The Hotel Giardinetto was founded by Luciano Primatesta in 1930 as an Inn where he was serving fried fish, fresh from the Lake.
After the Second World War he decided to add a petrol pump to the business and shortly after that he started offering accommodation, with refreshments being drinking water in the rooms! Oreste (Luciano’s son) decided to continue the family business. After graduating from the renowned Hotel and Catering school in Stresa and gaining professional experience overseas, he took over from his father in 1962 modernising the business and improving the quality. Through the following years, Oreste made it his goal to raise the profile of Lake Orta to the best of his ability both domestically and internationally and whilst doing this developed both the gastronomic and accommodation sides of the family business.
Whilst doing this he was being supported by his wife Caterina and in later years also by his children, Ezio and Cinzia.
Cinzia has also stayed in the hotel and catering industry, she now owns and runs the Relais et Chateaux Villa Crespi with her husband Antonino Cannavacciuolo, based in a Moorish Palace at the top of Orta which has been awarded three Michelin stars. Ezio has now taken over from his Father and now runs the Giardinetto hotel continuing the family tradition for over 80 years, bringing his ideas and continuing passion to the family business to evolve it further.
