Bagnolo - SALO' (BS)

vote: 13.5/20 

Savoy Hotel once belonged to my parents and to history, set up by Soave Besana, my uncle's brother, who escaped the Nazis that made it their military quarter during the R.S.I., the garden was destroyed by local government cement, it is a sad memory of a lost greatness. But in a few kilometers, along Brescia's lakeshore of Lake Garda, the vision of some of the most beautiful Italian hotels will warm your heart: Fasano Grand Hotel, Villa Fiordaliso, Villa del Sogno in Gardone,  Villa Feltrinelli in Gargnano...these are luxury and poetic hotels.
The poetry can be found in the Golden Beach of Barbarano in Salò which is considered a shining jewel. This is the kingdom of the Gnes family who has made this four-star hotel a knick knack with moderate prices. You have seen it a few weeks ago in Melaverde (TV programme). Up the mountains on top of Salò but ‘out of the world' among abandoned walls, here a farm was created a little at a time: cows for meat, cow milks, milk for Caseificio Sociale in Tremosine which transforms it in fresh or ripe cheeses. But the real jewel is 10 meters far from the barn in another building which is a welcoming place.‘Bagnolo' is in the mountains.
You may reach it by leaving the lake shore at Vittoriale: turn left as to reach Vate residence and then go on towards San Michele. You go uphill and enter in the woods and the road becomes narrow, follow the signs and you will go along the last hundred meters in an surprising location. Be careful you are ‘out of the world', in Parco del Garda in Brescia but near Benaco....Two lines of trees with soft lights leads you to this ‘restaurant with rooms'. Park your car on the drive and you so reach the panoramic area which allows you to enjoy the view of the lake in silence. Outside there are 4 sunshades in order to sit down and enjoy  a drink or write a letter; inside there is a rustic restaurant with a warm L shape hall and the windows have a view of the garden, the woods, the lake and the mountains.  
The Gres family manages the hall and the kitchen with useful helpers and they prepare a traditional and typical menu, mostly based on the meats from its own farm: salami, capon salad, veal corned tongue, liver pâté, guinea hen ravioli, stew tortelli, gnocchi with gorgonzola, cotechino, beef with oil. Among the homemade desserts panna cotta and tiramisu. All is brought to the table with simplicity (not written menu, different tastings in the same plate). I spent a lot, I drank a bottle of Terre di Franciacorta Chardonnay Ca'del Bosco 1999 which costed 68 euros, but for those of you who order a complete medium lunch in this small earthly paradise you will spend 40-50 euros.
Credit cards accepted:  AE   VISA CS  ECMC.
It is always opened from March to October.