovely and very helpful.

The property was equipped with everything we needed, it was spacious and clean. The owners were friendly and helpful, whilst they live on site and were available to help they still respected our privacy. I would definitely recommend this property as a great base to explore the lake. Enjoy the views and get to all the amenities Menaggio has to offer and the ferries to visit other areas of the lake in a matter of minutes.

My wife and I have used VRBOs for years and we have had amazing hosts on our previous trips - but nothing comes close to the courtesy and kindness of Claudio & Luisella of Menaggio, Italy. We spent four wonderful days and nights at their beautiful property overlooking Lake Como. You to have to take a ferry to get across the lake if you train into Varenna and even though we did not request any help getting to the property - Luisella insisted on meeting us at the ferry dock with her car and bringing us to our hillside home. But first she drove us around the quaint little town of Menaggio showing us where the market was, suggesting places to eat & sights to see. Then she took us to our beautifully appointed 2 bedroom villa with an amazing wrap around balcony with wonderful views of Lake Como & the magnificent mountains. The two bedroom villa is perfectly equipped with a full kitchen and two very nice bathrooms. She showed us all the features of our VRBO rental - A storm had been building as we were crossing the lake on the ferry and as Luisella finished showing us our place, the clouds exploded with heavy rain & lightening - not more than five minutes went by after Luisella had left & there was a knock on our door - it was Claudio holding an umbrella insisting in a very gentle way that he would take us to the market by car so that we could buy groceries without getting drenched (the rain was coming down very hard). Claudio patiently waited as my wife and I navigated our first small Italian market - which was an adventure in itself. The villa is a perfect launching point to visit the Lake Como region. The Menaggio ferry dock is a ten minute walk & it is about the same to the town center which has multiple places to eat, drink, shop or simply walk along the lakefront. There is also a great family run pizza place about four minutes walk, just down the hill from the villa. We had to catch a very early train on our last morning at Menaggio, so we told our hosts the night before that we would leave our key inside their delightful villa since would be leaving at 5:45 AM - the next morning before the sunrise, we stepped outside - a voice startled us in the dawn light - it was Claudio standing by his car, insisting kindly again that he would drive us down to the ferry. We can not recommend a better place to stay in Menaggio other than with Luisella & Claudio. They and their VRBO property are the best of the best. David & Lynn Herzberg Aug. 28th - 31st 2018

Luisella and Claudio were great hosts. Their apartment was spotless and absolutely perfect for traveling with a small child. You do have to be mindful walking down the road to town (only about 100yards) as it's narrow and a bit of a hill but we had no problems. If we come back we will definitely stay with them again. The view and the balconies can't be beat!

This was our first trip to the Lake Como area in Italy and we were so glad we chose to stay in Menaggio. It is a very comfortable town and easy to get around on foot, not to mention the beautiful views! The apartment veranda provides a great view over the lake and across to Varenna. We made great use of the veranda for all the meals we decided to eat in. The owners Luisella & Claudio live in the same house and are available to ask questions or give assistance. Having two bedrooms and two bathrooms for the four of us made things very comfortable. The kitchen was also well equipped and we cooked in several nights. There is a gate at the top of the driveway, so your vehicle is parked in a secure location. If you want to go into town, it is a short walk, but be aware that a small portion of the route is along a busy narrow road with no sidewalks which is a little scary after dark. We would gladly stay in this property again.

The apartment is set in a single building and is one of 4 with the owners staying in one so access to assistance, if required, is right there. The house is secure and very well presented and we thought was perfect for us. It is only a few minutes walk from the town and shore and there are great places to eat in the town. We visit Italy every year and look for places that are not in busy tourist areas with loads of "Jack & Veras" looking for egg and chips and a bar that does English beer. While you can find this in the Italian Lakes Menaggio is not one of those so hurrah to that. It is very simple to drive to the location from Milan Malpensa. We were able to drive to Lakes Lugano and Maggiore and to drive between Italy and Switzerland, there are great contrasts. If you get a hire car then try for a short one. We had a Skoda Octavia Estate which is about the longest you would want to access the security gate. Who needs a big car in Italy after all. Overall...I would recommend my friends and family to use this accommodation, it was spot-on. Many thanks. SteveC

