Former monastery by Lake Garda turned minimalist hotel where life is easy
Monastero Arx Vivendi / Arco / Lake Garda / Italy
I have realized that several of the hotels I stay at and post here have a religious background. It could be that it was originally built as a guest house for monks and pilgrims like The Star or that it used to be a monastery, which is the most common among ”my” hotels. Thinking about it makes me feel a little conflicted. Yes, these buildings are often stunning and make for a really great canvas to create a unique hotel but where did all those monks and nuns go? Hmmm… Big thoughts for a simple hotel blogger.
Monastero Arx Vivendi in Arco by Lake Garda is one of these old monasteries that has indeed been transformed into an unique and amazing hotel. The owners, Steffi and Manuel were originally looking to buy and run a small B&B but fell in love when they came across this wonderful but dilapidated set of buildings. Steffi and Manuel come from South Tyrol which has developed into a hot spot for modern, forward thinking design. So I guess it was only fitting for them to commission a design firm from Bolzano to create the look for the hotel. And they did a mighty fine job.
The monastery dates back to the 17th century and used to be the home of Devout Sisters. The name Arx Vivendi comes from a latin term which means ”the art of living well” and I find it difficult to come up with a better name for this hotel.
The hotel has a kind of strict, austere beauty. It was so funny, we started whispering as soon as we entered the hotel without realizing. That is the impact the hotel had on us. A serene, spartan and minimalist beauty of pure whites, tactile surfaces of solid materials. Rugged rendered walls, patinated wood and polished cement.
Our room was made up of two old cells that had been connected into one big room with high ceilings, large windows and a modern take on a four poster bed that had us sleeping like little babies. Or monks. Actually I don’t know if they generally sleep well but let’s assume they do.
Welcome to the Monastero Arx Vivendi Hotel. What do you say about this impressive ornate entrance?!
Just look at these halls. Everywhere you turn in Arx Vivendi you are struck by the beauty and the rich heritage. And it is a joy to see how carefully these old walls and tiles have been tended to.
I love these old arches that you’ll find throughout the hotel. A great piece of ancient architecture.
This is the corridor on the first floor, where our room was. So much space! And I love how all the original doors have been kept even though every second one has been sealed shut since the modern hotel rooms are made up of two old monk cells.
The second floor looks totally different with a more modern design although the exposed wood beams bring in some history to break the contemporary look.
Our cell, or room at Arx Vivendi had an amazing ceiling height and was designed with a very contemporary, spartan look. Almost what you would imagine that a modern monastery would look like today.
The bathroom. interesting to see how modern design can work well in an old setting when it is done as well as here.
These old wooden window shutters were massive. And I love the old patina of the wood.
Always makes me happy to see hotels that have refillable bath room products. And especially like when they, in this case, are ecological and made locally.
One of my favorite things about Arx Vivendi is the garden. It is massive and is more or less surrounding the entire hotel, lined by a high wall that used to protect the monks from the outside world. Or maybe it was the other way around…?
The pool, lined with tall cypress trees, surrounded by the ancient monastery and the mountains of Arco.
I love this austere, strict architecture.
The old mill is no longer in use but is a beautiful reminder of how life used to be within the walls of the monastery.
The spa has plenty of space to relax and kick back.
There is a more modern part of the hotel and that is the spa. It is in a separate building, leaning agains the old wall and is huge. My favorite space was this resting area where the outside was brought in through floor to ceiling windows.
Everything tastes good in Italy but one of the most tasty things is the coffee. And I love that you always get really great coffee at all hotels in Italy.
I am a huge fan of honesty bars. This one doesn’t only look good but also has some really good drinks to offer, especially the wine.
Me heading out in the warm Italian evening to go into Arco for a walk and some ice cream.
Found the ice cream!. It is usually not difficult to find delicious ice cream regardless where in Italy you go. And Arco is no exception.
The town of Arco has a beautiful old part and is a centre for mountaineering and mountain climbing.
M is having his ET moment crossing the river heading to the beach for a cool dip The hotel has bikes to rent and it is a perfect way to see the surroundings.
Lake Garda is simply stunning. We have been coming here since I was a child and I never get tired of this view.
Lake Garda is surrounded by high mountains, almost makes it look more like the fjords in Norway than a lake in Italy. There are plenty of hiking- and biking trails around the area. This photo was taken during a run up to the cute village of Pregasina.
One of our favorite places to go to in Summer for a fresh dip is the Cascata d’Ampola. It is located a 30 min drive from Arco, close to another stunning mountain like, Lago di Ledro. M is slowly going in to the cold, cold water.
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…like to stay in a hotel with a rich heritage, where the original soul has not been destroyed but rather honored by noa’ the design company that has created the look for the hotel. A hotel that is located in an area rich in natural splendor where active people from all over come to climb, surf, run, paddle but also relax and eat - of course! This is Italy after all.
My favorite thing about this place…
…are actually two things, the garden and the spa. The garden is huge and so well taken care of and it is the corner of this lovely garden where you’ll find the spa. It is a modern building made up of seven glass cubes with floor to ceiling windows. And just like the garden, the spa is huge so it is easy to find your own little corner to relax and contemplate what you will have for dinner. Pasta or pizza? Pasta or pizza? Or both?.
What not to miss when staying here is…
…is to hike and bike. There are so many great trails to explore and experience by foot or bike. My best suggestion is to find one that takes you up on one of the mountains to get the view of the lake and the surrounding mountains. And then reward yourself with a dip in the lake afterwards. And maybe also a pizza. And some ice cream. Oh! And an Aperol Spritz.
If you like this hotel you might also like…
La Bandita Townhouse, Pienza, Tuscany, Italy
Prati Palai, Bardolino, Lake Garda, Italy
August, Antwerp, Belgium
