Villa Principe Leopoldo

The Villa has some glowing reviews and some bad reviews - We stayed there and found that Tripadvisor had a fairly accurate description of this hotel, its both good and bad. To explain I have posted some photos to show what I mean and won't just repeat similar photos in the other reviews and I will mention when I agree or disagree. The hotel has a beautiful terrace with a piano bar and restaurant with a view over Lugano. I strongly suspect the experience in the reviews may depend on the room allocated. We had a nice view of some solar panels near a delivery area, rooms with a lake view probably give a better review. for context, I had prepaid booking and paid any bill as I went along.||1. Yes the bar has slow service and yes I understand the comments about an unfriendly attitude. Be careful the hotel has a minimum spend on the weekends of 200 Swiss Franc or roughly $250 US per couple for using the bar at certain times. It is an outdoor piano bar - so we both used insect repellent but both were bitten within 30 mins. Tip- if you use it get in and out before 18:00, and consider lots of repellent.|2. Yes the reviews compliment the award winning pet friendly restaurant which is in a gazebo on the terrace, We decided to not spend a 4 figure sum on dinner and instead spent a high 3 figure sum. Yes compared to the bar the service is better and the food was very well presented but to me it lacked flavour. A subjective view. The surprise was having to say 'no' more than once over encouragement to buy a particular bottle of wine. |2. Reviews say the hotel is not clean - No I found it was clean because I was on the floor of my 'suite' looking for the power sockets. I agree with the review that says it was not actually a suite. I enclose some photos - there are sockets under a marble bed side cabinet - they are just not obvious because they are in the shade. Other reviews said the rooms needed refurbished - Yes I agree, and I agree that M10 is a room to avoid- it's right over a delivery area. I had a running 'battle' to try and get the coffee machine to work - it chewed pods but usually only yielded hot water. I asked for help and was told to try putting water in it (I found this funny rather than offensive) because my advisers then struggled to produce several cups of warm water before one small cup of coffee. We used a lot of pods.|The next day we had the same issue so I spoke to another member of staff and suggested while I was enjoying the challenge I wanted to buy the machine so I could put it in the trash or worse! My adviser pointed out that it was probably just dirty and needed cleaned but would provide more pods. The day after the machine had more pods and worked! The shower head had a loose fitting so it would just fall off the wall when I turned the water on but was otherwise a good shower- the real problem was I hadn't asked for a walk in shower and it was quite a high sided bath/shower combination - so be careful its slippery to get in and out of it. As it happened the shower would not work on the morning of departure but the front desk sent maintenance who told me I just didn't know how to use the shower? The fabric of the walls in some areas is indeed not well maintained.|3. Reviews say that this is a very service orientated hotel. My experience is that the staff were pleasant but don't say very much. For example there is apparently a gym, indoor pool and personal trainer, perhaps even another bar?? but these are actually in another property and I was astonished to be asked about my experience of the indoor pool. What pool? Yes there is an outdoor pool but I saw no one to ask for pool service. In general I think a guest needs to do their homework and know what to ask for specifically, for example items can to cooked to order at breakfast but the staff do not mention that. Check out was problematic although I had a prepaid booking and had presented my paperwork on arrival - the hotel wasn't interested. On departure the reception was beside an elevator under repair with continuous very loud drilling at which point I was presented with a full bill. It was the noise rather than language that made it difficult to communicate. I was reduced to opening my luggage to retrieve my paperwork while other guests tried to check out past me. The clock was ticking on our train transfer but since I had already paid there was a point of principle. I found a contact number and reception agreed to call my agent and it was resolved. There was no offer of using a quiet private area so it was public and embarrassing but it was resolved. Of course no offer of help with bags, so we grabbed our belongings and departed.