We loved our stay at this apartment. If there is a negative to list it is that we had to walk down a very busy, narrow road to get to town. It wasn't very far, but if you are older or infirm, it would be difficult and scary. If you have a car, no problem. The kitchens and bathrooms were well done. If you are American, bring garbage bags from home. You'll be happy you shoved them in your suitcase. The Italians are very good at recycling and don't offer much in the way of garbage bin liners. The town is adorable. We are boaters so we rented our own boat and ran around the lake on our own. I would definitely rent this apartment again.

My friend and i stayed here for a week the end of April. The location, as mentioned before in other reviews, was perfect for us. We didn’t use the car once while we were there. Our main intention was to do walks and hikes to various places and we could walk directly out of our door, into town and get to the walking paths. Everything we needed was within walking distance. The house was very very compfortable and we had everything we needed. It was also very clean! The terrace was perfect for eating breakfast and dinner with the perfect view of the lake. If we needed anything the hosts provided it. We couldn’t think of any suggestions to give the hosts that would make this home away from home better - and we are both pretty picky. Grateful to have found this place and happy to recommend it!

We stayed for a week in April 2018. It's a lovely well presented flat in a tranquill setting with a grand view of the lake from the balcony and main bedroom . Really enjoyable to wake up in the morning and see the low clouds drifting over the lake and the snow capped mountains in the distance, whilst drinking tea in bed. Claudio and Luisella are very hospitable and informative about the lake. The apartment is close to the town centre in Menaggio and the ferry port. It's a good base from which to explore the delights of Lake Como. Would not hesitate to recommend. Robert & Alison, Hampshire UK

We really enjoyed our stay in Menaggio. The apartment is really centrally located. Fantastic views. Very easy to get around. Very clean and comfortable apartment and very friendly and helpful hosts. Lake Como does not disappoint

Great apartment with everything you need. Walking distance to Menaggio which is the perfect gateway for all of Lake Como. While we had a car, we didn't need it other than for our trip to Lugano. We were able to take the bus, ferry or walk anywhere we needed to go. The apartment is wonderfully situated with an amazing view of Lake Como. Our hosts could not have been more welcoming - pasta, tomato sauce and a bottle of wine were a welcoming gift. Advice was always available and recommendations were always spot on. We loved the two bedrooms and two baths which worked perfectly. We have no hesitation recommending this apartment and Menaggio. While we visited the bigger cities like Bellagio and Como, we were always glad to get back to our non-touristy village.

We really enjoyed our stay at Il Balcone di Elma. The apartment was beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean and Luisella & Claudio were very friendly and helpful. We visited numerous towns and villages on Lake Como but we were pleased we chose Menaggio and, in particular, this apartment. It was a very convenient location, being close to the centre of town and ferry port. As many have commented before, the view from the balcony is wonderful. Many thanks to Luisella & Claudio.

We are two couples who just left Menaggio and had an absolutely wonderful stay. The apartment is lovely and has two bedroom suites with bathrooms with nice sized showers. Everything looks brand new and very clean. The kitchen is small, but has everything one needs to prepare meals and eat at the apartment. There is a table and chairs there, but we ate most of our meals out on the balcony which has a breathtaking view of the lake. This also is the view from one of the bedrooms. Out hosts Claudio and Luisella could not have been any more accommodating. They even picked us up from the ferry! They have an entire book with maps and brochures to help you navigate all of the towns around the Lake and also where everything is located in Menaggio. Luisella showed us where the supermarket was and then picked us up after we finished our shopping, so we didn't have to walk back with our groceries. We visited the other towns around the lake and were so happy that we had selected Menaggio and this wonderful apartment.

Great location and views. Owners were very accommodating and helpful with arrival and departure. Very clean and comfortable for two couples. Would highly recommend. Thanks for a great stay. Bill, Michaela, Walt, Michelle Canada