A fairytale palace created by five patriot brothers at the dawn of the Kingdom of Italy, this was the hotel of European aristocracy. In 1870 Alexandra, Grand Duchess of Russia, engraved her name with a diamond on a window pane. In 1884, it was here that the agreement to build the Simplon Tunnel was signed. During the Stresa Conference in 1935, which attempted to keep Hitler in check, it was the official hotel for delegations, heads of state, and ministers. For the Aga Khan, D’Annunzio, Rockefeller and Sacha Guitry it was simply paradise. Hemingway recalls it in A Farewell to Arms. A Liberty-style atmosphere and a top-class spa.