It's difficult to write this review because we expected so much more. We congratulate the new GM, Matteo, for his commitment to improvement. The hotel is in a wonderful position with a spectacular view of Lugano and beautiful gardens. and there are some lovely staff. The pool onsite is small so we went to the lovely larger pool and gym at the hotel next door to swim laps. The main fine dining restaurant is very good (though expensive) and I’ve completed a separate review on it.||The things which need improvement include:|1. The AC which never went down below about 21 degrees which is too warm for good quality sleep.|2. Charges. You need to be very careful you are not charged for things which you have not requested eg. We were charged 45 Swiss francs for a taxi into Lugano which turned out to be a limousine which we did not request. Normal cost to go into Lugano is 15-20. It’s better taking Ubers than taxis as way cheaper|3. At the second outdoor restaurant/bar we were charged 15 fra for a pot of hot water with lemon in it! We got this removed from the bill. |4. Furthermore, the cost of the food in the second restaurant/bar is too high and should ideally differ in style and offering to the Main restaurant. |6. Breakfast is not at the quality of the hotel. The offering needs to include many more healthy and gluten-free options, organic eggs and fruits (where possible), more cooked dish options like healing porridges, some kind of soup or bone broth, more egg options with interesting sides, crepes/pancakes etc.|7. Pillows were either too soft or too hard.|8. The Spa Suite with steam room and sauna etc should be complimentary for any guests staying in house because these sorts of facilities are generally a normal inclusion in these sorts of hotels.||We trust the hotel will make the necessary improvements to services and offerings to offer true value.

Truly we loved this place. Coming up the hill, on the narrow street and surprise, it opens up to the leopoldo and instantly you know you're somewhere special. And then the concierge meets you and the breakfast is incredible, the people are super the view out the back for dinner, Surprise, and live music is second to none. The rooms are special, they are set up so efficiently and so beautifully.

Fantastic location with amazing views of Lake Lugano! Excellent staff and service was amazing during our entire stay. Can't wait to go back again soon!

a hidden gem. |a small paradise to unwind and find peace surrounded by lush nature and the most beautiful view over the lake Lugano. ||I already gave my recommendation years ago, but I had the urge to write down some sentence again. ||Villa Principe Leopoldo is my „secret“ place to go, if I need a break, to slow down, to „breathe“.|The whole team is from top notch. ||Any time I come back, it’s like coming home again. This quiet peace on earth is a heaven to me. |The management is from such a high level but at the same time you just feel familiar. ||The hotel is surrounded by lush gardens, wonderful nature, beautiful coffees and restaurants, hiking trails and historical places.||The beautiful rooms/ Suites are facing the most stunning and unique view over the lake Lugano, I spend hours just gazing at the horizon and get lost in this gorgeous landscape. (Highly recommend a Suite with Lake View and Balcony…) ||The restaurant does not only serve you at the highest level, I would say it will guide you to another world. It speak itself as a holder of Michelin star with a panorama view… |Excellent service. |—I fell in love with the grilled branzino! ||The spa… thank you Francesca! Your hands are golden! I highly recommend to try a treatment and don’t miss to get use of the privat spa experience to relax, refresh and revitalize. ||Thanks to Danilo who made my arrival just perfect and smooth, always leaving me with a little smile. Thanks you Aurora who leaves no wishes unseen and made sure I’ll experience my best time. You truly did! Thank you Arianna for your kindness and perfect organization, your help and everything. Thanks to Martina and Erik for your great service. I could name the whole team as everyone is in such a thrill to make the best and they truly do. |Simply excellent.||Thank you.

The café experience: We went there a few times and the service was okay; nothing special. However, the last three visits were horrible. The servers didn’t come to our table for at least 10 minutes after we were seated, and they took a long time to bring our soft drinks. We had to ask multiple times for water for our dog before we finally received it. The servers seemed not only rushed but also quite rude at times.|Overall, horrible. We’ll sadly probably never go back.

