Italy has long been one of the world's foremost destinations for visitors. Whether a person is looking to wax nostalgic on the ancient history of the Romans, Catholicism or even the Mafia, or simply looking for the best cuisine outside of France, Italy offers up a true feast for the mind, body and spirit like no other country in Europe.

There are many parts of this boot-shaped peninsula that keep visitors coming time and again, and when they're there, a nice place to stay is almost a must. For the haughty vacationer, the hotel Villa Aminta is one of the best offered in Italy.

Located in the quaint town of Stresa, the hotel Villa Aminta is the area's diamond in the not-so-rough scenic surroundings. The north of Italy is famous for its Austrian and Swiss influences, and Villa Aminta is in rather close proximity, located on the coastal road that travels straight up to Switzerland. The panoramic views are certainly all-encompassing, and travelers claim that the brisk mountain air is as clean as the waters of the Lago Maggiore are blue.

Until recently, Villa Aminta was your basic resort, featuring world-class views, no doubt, but little in the way of up-to-date luxury. The Zanetta family purchased the hotel and painstakingly restored it, giving it an old-world look and feel, while also modernizing many of the villa's facilities - including adding a state-of-the-art car park, a separate area for the hotel staff, a health and beauty spa, a tower featuring more suites, and much, much more. The villa went from a simple and elegant hotel to a world-class resort thanks to the Zanettas.

Villa Aminta boasts a private beach, five separate locations to board or dock a boat, two fine-dining restaurants on-site (Restaurant Le Isole and a la carte I Mori), and special arrangements with many golf courses in the area.

There's also a natural park on location to take a stroll through, as well as beautiful gardens around the area featuring azaleas, rhododendrons and other landscaping marvels. Needless to say, the hotel isn't short on either views or things to do while vacationing there.

The rooms are strong features in the hotel. All rooms feature state-of-the-art amenities like WiFi access, flat-screen TVs, bars and other updated features, but they also feature old-world-style furnishings, and the original architecture makes even the small suites stand out and appear as Roman palaces. There are junior suites, regular suites and deluxe rooms available, and among the most poplar are the Liz Taylor and the Belvedere Suite.

The staff at the villa are very hands-on in terms of catering to their guests. Most of the rooms overlook the huge lake, and guests are served breakfast out on the balcony overlooking both the gardens and the water. The snow-capped Alps in the background really top it all off and offer a view that's literally priceless.