THE VIEW Lugano – A Luxury Swiss Hotel

You just know that a hotel is going to be special when it’s called THE VIEW. This appropriately named all suite hotel has a prime position overlooking Lake Lugano. In fact it’s one of the best hotels in Ticino region. Let’s take a tour of The VIEW Lugano.

THE VIEW Lugano – Luxury Swiss Hotel

First Impressions of THE VIEW Lugano

Driving up to THE VIEW Lugano, you’ll be impressed by the lakeside vistas. The boutique hotel is located in a quiet part of Lugano at the end of a residential street so there is no through traffic. You’ll only hear birdsong, with no noise from vehicles to detract from your enjoyment of the surroundings. In fact, once you’ve parked your car in the hotel’s free car park, there’s little reason to take it out again. That’s because The View has some innovative means of transport, which are complimentary for hotel guests. They can borrow an electric Smart car or electric bikes during their stay.

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels group, THE VIEW prides itself on its service. The multilingual staff are very friendly and helpful. Our experience began directly in the car park where we were greeted by members of staff who completed our express check in at the seating area there. Minutes later we were shown around our luxurious suite.

The other aspect that really stands out at THE VIEW Lugano is the focus on design. The spa features an innovative new material, KRION by Systempool. It looks similar to stone and is warm to the touch but also antibacterial and hard-wearing. You feel like you are on board a luxurious yacht, thanks to the use of naval teak in the lobby, lounge, restaurant and the suites.

Accommodation

There are sixteen Junior Suites which measure 50 m², and two 105 m² Suites. The focus is on the incredible views, with floor to ceiling windows that open on to a large balcony. There’s a lovely panorama of the lake of Lugano – in fact all of the suites have lakeside views. The design was inspired by super yachts and there are stylish marine teak floors as well as a sofa and armchair. Clever touches such as bathroom lights that illuminate as you walk past add to the contemporary ambiance. You get the feeling that James Bond would feel right at home here!

The toiletries are by Ortigia, the luxury Sicilian brand and smell absolutely divine. There are double wash basins and fluffy hooded bathrobes
and slippers.

The king size bed is supremely comfortable, with the highest quality linen, goosedown duvets and scented pillows, as well as a pillow menu. You’ll get an excellent night’s sleep here. The suites have all mod cons such as a safe, complimentary high speed Wi-Fi, a fully stocked mini bar and coffee and tea machine.

Here’s a list of some of the suite amenities:

• Complimentary high-speed WiFi
• Air conditioning
• Ortigia toiletries
• Chromotherapy shower
• Safe
• Fully stocked minibar
• Pillow menu and aromatic pillow cover
• Wake up call and turn down service
• Large terrace overlooking Lake Lugano
• Coffee and tea maker
• Flat screen TV with international channels
• I-Pad
• Complimentary indoor parking

A nice touch was the bottle of Pommery Brut Rose Champagne waiting for us in an ice bucket. We enjoyed it whilst sitting on the balcony and admiring the scenery.

Facilities

As we mentioned, both electric bikes and Smart cars are at the disposal of hotel guests. THE VIEW Lugano is the first hotel in the area to offer complimentary use of these electric bikes and cars. It’s a really great idea and we made the most of it by heading into Lugano town centre a few times. The cars are already fully charged and have an autonomy of approximately 90 km, so you don’t need to worry about running out of power.

THE VIEW Lugano Spa

The spa is primarily for hotel guests but is open to external visitors who come for its bespoke treatments and relaxing atmosphere. Two of the most original treatments are the Choco Massage and the Choco Wrap Cocoon.

The spa’s design subtly echoes the yacht theme present in the suites. There’s a lovely 18 meter indoor pool on the top floor of the hotel. It has an adjacent vitality pool with a large whirlpool, water jets and hydro massage circuit to soothe any aching muscles. There’s another great view of the lake from up here that you can enjoy whilst you swim or relax on the loungers. If you’d like a smoothie, tea or other refreshments, simply ring from the Pool Bar for service and a bar tender will pop up right away.

The fitness room is well equipped with the latest TechnoGym equipment and is located on the ground floor, like the spa. A personal trainer is available upon request, and guests can also book fitness classes. Monitor your progress with the Technogym MYRUN app, which will record all the details of your training session. The fitness room is open to hotel guests and annual members from 6 am to 11 pm and from 9 am to 9 pm for other guests.

The most unique element of The View spa in our opinion is the Salt Room. It features a wall built from Himalayan salt bricks that release iodine and negative ions into the air. The iodine helps to decongest and disinfect nasal passages, whilst the negative ions purify the skin and kill bacteria. Some say that a 30 minute session in the Salt Room is as beneficial as a 3 day stay by the sea.

There’s also a relaxation area with cold drinks and separate men’s and women’s steam room and sauna. In the women’s area you’ll find a Kneipp cold foot bath. You walk through it to boost your circulation and it’s certainly refreshing!

Spa opening times: 9 am to 9 pm daily

Spa access:

50 CHF – day pass
400 CHF – monthly subscription
450 CHF – 10 day passes to be used within 1 year
3000 CHF – annual membership

The spa facilities include:

• Treatment rooms
• 18 meter swimming pool overlooking Lake Lugano
• Vitality pool with water jets and hydro massage circuit
• Pool Bar
• Relaxation area 
• Salt room
• Men’s sauna and steam room
• Women’s sauna and steam room with Kneipp circuit
• Chromotherapy showers
• Fitness room

Dining

Breakfast at THE VIEW Hotel Lugano is a hearty affair, with a selection of delicious hot and cold dishes. Rather than a crowded buffet, everything is brought to you, including a basket of fresh bread and pastries, local ham and cheese and fresh fruit.

On a fine day you can take breakfast outside on the spacious terrace with its far reaching lakeside views.

It’s also a lovely spot for a cocktail. In the evening, light changing cubes add to the ambiance.

THE VIEW also has a fantastic restaurant, specializing in Mediterranean cuisine. At THE VIEW Lugano Fine Dining, chef Mauro Grandi successfully combines this Mediterranean inspiration with locally sourced produce. The restaurant serves food that looks as good as it tastes.

Things to Do In Lugano

There are lots of fun things to do in Lugano and the local area of Ticino including:

• • Hikiing and jogging trails around THE VIEW
  • Monte San Salvatore
  • Monte Bre Cable Car
  • Luxurious boutiques such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton
  • Grotto restaurants
  • Lake Lugano boat trips

You should also try to fit in a visit to LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura. It’s a contemporary arts centre with a 1,000 seat concert hall and regularly changing art exhibitions. There was a very interesting one on Picasso’s sketches, and there’s currently one on Balthasar Burkhard, a Swiss photographer known for his black and white large scale photographs.

You can check out more detailed recommendations for what to do in Lugano here.

Read all our Switzerland travel guides here

There’s so much to do in Lugano and the Vicino region that we recommend staying for several nights at THE VIEW. It’s a truly relaxing haven that you won’t want to leave.

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With thanks to The View Lugano for hosting us

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