Don’t waste your money on this hotel. It certainly left a sour taste for us, especially on our last day checking out. We had to pay extra charges as we had a hotel credit but they failed to mention it was only for the bar. As I told them this was not specified when checking in. The check in staff did not care, quite disgraceful with there attitude. During breakfast I asked if they could make an eggs Benedict, they said sorry we don’t make those until 9am. What kind of luxury hotel is this? We asked if they had an extra phone charger for the stay, they wanted to charge us for that. I said forget it don’t bother. The pool was quite dirty and turned us away from going in also. This place treats you like a number, they simply don’t care. You are better off going somewhere.

A luxury hotel deserving of its reputation. We spent one night for our 20th wedding anniversary and the entire experience was perfect. For a banjo player and a puppeteer, this was a very special place to celebrate.

This hotel presents itself as a 5-star hotel. It may have been at one time, however that time has surely passed. I would give it 0 Stars, but they do have an amazing view. The hotel is VERY dated, old furniture and fixtures. There were old bodily fluids on the bedspread, the towels had "baked in" dirt on them. When speaking to locals, they said they believe that the hotel is resting on its laurels and it's Michelin starred restaurant. Extra added bonus: they misplaced our car keys, finally finding them after 45 minutes. DO NOT STAY HERE EXPECTING A 5-STAR EXPERIENCE!!! Giving them the benefit, it's at best a 2-star hotel.

This is a great spot and I would highly recommend it. It is walking distance from Lugano (20-30 minutes pending where you going) and the staff are just fantastic. My son and I had dinner in the main restaurant one night which did not disappoint at all. We took advantage of the inability to get swiss wine outside the country and ordered a nice 2012 Merlot that had a bit of age but was still clearly a young wine. The squash flowers had a flavor which they lacked earlier in the week at a restaurant in Milan and the duck was just fantastic--perfectly cooked with nice accompaniments. I forgot to snap a picture of dessert so I do not recall it but I know we loved it!

Beautiful villa Príncipe Leopoldo hotel in the hills above Lugano. Incredible views, incredible breakfast. Such a wonderful place to visit for a special trip to Lugano.

This review is solely for having a drink with a view for which it gets 5 stars. Though pricey the view is the best in Lugano. Romantic. Highly recommend.

This review is for the Park Hotel Príncipe which is formerly called the Residences Leopoldo. In actual fact, the name has changed only on their website but not in reality. When you arrive the sign directs those to Villa Leopoldo up one driveway and to the Residences across the way. The name confusion aside we are really recommend this place. It is vintage hotel life at it's best. We stayed at the Residences/Park Hotel in January for four nights with our 4 year old son and were impressed. The hotel has all of it's original design details in tact and is immaculately maintained. The details are too many to describe, one has to see it to believe it. The rooms are huge, 45m2. We stayed in a classic double and were very happy. No, it is not modernized, but the original elements, so carefully preserved, are better than modern day (often cheap) replacements. The building is so solid there are no sound issues. We had a small balcony with electronic shutters for full black out and all else that you could need. It is beautifully situated and so quiet for sleeping! The sister hotel Villa Leopoldo across the road has an incredible view. Depending on the time of year breakfast may be served there, but you can also pop over there for a drink or a meal, or just to have a look at the view. The incredible devotion to detail is also reflected in all of the staff: The amazing housekeeping staff provide you with anything you need (I found the bed too hard and was promptly provided with a soft topper In a timely and pleasant way) and leave your room spotless without the terrible smells of chemical agents used in many hotels... The desk staff were all fluent in many languages, attentive, prompt, knowledgeable and gracious.... The breakfast was a wonderful buffet of great variety and also managed and served by wonderful and helpful people. There is a great looking pool, it would be fabulous to be there in the summer. This place is from a bygone era where things were built to truly cater to the needs of the guests, and more amazingly it is maintained and run this way by all the staff without exception. It is truly a gem. Many modern "fancier" hotels we have experienced have not come close to the quality of experience that you can have here. This is why we are taking the time to write a review. If we return to Lugano we'll definitely stay here!