Travel Europe

This is a true 5 star quality hotel, with many positive features. In fact, the photos on the hotel's website do not give the true image of this place, in reality it is better. The lake side rooms are luxurious, the swimming pool is well designed and the wellness area gives the hotel a feeling of a real resort. This is a perfect hotel to get away from it all and relax in style.

The swimming pool is the center piece of this hotel; for a good reason. This is why most people come. The pool is relatively large, approximately 20 x 7 meters, plus jacuzzi and shallow wading pool.  The area around the pool is very luxurious and offers a magnificent view of the lake. There is a bar and a restaurant nearby.  This is the place to just relax in style. To see a video of the pool Click Here .

Many apparently overlook the wellness area, as we saw fewer people using it. But the wellness area is equally luxurious and very relaxing. There is a sauna, steam room, hamam, tropical rain forest, jacuzzi and indoor swimming pool. Best of all it is free for guests of the hotel. 

After your relaxing day, you can unwind in a very luxurious lake view room. Our room was large, nicely decorated had a lovely view of the lake. The balcony was large enough to have a relaxing meal, while enjoying the delightful view. The bath was larger than average and modern. To see a video of the room Click Here.

The service at the Swiss Diamond is top quality, everything you would expect of a five star hotel. One morning for breakfast we asked if any of the croissants were filled with chocolate. Two waiters started cutting up croissants and looking for chocolate! Unfortunately, they didn't discover any. The next morning, the croissant basket was full of chocolate crossants. We were impressed.

Disadvantages? Sure a few. The restaurant and bar are expensive and the restaurant food is frankly, not very special considering the price. Also, the hotel is about 10-15 minutes from the center of Lugano by car. But the hotel does offer a shuttle service, which should be arranged in advance. The pool and the hotel are separated by the town's small road. To get from the hotel to the pool and restaurant, you walk through a nicely decorated underground walkway. We requested to see the rooms facing the mountain and were very surprised. Unlike the beautiful and luxurious lake side room where we stayed, these rooms were small and very dark. The mountain is very close to the windows and is covered by weeds. The result is that the rooms get very little sunlight and there is no view at all. The mountain side rooms are also extremely small. Not what one would expect in a 5 star hotel.

Be sure to check out the hotel's websites for offers. We received a great package, which included food vouchers, for less than the normal room rate. The offer was for a mountain view room, but included an upgrade 'upon availability'. We called the hotel the day before arrival to make sure that there was availability for an upgrade and when they said yes, we went ahead and booked. Good thing, because we would not have liked to have been stuck in a small and dark mountain view room.

One evening we took a walk to the village of Morcote. It is a brief 15 minute walk that is highly recommended. Morcote is a very charming medieval village with pretty arcades (a series of arches covering the walkway of the village, with shops on one side and the road on the other) and old romantic buildings. Charming restaurants have outdoor seating either under the arcades, or on plateforms along the lake. Either way, the atmosphere is perfect. If you stay at the Swiss Diamond, it is highly recommended to take some or all of your evening meals in Morcote rather than the hotel. The meals will be about half of the price for twice the quality. Becareful about going with the hotel van. The hotel does offer free pick up and drop off service. But any other use of the van, such as a lift to Morcote or Lugano during your stay, will come at a heafty price.

Nevertheless, we think that the Diamond is a real jewel. To go to the Swiss Diamond website Click Here . To book the best rates from a secure server Click Here