Principe Leopoldo is one of my favourite hotels in Switzerland. It is located in a beautiful lake town of Lugano, in Italian part of Switzerland. It is not even an hour away from the Italian border, close to Milan and Lake Como.

Lugano is one of the most spectacular European lakes, nothing short of breathtaking. I love the gorgeous villages that dot the mountains, stylish lakeside villas, picture perfect town with cobbled streets and piazzas dotted with pretty cafes. For me – Lugano was love from the first sight!

It is wonderful to visit Lugano in spring and autumn but it would be especially nice here in summer when you could enjoy the warm weather and all the water sports on the lake – waterskiing, wake boarding and simply swimming. Principe Leopoldo is a member of Relais & Chateaux hotels in our view the best hotel in town. It became our home for a few magical days in Lugano.

About Principe Leopoldo – Location and Arrival

We arrived at Villa Principe Leopoldo by car from Zurich. The trip took us about 4 hours and we arrived a little weary. As soon as we pulled up on a gravel driveway in font of Principe Leopoldo a very friendly porter greeted us warmly, took care of the car and the luggage.

We walked through the door and were left speechless for a moment. The view that opened up in front of us was nothing short of mesmerizing. After catching our breath we headed off straight to the terrace to take a photo and to soak up the views.

Accommodation

Principe Leopoldo has only 80 rooms – a combination of double rooms, junior suites and one bedroom suites. Most of them have beautiful views towards the lake but some face a garden at the back of the building.

Our romantic Junior Suite was perfect for a couple. Old European hotels are not known for extreme comforts or good room size but our suite was surprisingly spacious, romantic and very comfortable.

The only small negatives in the suite were the bed (king size made out of 2 singles joined together) and no separate shower shower (only a shower over a small bath). The linen also wasn’t as top quality as you’d expect in a luxury hotel. But I have to say that neither of these factors have effected our stay.

From the positives – the suite had a great terrace facing the lake, relaxation area and two separate walk-in wardrobes, perfect for keeping the luggage out of sight.

I had a look at the other rooms and suites too and all of them are furnished in the same fresh and modern style with light coloured furnishings, tiles floors and modern bathrooms. The only difference is the size and the view. For the customers who prefer a little more space or travel with their children choose a suite with a lake view. They have a separate bedroom and can interconnect to another room to create a two bedroom suite.

Facilities

Principe Leopoldo has wonderful facilities, a rarity amongst boutique hotels in Lugano. There is an outdoor pool, tennis courts at the nearby sister hotel, lovely spa and complimentary bicycles offered by the hotel. If you are looking to venture out for a day helpful concierge will be able to organize a boat trip on the lake, shopping trip to the nearby fashion outlet or excursions around the region.

Spa

The spa offers a variety of wonderful treatments like massages, facials, body scrubs using Kiso Natura Bissé products but one of our favourite recommendations for couples is Couple Spa Experience. Couple suite is a large room decorated with candles, mood lighting, an oversized day bed and equipped with a Turkish sauna, dry sauna, mood shower (with hot / cold rain settings) and spa with jets. We had a pleasure of spending an hour in the Couples Suite enjoying the facilities in privacy, just the two of us – beautiful and romantic time together. The only warning – when you leave, you will be so utterly relaxed that you might just fall asleep in your beautiful suite and skip dinner.

Dining

The restaurant in Principe Leopoldo is truly outstanding to say the least, one of the best in Europe. During my latest European trip I had a pleasure of dining in beautiful Michelin star restaurants every night but Principe Leopoldo still remains a highlight in my memory. What makes it so special?

Magical setting – imagine sitting like a Greek God on top of the clouds with the most spectacular vistas opening in front of you – sparkling water of the lake, mountains dotted with the lights of little villages, dark sky full of stars. On warm nights the restaurant is opened to the elements with all glass doors folded away while on cooler nights you still have the same unencumbered view when the glass panels closed to keep you warm. The restaurant, just like the rest of the hotel is impossibly romantic – roses on the table, candle light, menus with no prices for the ladies – everything sets the mood for a perfect night out.

This restaurant is popular not only with the patrons but with all the locals. So the atmosphere is excellent on any night of the week and the guests are utmost elegant.

Now, most importantly about the food. Head chef Dario Ranza has been with the restaurant for over 25 years. Dario describes his food as ’honest’ – even though the dishes are the top of elegance you know exactly what is on your plate.

The menu changes depending on what is in season and works on a true ‘farm to plate’ principal. Most ingredients are sourced locally and are incredibly flavoursome.

The other beautiful place to mention is the Terrace – we enjoyed quite a few aperitovo here looking at the lake and enjoying the sunset. The sunsets are so spectacular that most guests gather up on the terrace by 7pm not to miss it.

Breakfast is served indoors in the restaurant facing the pool and the food is wonderful. There is a great selection of hard and soft cheeses, cured meats, lots of different bread served in an authentic bread basket, fresh and cooked fruit, different types of yogurts, sparkling water, freshly squeezed juices, nuts, jams and a lot more. Of course hot espresso or a cup of tea arrives at your table promptly when you sit down and attentive waiters make sure you have everything you need during breakfast. A wonderful start to the day!

The Lux Traveller Loves

Best views in Lugano

Exceptional staff

Best restaurant in Switzerland

Ultimately romantic setting

Splitting Hairs

I would suggest serving breakfast in the front restaurant with a view – it will increase the WOW factor of the hotel and purchasing some king beds for the non-Swiss travellers.

All In All

Principe Leopoldo is an amazing European hotel with everything you’ll expect from a top property – superb service, location, food and atmosphere. Can’t wait to visit it again!