Gorgeous place to have lunch- food was fantastic! We booked a table, so were sitting facing the Isola Bella, under a canopy of wisteria. The service was excellent and we had a fabulous Soave white wine, with our meal. One comment regarding the food was that the Carpaccio di Manzo used a smoked meat, and may not be to everyone's taste. We also booked a room at the Osteria upstairs. The room was fairly basic, but had everything one would need, and a very nice bathroom. We watched the sun set over Lago Maggiore and Isola Bella from the bed! The only downside of this restaurant is the need to pay for a boat to get there, if you're going at lunch. They have a shuttle boat put on for the dinner service. Call ahead to book, to ensure great view!

I stayed here last weekend with a friend it was lovely. A very friendly hotel that felt like someone's home, beautifully and thoughtfully furnished. Our room opened out onto a large terrace shared with 2 other rooms, but it was so large you still had privacy and the view was stunning. Breakfast was good, eaten on the lake view terrace. The only improvement would be air conditioning or a fan in the room as it was very very hot - that part of europe was in the grip of a heatwave. Isola Pescatori was lovely and peaceful especially after the day trippers had gone. We found a lovely bar and there were about 3 palces to choose from to eat in. If you stay in the area don't miss Villa Taranto - the dahlia walk was fabulous.

We were staying in Baveno and were recommended this restaurant by the Hotel Splendid staff. We were picked up by boat from Baveno dock and taken to the beautiful restaurant on Isola Pescatori, which overlooks either Isola Madre or Isola Bella depending on where you are seated.

The staff are very welcoming and the attention to detail is recommendable, with first class service. The menu and wine list are extensive, and the food is divine. My steak melted in my mouth and my wife love her fish too. 3 courses and wine cost 135 euros, not cheap but well worth the price for a special meal. The boat returned us to Baveno at 10.30pm, and is included in the meal price. A very romantic evening.

We spent some of our honeymoon at the Verbano, and it really is a very special place. Situated on the beautiful Isola Dei Pescatori, it is unlike anywhere else we've stayed before. We debated whether to stay in a five star hotel in Stresa or at the lower-rated Verbano, and definitely feel we made the right choice.

The rooms are perhaps a little on the basic side but ours was a reasonable size and comfortable enough. The bathroom too was not the best - we would have liked a shower in addition to the bath - but the balcony overlooking the lake and the Isola Bella more than made up for any inadequacies. The views were simply stunning.

Ideally we would have liked a swimming pool, but then you can't have everything. We made up for this by swimming around the island; not the best, but if you must swim it's not bad!

Perhaps the highlight of our stay at the Verbano, however, was the restaurant. We had planned to eat at the hotel our first night but then to eat elsewhere on subsequent nights. We actually ate every night bar one at the Verbano, since the food was simply brilliant. It was also just wonderful sitting out in the garden, surrounded on three sides by the lake.

The staff were cheerful, pleasant and helpful, and could not have done anymore to make us feel welcome.

Simply wonderful and highly recommended!