We chose this hotel for its relative proximity to Malpensa Airport, as it is under 30 minutes drive if you don't get lost. The hotel is built into the shell of a very old building, the original home in the town of Azzate. Nobody knows the year it was built, but the present family has lived there for five generations. Modern windows fill the old arches and keep out the heat or chill depending on the season. There is a large gravel area inside the old walls around the property for parking (free), and a patio out back for use in the summer. The village outside these walls is inviting for strolling around the Medieval town. Or you can walk down toward the lake past fields and farms.
The original rooms had very high ceilings, and the current owners have made split level rooms to use this height to good advantage. You get a living room below, a very clean and modern bathroom at the mezzanine, and the bedroom is the loft. The mattresses are firm and bed very comfortable. The stairs connecting the levels have handrails but an unsteady walker might have to take it slow and hold on. There is an elevator between floors.
The cooking is excellent, you will love the dinner offerings, served by the gracious host, and the breakfast is served by a cheerful waitress as well. To address an unjust gripe in another posting, yes the family has two sweet dogs ( I wouldn't call them a pack) that you might encounter. Americans are often surprised to find dogs in places in Europe where they might not be seen at home, so this is hardly unusual. I think it adds to the feeling that you are guests of the owner.
The hotel is listed in several guidebooks as charming, unique, all of which are quite true. Some of those books have mostly five star type properties. Locanda Dei Mai Intees is a four star hotel, not five star. With that expectation in mind, you will be entirely satisfied, highly recommended.
- Locanda Dei Mai Intees Varese
