Good place to stay in Lugano convenient to taking the train train

We did just that, 1 night in Lugano on our way to Como a few years ago. We really enjoyed the Hotel Lugano Dante Center. The funicular was under renovation so we walked down and up from the train station which was perfectly fine if you're in reasonable shape, or take the funi. Nice breakfast, friendly staff (called and made a dinner reservation for us), a little more expensive than others, but we enjoyed it, room was comfortable and good AC. Have a great trip.

I would highly recommend the Hotel Pestalozzi Lugano. You could take the Funicular down from the station and walk to the hotel, but with luggage I'd probably just use a Cab.

With only one night there, it would be good to arrive as early as possible, as that will only allow about a day for sightseeing (two nights would be better). It would be a good idea to check the guidebook for sights that you might be interested in there. You could take a cruise on the lake, take the Funicular up to Mt. San Salvatore, try your luck in the Casino or just explore the city.

We stayed for a night in Lugano on our way to Italy (Lake Como) last May and I'm glad we did. I usually avoid one night stays, but I just had to fit in a trip up Monte San Salvatore. Lucky for us, it was a clear, spectacular day (in the midst of a trip full of rainy days).

We stayed at the Hotel de la Paix, and our room had a stunning view. It's in the Paradiso section of town (I was unfamiliar with the city and wanted to be close to Monte San Salvatore). We arrived through the Paradiso train station, but to leave we had to go to the main Lugano Stn, which required a taxi ride. However, it wasn't long and wasn't expensive.

Lugano is definitely worth a visit.