Caffè dell'Arte Boutique Rooms Locarno — Hotel in Circolo di Locarno

I’d like to keep this hotel a secret so we can always stay here without fear of it being booked-out. I think this has to be our favourite holiday accommodation ever. Loved the location in the old town a bit away from the busy tourist areas, the unique décor, the comfortable bed, the Venice room’s separate sitting area with a writing desk and coffee making corner (ask for more coffee if you need it), the old-world charm, the little balcony with French doors opening to a view of old buildings and palm trees but most of all, we loved the incredibly welcoming, friendly, and helpful staff. It’s a family run business and the breakfast chef, Niels, who was not family said he felt like he was! And that’s the treasure in this hotel, you’re treated like visiting family.||We liked the hotel’s simplicity which seems more environmentally friendly than huge hotels with 24-hour reception and lots of wastage. Instead of fridges in every room, for example, they have one big one in the hall to share. There also weren’t little bottles and packets of toiletries which are usually wasted. Instead, they had big re-fillable soap and shampoo dispensers.||Now back to Niels. Breakfast was also a unique and creative experience. No big wasteful buffet or menu with standard fare. Instead, they have a talented and creative chef offering something special. We had freshly made pancakes and the softest wholemeal, grain croissants I’ve ever had, both topped with warm homemade raspberry compote. (You can see these special pancakes on their Instagram site.)||My only suggestion would be that it would be wonderful if they could open the Café for breakfast every day. (It’s closed on Monday and Tuesday) Although the family sent us off to some perfectly good breakfast spots on those days, once we got to try their offer, I was very sorry that we only got to eat there once.||So, although I’d like to keep this hotel a secret, I’m writing this long revue in appreciation for all the effort, thought, warmth and creativity they put into their business. Thankyou...

We were relieved to be in the historic centre in a heritage style building as many parts of Lucarno are modern with very bland architecture and frankly you scratch your head to find a choice of decent midrange restaurants which are not high end or touristy.Forget about retail and craft shops||If it was not for the hotel we would have stayed in Ascona.without doubt as within its historic centre there is a range of restaurants and hotels lakeside and facing its sweeping harbour as well as diverse shopping opportunities||However we chose Locarno specifically for this hotel as a base for our six night stay as we spent little time in the town itself||The hotel room tariff is consistent for a hotel of this quality in Switzerland and it specifically states rooms not bed and breakfast.We often do not always like regular breakfasts in hotels and many do exclusive and inclusive of breakfast.However we did inclusive and were not disappointed.It was not a typical breakfast and it changed everyday - healthy fresh products with creative combinations the likes of which we have not experienced before.The breakfast area "Feel So Good " was part of the hotel yet open to nonguests through another entrance||Firstly the hotel has reserved parking a few minutes walk away which was a bonus||The hotel has been renovated and has a lot of quirky art throughout communal areas and rooms||We chose a spacious corner room which was full of light.There were all the amenities and facilities there including coffee machine and safe.Importantly the mattress was high quality and extremely comfortable.||The rooms were cleaned to a high standard.||The reception is open during certain hours but the manager/owner is always available if needed and that is not surprising as there are...

My dad and I spent a couple of days in Ticino on a spontaneous 2-day trip without planning anything more than visiting Lugano, Monteggio (our place of origin), and Locarno.||When we arrived in Locarno mid-afternoon we parked our car and started perusing Tripadvisor in search of a place to stay for the night. And there it was: the place we were looking for! A cute, quirky boutique hotel in the heart of Old City, steps away from Piazza Grande, the shores of Lago Maggiore, and a wealth of authentic osterias and trattorias to choose from.||The rooms are all differently themed (oriental, guepard, zebra, petit nuage...). The owner showed us a few of the available rooms and we settled on the Zebra room. Let’s say it delivered on its name. I won’t post photos, because you need to see it for yourself :-)||We took the Bed & Breakfast formula and weren’t disappointed. The 4-course breakfast was served by the owner and her sister and was prepared fresh. It changes every morning, so I can’t speak for the other days... but ours was delicious!||Speaking of the owner, she was one of the most personable and attentive people I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. She was helpful from the room choice to the restaurant recommendations. For the evening, she recommended Osteria Borghese, which was a perfect choice for us (more in my separate review of the place). As a side note, the owner also told us to avoid the restaurants on Piazza Grande itself. ||I could go on and on, but in a nutshell Caffè Dell’Arte Boutique Rooms is a true gem. If you ever plan to sleep in Locarno... just book there. Chances are high that you won’t be...