Albergo Acquarello

Stayed here for 5 nights in June 2004. Be careful not to confuse this with the Hotel Pestalozzi in Locarno. The double room I stayed in was huge, very clean, and comfortable. The staff was very friendly and the lady there remembered my name and room number from when I first checked in - very impressive. It's in a pretty central location, but was on a busy street which made the rooms a little noisy. Only a block from the lake (Lago Lugano).

The rooms are simple, with hardwood floors and modest decorations. Satellite TV, radio, and alarm clock are all in the television set (very cool!). The bed was very comfortable and of the typical Swiss firmness with tight , rigid bedding. There is no air conditioning, but there is a very cool ceiling fan with remote control. Opening the windows isn't much of an option at night because of the traffic noise, so it got a little warm in the room.

The location is optimal for about everything - shopping, walking the lake, hiking, or events at the university or convention center (across the street).

Breakfast (included in the price) was the best I had in all of Europe - breads, yogurts, cereal, orange juice, etc. and of course butter, jams, and coffee that are addictively delicious.

The price was a little more than you might pay in the Paradiso area of Lugano, but you can't beat the location, service, and accommodations. Highly recommended.

Directions: Just outside Quartiere Maghetti, across the intersection from the Conference Center (Congressi). A 15 minutes (downhill) walk from the train station or a 10 minute bus ride.