The Giardino in Ascona is a true find; a marvelous gem set a short distance from the shores of Lake Maggiore in Italian Switzerland. The hotel is about 15 years old but has been beautifully maintained. The grounds are magnificent. We booked a “morning sun” junior suite. It was a few steps from the lobby and the spa but was always quiet. The room was fairly large – probably about 30 square meters – and well laid out, with a seating area, a large outdoor private garden with another seating area, and a large bathroom with separate tub and shower, double sinks, and Aveda soaps and lotions. The private garden attached to the room was also very quiet and was beautifully planted. The hotel has about 30 rooms. The morning sun suite is about 100 Swiss francs less per day than the ‘afternoon sun’ suite, which has exactly the same layout. Unless you are a sun worshipper the ‘afternoon’ suite would be a waste of money.
The hotel offers a large spa with every conceivable service in addition to multiple indoor and outdoor pools and a gym. The spa area with a Turkish Hamman, a Swedish sauna, a relaxation room, and a dry heat aromatherapy room is especially nice.
There are two restaurants, Aphrodite, which is more casual, and the highly rated Ecco. Both restaurants were good and Ecco treats its guests especially well with multiple ‘freebies’ along with the meal. The food was good, although the lack of pasta dishes (only one in the Aphrodite, which is billed as an Italian restaurant) was disappointing. The wine list is comprehensive but very expensive.
A special mention must be made of the breakfast buffet, included in the room price, which is the best we have seen. Cereals, eggs, meats, cheeses, homemade breads and jams, and other treats are available. The servers are keen on making sure you have another coffee.
The service in all areas of the hotel is extraordinary. The employees know your name immediately and are invariably helpful and cheerful. The manager stops by each day with each guest, which is something I have not seen in a long time.
The clients are by and large wealthy Swiss or Germans. English-speaking guests seem to be rare, which is a nice surprise. Most of the staff speak good English, though, and tolerated our Italian.
I only have a few small complaints. The first is at these prices the mini-bar in the room should be included. I find it hard to believe that the mini-bars pay for themselves. I am on a campaign against minibars; charge me more but include it in the price as (nicely) the Widder in Zurich and the Mandarin Oriental in Munich, two similar hotels, do.
The second complaint is about the bar service. It is a little slipshod. We ordered tea in our room one afternoon and two small teapots arrived with exactly enough water to fill each about halfway. When we called the bar for more hot water the barman smirked at our request, indicating that he knew of the problem before he served the tea.
All in all, this is a hotel to return to many times. We can’t wait to go back.
- Albergo Giardino Ascona
- Albergo Giardino Hotel Ascona
