The Grand Hotel Villa Castagnola, member of the “Small Luxury Hotels of the World”, is a five star superior Hotel in Lugano and enjoys a privileged position inside a large sub-tropical park, with a beautiful view towards the lake. The elegant villa, built in 1880, combines the charm of a bygone era with the comfort and the care of a modern luxury hotel.
LONG STANDING HOTEL TRADITION
Villa Castagnola, originally built for the Von Ritter, a noble Russian family, was bought, in 1885, by a young Swiss couple of the Schnyder von Wartensee family. They transformed it into a hotel and the family owned it up to 1982, when it was sold to a local family. A total redecoration was then started by the new owners to return the building to its original beauty and provide the highest standards of comfort. Nothing is left to chance! Every detail is taken care of, to make guests feel welcomed into this “private home”. Elegant art objects are scattered throughout the various public areas: 17th century Gobelin d’Aubusson tapestries in the Salone Camino, paintings of Italian masters in the Sala Bridge, and Flemish masters in the Sala Colonne. With its long standing hotel tradition, Villa Castagnola has become throughout the years, the chosen holiday destination for aristocrats, politicians, business leaders, bankers, artists, writers, all seeking privacy and rest in discreet yet sophisticated surroundings
ROOMS AND SUITES FOR AN ELEGANT STAY
The hotel offers 71 rooms, of exceptional charm, individually styled, with stunning park and/or lake views, balcony, terrace or loggia. All rooms, of which 33 are Junior Suites and Suites, have individual air-conditioning, and provide the most modern comforts.
EPICUREAN & GASTRONOMIC PLEASURE
La Rucola--Fresh & Easy Dining -
At the Restaurant “La Rucola”, with the motto “Fresh & Easy”, we offer a selection of International dishes. Summer Garden.Open daily: from 07:00am to 10:30am for breakfast and from 11:00am to 10:30pm for lunch, dinner and light snacks.
Restaurant Le Relais–15 points GaultMillau-: The Restaurant "Le Relais" offers a refined cuisine by chef Alessandro Boleso. Its Mediterranean food offers intense flavours with fresh, local and seasonal products of the highest quality. "Grandes Pièces" are served at table. Open daily from 19:00 to 21:30.
Restaurant Gallery Arté al Lago -16 points GaultMillau - : A theme restaurant inside an art gallery. A Restaurant embellished by artwork and sculptures of contemporary artists of international standing that change every six months. A doorstep away from the Villa Castagnola through the park and across the main street, right on the shore of the lake, the Restaurant Gallery Arté al Lago offers a magnificent and unique view over the gulf of Lugano as well as a dainty cuisine. Signature dishes of our Executive Chef Frank Oerthle are entirely new and original. The menu stands out for Sweetwater and sea food specialties. Admission to the Art Gallery is allowed during opening hours or prior booking.
Cocktail-Bar and Banano Bar. Quickly established as one of the places to see and be seen in, the Bar is renowned as much for its rich, opulent interior as for its menu of new and classic cocktails. Open to both guests and non-residents, the Bar also boasts live piano music. The Banano Bar, set in the great park, right in among palms, banana trees and overlooking a lawn full of flower beds, rose gardens and tall trees. A suggestive spot where to relax for an aperitif throughout the season.
PERFECT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
Our venue, appreciated for its unique styling and brightness, offers top notch facilities for meetings and events, be it a grand banquet or a less formal luncheon, a business meeting or conference, a private party or dinner, or an unforgettable wedding party. Each of our 10 meeting rooms, with seating capacity of up to 120 people, have an elegant décor, original artworks, direct daylight with large windows overlooking the park, and are equipped with high-tech audio/visual equipment (video conference, microphones, projector, sound system, etc…). Our Clients can choose between small private sitting-rooms and conference halls of different sizes and locations. Whether for 5 or 120 people, the organization combines the greatest attention to the detail and imagination in order to ensure that every function is perfectly monitored and well remembered.

RELAXING AND FEELING PAMPERED
Villa Castagnola has a spectacular indoor swimming-pool with panoramic views over the garden, a high-tech fitness room, a Wellness Area with: sauna & bio-sauna, steam-room & Caledarium,a Hydropool changing rooms with showers, lockers and bathrooms, table-tennis room, outdoor hard court tennis fields and a private terrace on the lake.
The Clarins Beauty Corner provides an extensive range of beauty, grooming and therapeutic treatments for women and men. Open Tuesday to Saturday prior reservation. Also available, is the Danilo Hairstyling,that provides hairdressing services to women and men. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
LOCATION
Despite it being at a short walking distance from Lugano’s City Centre, where you can find museums and the most luxurious boutiques, arriving at Villa Castagnola means plunging into an untainted setting with an breathtaking lake view. The Hotel is well connected to Lugano’s railway station and Airport (only 7Km to the Lugano-Agno Airport), and has easy access to the Motorway.
One last curiosity… On the edge of the park you will find a gracious, tiny Chapel with 17th Century frescos. The Chapel is still in use and it is the perfect location for a private wedding or a christening. An unexpected spot out of a fairy tale...