Hotel Splendide Royal (Lugano)
N. Italy: Lombardy: Lake Lugano, Lugano
A sister property of the Grand Hotel Eden and just a few blocks away, this is another hotel that is reached by driving just across the border into Switzerland. It has an enviable position on a hill overlooking the lake. Housed in a beautiful period building built in 1887 as a private villa, the public rooms are spacious and very grand. Even the standard guest rooms are large. JDB loved the guest accommodations in the main villa where no two are the same. The "new wing" features standardized rooms with traditional dcor. The hotel's a la carte restaurant, La Veranda, must have a waiting list for lakefront seating during high season! There is also a large, covered pool with lots of natural light, terraces on two sides, a sauna, solarium and a small fitness cares. But with all them mountains surrounding this beautiful lake, who need a fitness center?! This is another hotel with an exceedingly capable manager who has spent his career in this hotel and extends the warmest possible welcome to his guests. He is a legend among Italian hoteliers!