International au Lac Historic Lakeside Hotel

What a positively unexpected delight Hotel International Au Lac was to our group. I booked it because of its proximity to the lake, but we were surprised by so much more. The availability of shops, restaurants and activities within walking distance was a big plus, and public transportation to areas a bit too far to walk to was very handy. The hotel itself was very upscale but comfortable, and staff were very accommodating. The rooms had all of the amenities we needed, and the beds were very comfortable. The complimentary buffet breakfast was quite extensive and delicious, and the Honesty Bar and lounge were great features. The gardens and pool area provided a quiet, relaxing atmosphere when we needed a break from our busy schedule. I would not hesitate to go back to International Hote Au Lac in the future!

Central hotel at the end of the pedestrian street, near Lake Lugano. A little old-fashioned, but elegant and full of character. Relatively spacious room. Very clean. The faucet in the bathtub was not working and when I asked at night, the receptionist came within a few moments and fixed it. Excellent breakfast, the staff is simply great. Friendly, welcoming, very available. We received a free travel card and used it a lot.

The hotel is truly beautiful — everything was spectacular, from the elegant design to the exceptionally comfortable bed and high-quality linens. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel very welcome. However, one important detail affected our stay: there is no air conditioning available at night below 23°C. With the windows closed, the room became quite hot and stuffy, making it difficult to sleep. Leaving the windows open wasn’t a good option either, as the city lights and street noise made the room too bright and noisy. Unfortunately, even with all the wonderful amenities, we were deprived of a good night’s sleep. A bit more flexibility with the air conditioning settings would make the experience perfect.

Quite possibly my favorite hotel I’ve ever stayed at. This family run establishment has character and is also modern. Rooms have been renovated within the past year and have AC and awesome waterfall shower heads. My husband called it a 5 star shower experience. The pool is relaxing. The included breakfast was a treat. They had some gluten free options and it was served on china with coffee service. The breakfast area and lounge has nice old school decor. There is a room on the first floor that details the hotels history in immense detail. They had photo books detailing all the hotel renovations over the years and the different generations of family members. I loved it to bits and hope that this stays a family run establishment for years to come. Going to tell everyone I know to come to Lugano and stay here!

We loved the hotel and the staff was wonderful. Our room was perfect with a balcony overlooking the lake, all upgraded as well. The breakfast was delicious and the choices were great. My wife loved the never ending lattes. The pool area so peaceful it was a retreat. We highly recommend this hotel.

A beautiful hotel and our balcony room with lake view was wonderful. The breakfast in the morning was nice and all staff members were pleasant and very professional. Could not have been happier with the stay.

We stayed at the hotel for two nights and enjoyed the experience. Our room had all the modern facilities we could expect. The hotel itself appeared to be committed to old fashioned standards of service and courtesy: a dedicated family ownership; a museum of hotel historical artefacts; a lovely garden built up on a steep slope facing an outside sitting area; a lounge with free coffee and tea and an honesty bar for alcoholic drinks; high quality finish to everything in the hotel; good quality breakfast and service. The hotel is well located for the centre of Lugano at the end of the most prestigious street in the city and for the bus to the railway station. It has wonderful views over the lake and surrounding mountains. The hotel offered free internet but this appeared to be slow and, without a password, I worried about security of the connection. The absence of a restaurant in the hotel (apart from for breakfast) was not a problem for us and perhaps a testament to the owners' commitment to concentrating on what they felt they could do well: there are plenty of restaurants nearby. We cannot comment on value for money as this stop was a part of a tour booking: otherwise we recommend the hotel unreservedly.

Coming from America I highly try recommend this hotel. The garden and pool on the 2nd floor was gorgeous. The water was 80° we loved swimming in the evenings when the sun was setting on the mountains. The rooms were spacious as were the bathrooms. The ac was great (I did ask for a fan at the front seat because I like movement of air. The location was great to all the things. We sat out on our balcony’s in the morning and evening and you could be in all the action but not hear any of it once the doors were closed! I was sad to have to leave to our next city. This hotel was spectacular!

the best thing about this hotel was the breakfast buffet. Go stay here just for that! I stayed 2 hours... :) The rooms were nice, the beds average comfort, and the view spectacular. the pool is nice, with a nice little courtyard to sit and relax.... there is a reading room and a room with antique items there too! Hotel staff are helpful and nice.

What a great location to stay at in Lugano. Its walking distance from the main shopping district and center squares in town, plus across the street from the lake..hotel has lake views. The rooms seem to all be renovated recently and some super new. The hotel has old fashioned decor but it doesnt look old and grungy? Weird but its the only way I can describe it. The service was fantastic from front desk to bar and restaurant. The front desk recommended a great place to eat and they were super helpful. The breakfast was a nice selection of food for all types of eaters, coffee was so so. The only complaint is the walls were thin. I could hear the people next door to me so if you are a light sleeper, it may not be the place for you. Parking was right under the hotel and easy in and out during the day if needed.