Swiss Historic & Garten Hotel Villa Carona

We chose this hotel because it was part of two hotel groups we use frequently. The hotel is charming, the rooms are well appointed and the garden & grounds are beautiful. Violetta our breakfast hostess was super attentive and kind. She made the visit special. Although reviewers say the location is good be aware that the hotel is not easy to reach because of a narrow switchback road. The road is in good condition but it could be challenging for visitors not used to mountain driving. It is served well by a local bus and would be ideal for backpackers traveling light. Otherwise being closer to Lugano would be smarter for guests visiting the surrounding area. We would return in a minute but the location will keep us from coming back with a car.

Wonderful venue with a beautiful garden with a lot of different seating places, friendly staff, clean and cosy rooms with great decor, great breakfast with a big variety of everything, parking spaces available although very tight. Carona is a must-see trip, it is a lovely little town.

This was our second stay to the Villa Carona, and it had lost none of its’ charms from our previous trip made before the pandemic in 2019. We even choose the same room – no.15 (superior double room) mainly because it is one of the few with a bathtub. It was a corner room located on the first floor, with views of the garden and mountains. The ceiling and frieze contained the remains of painted decoration. The owners had spent the intervening years altering the doorway and access to the room which was a sound improvement. The gardens remain a delight and are a deservedly popular refuge for guests. The leafy canopy and mountain views certainly encourage long, lazy afternoons relaxing with a good book – plus a few refreshments from the restaurant’s excellent range of drinks and snacks. For those more energetic souls a small swimming pool has now been added to the hotel’s facilities. Breakfast is buffet style and offers a good wide choice. It is set up on the ground floor which is somewhat inconvenient as, given the split-level nature of the property, this involves struggling up and down stairs, whilst your hands are full, in order to access the tables set up in the garden. A tray would have been helpful. Drink requests are satisfied by a very efficient waiter! Despite the usual cramped conditions of such villages, the hotel has extensive parking. Cornelia is a gracious and helpful hostess giving us a lot of help and tips via email, prior to arrival. However, the day we arrived it appeared only one member of staff was actually overseeing the hotel. The poor woman was struggling and we had to wait ages to check-in. Eventually, after much ringing of the bell, another guest went and found her. She also forgot to give us our Ticino card which would have helped considerably with reducing payments at expensive local sites. We ate in ‘La Sosta’, the attached restaurant, one evening which was excellent, if VERY expensive. Thoroughly recommended for those who want to have access to city life but who also wish to keep it at a discreet distance and relax.