Parkhotel Continental

Charming hotel sitting on the hillside above Lago di Lugano a few minutes walk from the main Lugano train station and a short Funiculare ride down to the lake front. The perfect setting to our romantic weekend getaway.
My husband and I spent a wonderful weekend in Lugano a couple of weeks ago at the Continental Parkhotel. We decided on going down there last minute (literally one day before) during the popular tourist season so did not have too many nice hotels to choose from as most of them are booked out. My main criteria was that the hotel has a nice swimming pool, air conditioning in all the rooms and free wifi. As luck would have it, this hotel fits the bill and there was ONE room left. We were very excited and booked it straight away.
At checked in, our reserved standard room type was not available. The reception agent promptly upgraded us to a superior room in the main building with a huge terrace and a beautiful view (at no extra charge). You always expect the photos on the web to look better than the real thing but this hotel looked even better in person. Built 120 years ago, the hotel is both old fashioned and updated. There’s been many renovations done over the years but a lot of the original details were carefully preserved throughout the property to reflect it’s former splendor.
There’s a palm tree garden with little stone path that leads up to a charming Grotto with long tables and benches where the hotel host BBQ’s during the summer weekends. Since the property sits on the hill, the swimming pool, sun deck, and even a vineyard are all set on different levels in perfectly complimentary layouts.
The hotel offers a feast-​like buffet breakfast (included in the room rate). The wait staff brings you individual pots of coffee with heated frothy milk on the side. The croissants are freshly made and smells wonderful. The best part is the sunny bright dining room with a view of the mountains. The hotel is very family friendly. It seems like people go there generation after generation. The guests and wait staff greet each other like old friends… something you don’t see in big major worldwide hotel chains.
The concierge was friendly and helpful. They provided a lot of assistance to us over the weekend from restaurant recommendations, the best way to get from here to there, making a late night reservation at their restaurant after closing time, to supplying insect bite lotion and insect repellent spray late at night when I had no way of obtaining them from anywhere else. There’s a big first aid box behind the front desk with just about everything you might need and not able to get when you need them. I was so grateful for the Fenipic gel which spared me a lot of grief after getting a string of mosquito bites on my leg walking back up from the lake late in the evening.
Everything about our experience at this hotel was pleasant and positive. I would definitely stay there if I’m ever in Lugano again. Maybe even with my family from the US next time.

Wenn nicht der Lärm der Eisenbahn gewesen wäre, hätte dieses Hotel die vollen 5 Sterne von mir erhalten!
Das beste Frühstück, das ich seit langen in einem Hotel gekriegt habe!