Italy - Milan/Como in July - accomodation

[OrangeSunset]

We've booked flights for 7 nights in and out of Milan - 4 us, 2 adults, 2 DC.

We would like to stay somewhere with a pool and be able to go out and about during the day. We'd also like to be able to walk to bar/restaurants etc. Not bothered necessarily about being on the lake itself.

Does anyone have any good recommendations of nice, not overly-tourist bits to stay in? I've been down so many rabbit holes! Or alternatively places to avoid.

Menaggio is a good base for hiking, swimming or cycling so it’s great for outdoorsy families. water-skiing, mountain-biking and horse-riding are also available, and there's an 18-hole golf course close-by.
Bellagio is small but it’s good for families. It is a long-established resort, it has two pretty gardens to visit, good swimming and lots of restaurants and boutiques. Kids love jumping off the pier into the lake; there’s also water-skiing, horse-riding and hiking. Up the mountain from Bellagio, Civenna has aerial obstacles at Jungle Raider Park.
For Como’s best swimming, I’d recommend the northern towns of Gravedona and Domaso for uncrowded beaches and the cleanest water (flowing straight into the lake from the river).Just north of Como is the best playground for children in the area, next to the Lido in Mandello del Lario, with a classic carousel and lots of activities.

www.hotelvillamarie.com/default.aspx

We stayed here a few years ago - it was lovely. Easy stroll to restaurants and the boat dock. We did trips to Bellagio and the Villa Balbianello. There is also a little tourist train that runs up and down.

We stayed in the centre of Como, on the lake. The Hotel, although fab did not have a pool so wouldn’t meet your needs.
However, do wander through the little back streets where there are many small privately owned restaurants selling wonderful food. Sitting in the Cathedral square for breakfast and watching the world go by was a daily activity!