Hotel International au Lac

Great hotel in the city of Lugano - a decent outdoor swimming pool, tropical garden, and a lounge to have a drink. It has the look and feel of grander days in Europe, like Oriental Express style, and so don't expect brand new stuff - but rather very well maintained history. Staff very friendly, helped a lot with questions. Prices of drinks in the lounge or the rooms very acceptable, a welcome rarity. Probably returning next year.

The hotel is not lakefront as there are buildings in front of some of it. However we had booked a room with a lateral lake view. We were celebrating our anniversary and had asked for a nice view. We certainly got this - the view was incredible. The room was advertised as having a balcony and I had envisioned us sitting on the balcony together with a bottle of wine but what we got was not really a balcony. It was 2 separate tiny semi circles of ‘balcony’ where one tiny chair would barely fit and did not feel safe at all to me. Other rooms above and below had larger balconies where more than one of us could have sat. This was disappointing but we just got on with our stay. If I ever returned I would insist on a proper balcony. The hotel had left us a nice card and small cake as a gift which was sweet. The lady who checked us in was lovely and friendly. They have a small car park which they charge 20chf per day for. You should book this in advance as it’s only 36 cars and on our final day cars were blocking us in so it’s busy. The room was one of the recently renovated urban chic rooms which my husband thought was a bit stark and plain. The bathroom was a good size with a nice large shower head. The doors to the ‘balcony’ are super noise reducing - when open it is very noisy around the hotel but when shut you can barey hear anything . The hotel has a good location for restaurants and boat tours etc. There is a bar with great views but it was closed. They had a fridge where you could buy a limited selection of beer and soft drinks and charge to you room. We visited the pretty garden and pool area for a short period but we both got loads of bites from being sat there for 15 mins so we went back inside. Breakfast was ok but the room is a bit dull and uninviting. The food choices for breakfast were ok and the staff very efficient and friendly If returning we would be happy to chose the hotel again but would want a usable balcony we could both sit on.

This hotel is perfect. The old school interior architecture mixed with the service quality and the cleanness, I highly recommend this place. The price was cheaper directy on the desk than on ebookers.

We spent 2 nights in the International whilst exploring bits of Switzerland that I didn't know so well. Lugano itself was rather empty. The hotel is a traditional, very well maintained structure, and everything that the chain hotels are not. Staff were friendly and always helpful. The rooms have been renovated, but maintain their character. There are plenty of power points in the room. We had a room with a balcony, with a view over the lake. The bathroom was really what I always look for in a bathroom, a proper walk-in shower which didn't flood the floor, for example. At the back of the hotel there's a peaceful terrace and swimming pool, away from the bustle of the road. Whilst we were there the bar was self-service and you noted drinks on a chit. Location is perfect, right at the end of via Nassa, a couple of minutes walk into the main square and plenty of bars and restaurants.

I returned to this hotel right after this Pandemic crisis. I was stuck between Milano and Luzern in the middle of the night and they allowed a very unusual last minute booking. I arrived at 2am and all check in was prepared, quick and flawless. Further renovated rooms with separated bathroom and shower. A very functional room that I enjoyed very much. If international travel will be further restricted, that it the hotel where I will spend some holidays in Switzerland. Lovely pool and garden, and the lemonade at their new Honesty bar was perfect (a bar where clients may server themselves from a fridge and just write down what was consumed at any hour of the day)