Giardino Lago

The appeal of Switzerland’s lakeside hotels is just as it was a century or more ago: a genteel sort of calm and comfort surrounded by some of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes. A shame, then, that so many of the hotels themselves are also just as they were a century or more ago — tranquil almost to the point of sedation, and taking stylistic conservatism to undreamt-of heights of blandness. This, thankfully, is not a problem Giardino Lago has. If you want to see what a classic lakeside escape looks like, updated for the modern boutique-hotel era, look no further.

Lake Maggiore straddles the Italian-Swiss border, and while the town of Minusio, where Giardino Lago is set, lies on the Swiss side, adjacent to Locarno, there’s a pronounced Italian accent to the hospitality here. Rooms are at once contemporary and classic, in that effortless Italian style, and there’s a focus on the finer things in life that one perhaps associates more with the Mediterranean than the Alps.

With fourteen rooms and one suite, it’s an intimate escape, hardly larger than a country house, and as it’s family-owned, it’s not a stretch to think of it in this way. The proprietors obviously have a keen eye for the finer points of architecture and design, and a way with an inviting public space as well — the rooftop lounge and outdoor terrace are where you’ll likely spend the bulk of your time, all the better to take in the panoramic views of the lake and the mountains beyond.

How to get there: Giardino Lago is approximately 113 km by car from Milan-Malpensa Airport via SS336, A36, A9/E35, A2, and A13. Alternatively, the hotel is approximately 211 km by car from Zürich Airport via A4/E41, A2/E35, and A13.