Just returned from a week in Como staying at the Hotel Larius. The hotel is located on a side street in a residential part of the new town about 20 minutes walk from the Lake. It appears to have been newly refurbished. Rooms are extremely clean but basic. Unfortunately the air conditioning was switched off which made for an uncomfortable night's sleep. Lack of air conditioning would, however,be absolutely unbearable in the hot summer months of July and August. My request for an extra pillow was declined on the grounds that the hotel was full and no spare was available. A situation which was not remedied over the course of the week. Breakfast was barely adequate; mainly consisting of croissant, bread (sometimes stale), jam, ham and cheese. Juice and coffee was served via a machine. Extras like internet access and the gym are subject to an additional charge. The hotel also has a restaurant which we did not try during our stay.

A quick overnight stay. The hotel is not within the old town, which is about a 10 minute walk away. It has car parking, which is a plus (as parking is quite difficult in Como). It is set off a side road, so not the best arrival experience. This position however is very quiet, allowing a good night's rest. What the hotel lacks in character, it makes up for in facilities and cleanliness. Certainly a good option if you a looking for a bed for the night, but you are best to head into town for more life.

John and I spent 8 days at the Larius in September last year. The room was comfortable, a decent size, plenty of storage and spotlessly clean. The food was brilliant, the restaurant manager had a wonderful sense of humour and his recommendations, both of food and wine could not be faulted.
The hotel was situated away from the lake side, but the walk was pleasant, and helped counteract the effects of the wonderful food.
We travelled by motorbike and undercover parking was provided, this was visible from our room. The staff were friendly and welcoming.
the hotel's restaurant is traditional in style the rest of the building has a very modern interior.
would I recommend this hotel you bet i would.

We stayed at the hotel Larius for 3 nights. Overall the hotel was fine.

Plus points were that the rooms were very clean, the hotel is fairly new, fixtures and fittings in good condition, sufficient parking available (a big plus in italy!), and friendly & helpful staff.

Also... there are two supermarkets within easy walking distance, very handy if you want to stock up on water etc.

The walk to the city walls is probably about 10 minutes, probably about another 10 minutes to the waterfront.

Not so good points are the airconditioning being switched off at night - the weather was pretty hot so we went from being a good temperature to very hot overnight, then cool when the aircon came back on again. The internet is expensive - 1 euro for 5 minutes - I didn't use it so I can't say whether it was any good. They have a small gym - not sure if it is charged for - if it's important to you make sure you ask beforehand (I think its 10 euros).

Breakfasts were ok but not great. I was a bit disappointed that the coffee was from a nescafe machine, and the juice was under par.

My impression is that the staff are committed to making the venture a success, but the owners have stretched themselves to the limit to fund the venture, and money is very very tight.

If you are passing by como for a few days, and you're looking for a mid-range hotel, then this could be a good place to look at.