There is a version of Lake Garda that most planners know about in theory but rarely look closer at. It sits halfway between Milan and Venice, an hour and a half from Malpensa, and it offers a setting that rivals anything in northern Italy. The reason it tends to stay on the list rather than make it onto the shortlist is usually practical: Lake Garda has historically been a summer destination, and the question of what to do with a group in October or November has not always had a straightforward answer.
Grand Hotel Fasano has just changed that calculation. The five-star, family-owned property on the shores of the lake in Gardone Riviera — a National Heritage Site and Leading Hotel of the World — has introduced Sala Giardino, a new dedicated meetings and events space available from October 2026. It also marks the hotel’s first-ever extended winter season, remaining open until 6 January 2027 and welcoming guests over Christmas and New Year for the first time in its 135-year history.
The hotel itself is worth taking a look at before getting to the new space. Originally built in 1888 as a hunting lodge for the Austrian imperial family, Grand Hotel Fasano has 86 rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars including Il Fagiano, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2024, a new Aqva Spa wing, three swimming pools and twelve thousand square metres of gardens running down to the lake. It is the kind of property that makes a programme feel considered before anyone has opened a laptop.
Sala Giardino spans 156 square metres and is designed with flexibility in mind. It can be used as one expansive space for up to 100 guests cocktail reception or theatre-style, or up to 80 for a banquet, or divided into two rooms of 102 and 54 square metres respectively. When divided, the larger section accommodates up to 48 guests and the smaller up to 32, with both configurable as boardroom or presidential table layouts for up to 30 delegates. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the lake throughout, and direct garden access connects the space to the hotel’s outdoor areas — a detail that makes a meaningful difference in October when the lake is at its most atmospheric. The room is equipped with a 100-inch mobile interactive display, integrated audio system and microphone, with additional AV available on request.
For groups that need more scale, the hotel offers full property buyouts during the low season, including March, December and January. Sala Giardino sits adjacent to the newly opened Bistrò 1888, giving planners access to bespoke food and drink experiences ranging from coffee breaks and light lunches to private cocktail receptions and corporate dinners, with live music available on request.
Brescia rail station is 25 kilometres away, Malpensa is 170 kilometres and Verona Airport around an hour by car, making the property accessible for both UK and European groups. If you have Italy on the agenda and a brief that calls for something more evocative than a city hotel, autumn at Grand Hotel Fasano is a compelling proposition.