Lugano, Switzerland

Bill, It would help if you could provide some guidelines for "nice" and perhaps a price range. Is there a particular reason you want to stay near the train station? Using the Funicular, it's very easy to get down to the main part of town, which has a good selection of Hotels. If you could provide a bit of further information, it would be easier to offer more specific suggestions. Cheers!

We are traveling by train from Venice to Frankfurt in mid April, an 11 hour trip, so we are and stopping overnight in Lugano, where we've never been before. We didn't want a long taxi ride to a hotel or B&B, so that's why we said "near the train station." " Nice" for us is like the ones Rick recommends -small, family run, with an elevator if there are more than 2 flights of stair to climb, in the 75-100EUR range. Clean, quiet with comfortable beds. If we can board the Funicular near at the train station, then we'd certainly enjoy beings in downtown. We've been told Lugano is a beautiful city. Thanks for your advice. Aloha, Bill

Bill,
About 5 years ago my wife and I stayed in in Hotel Backpacker Montarina which was right near the train station. We had an actual room with a shower and bathroom. Not a great place, but it was inexpensive. Since a hostel also operated in the same building, there was a strange mix of people on the patio, as well as some funny cigarette smoking going on. The hotel is next to Hotel Colorado. .. may even be same ownership. If my memory serves me right, I thought I had booked in the Colorado but evidently booked in the Montarina. Both are near the train station, but it was not noisy. Lugano is indeed a beautiful town and the funi is right in the train station and takes you to the center of the downtown. I also seem to remember taking a trip out to a miniature Switzerland .... located outside Lugano and featuring models of famous Swiss buildings. It was pretty neat!

Now that we know the funicular is in the train station, we'd appreciated any suggestions for a hotel or B&B like the ones Rick recommends -small, family run, with an elevator if there are more than 2 flights of stair to climb, in the 75-100EUR range. Clean, quiet with comfortable beds.

Bill, I spent some time in Lugano last year, and stayed at Hotel Pestalozzi and would certainly recommend it. However, it's not close to the station so a short Taxi ride would be necessary (I didn't find that to be a problem). One Hotel close to the station that you might consider is This one, although the prices will be slightly higher than the amount you mentioned. The listed price for a double room is SF$170, which is about €130 at current exchange rates. I can't comment on whether it has "comfortable beds". If you stay near the station, you'll need to use the Funicular to reach the main part of town for touring, walking along the lakefront promenade or whatever. Most of the restaurants are in that area also. Cheers!