I have stayed at this hotel at least 10 times and it's by far the best hotel in Lugano for the money. There are several others that are far more luxurious but you're not going to be spending much time in them. You want to walk around the lake, go to restaurants, shop, and be out and about. The rooms are clean, well appointed, and the bathrooms are a solid A- with excellent water pressure.
A few huge perks of this incredibly well-priced hotel:
The Nespresso machine in the room. You'll have a half dozen pods at your disposal, so an immediate double-espresso as soon as you wake up can be had. Secondly, the water refill option in the hallway. Every room comes with a nice glass water bottle that you can refill with the perfectly drinkable, clean water of lovely lugano, and you can even get Frizzante ie sparkling water. No need to buy several bottles of water, and it's key to stay hydrated if you're going to climb up the stairs and not take the funicular and see some amazing panoramic views of Lake Lugano.
You're 10 steps away from a dozen restaurants and cafes, but if you want to get into the main area with the piazzas and shops, the walk is less than 10 minutes, and you'll enjoy that lovely tree-lined walk, right along the lake. Don't drop 300 Euros on a luxury hotel. Just stay at Novotel. Half the price, 90% as good, walk for 3 minutes, and I mean literally 3 minutes. You can't lose. read more