Switzerland is full of wonderful surprises. While you’ve likely heard plenty about spots such as Zurich, Bern, and Lausanne, Ascona should also be on your Switzerland must-see list. And when you get there, you should consider staying at Giardino Ascona.
Check-in at Giardino Ascona, a member of Design Hotels by Marriott, comes with a welcome drink and takes place at a table in the lobby or outside, looking out toward the pond filled with a plethora of koi fish.
Full of color and whimsical elements such as showy chandeliers, oversized fruit bowls, and large potted plants, the lobby is an eclectic design mix that blends beautifully and gets you excited about what could be waiting in your room. Giardino Ascona is refreshingly not afraid of color; if you’re tired of hotels in every shade of beige, you will love it here.
Accommodations
Giardino Ascona features 53 rooms and 18 suites. I stayed in a Southside Double Room on the first floor, just above the lobby, which is best described as pretty in pink. The bed was topped with a pink comforter. The desk chair was pink, as was the chair and loveseat in the sitting area. It was a lot of pink, but it worked, thanks in part to an abundance of natural light that filled the room.
All accommodations aren’t pink-centric, but all are colorful. Other rooms feature yellow or lavender.
The balcony overlooked the property’s large koi pond, garden, and pool area. The weather was fantastic during my stay, so when I wasn’t sleeping, I was likely relaxing here.
The desk served as a perfect spot for charging the assortment of electronics that come with travel. There were no USB or USB-C charging ports, so pack accordingly. And depending on where you call home, you might need an international power converter or adapter.
The bathroom featured a double vanity with a small shower and water closet. There was a large soaking tub in the room, but it was steps from the bed, in the main sleeping area, not in the actual bathroom. All rooms come with coffee machines, fresh flowers, and toiletries from the onsite spa.
Turndown service includes a complimentary ‘Night Butler’ menu. Along with an assortment of pillow options, every evening until 11 p.m., you can request hot water bottles, warm cherry-stone neck warmers, and hot tea.
- Get a Car Rental
- Get a universal plug adapter
- Get an eSim to be able to use your smartphone abroad.
- Buy Travel Insurance
Public Spaces and Facilities
A garden with a large koi pond and pool is located at the center of the property. Lounge chairs are plentiful, and shade is provided by umbrellas and an assortment of towering trees. There’s also an indoor pool that gives off Roman bath vibes.
Dipiù Spa (‘dipiù’ means ‘more’ in Italian) offers a variety of treatments and products. Hotel guests enjoy complimentary access to a plethora of co-ed, nude saunas and steam baths. Wearing swimsuits is generally frowned upon.
The hotel’s neighbor is 18-hole Golf Club Patriziale Ascona. Guests at Giardino Ascona enjoy exclusive access to the course, along with vouchers granting a 10% discount on green fees. There’s even a convenient shortcut to the course through a back gate at the hotel.
Dining Options
A beautiful breakfast buffet is served daily in Hide & Seek restaurant. Along with an assortment of breads and pastries, you can expect fresh fruit, juices, and hot selections such as bacon, vegetables, and fruit compote. Eggs Benedict, crepes, omelets, French toast and more can be ordered from an à la carte menu.
I’m still thinking about the lobster pasta I enjoyed for dinner one evening at Hide & Seek. During my stay, chef’s specials included braised beef cheek, venison, and sautéed sea bass.
Ecco is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant. Michelin-star chef Reto Brändli had just taken over the reins when I visited in fall of 2025. Selections included balfegó tuna served with oyster, passion fruit, and radish, and Breton John Dory with razor clam, grapefruit, and celery.
Good to Know
It’s about a half-hour walk or a 10-minute bike ride to Ascona’s promenade along Lake Maggiore. There’s also a complimentary shuttle that takes guests into town.
Keep an eye out for Head Concierge, Claudio Caser. He’s worked at the property since it opened in 1986 and has a wealth of knowledge about the area.
If you’re traveling with kids in tow, the hotel features a kids’ club offering arts and crafts and myriad outdoor activities. The club is tucked in the back of the property, not far from the outdoor pool.
Ascona is approximately two hours and 30 minutes by train from Zurich Airport. (Use the SBB website when checking schedules for trains, buses, and boats.) It’s an easy walk through the airport to the train station.
The train is convenient and full of scenic stretches, but if you want to take it up a notch, consider booking the Gotthard Panorama Express from Bellinzona to Lucerne. Charismatic guides on the first-class panorama train explain the significance of the beauty you’re seeing, and the journey by steamboat is especially picturesque and relaxing.
Rates for a Southside Double Room start at $956. For guests arriving by train, there is a free 15-minute shuttle from Locarno station. Parking is available for an additional fee.
Check rates for Giardino Ascona online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, or Hotels.com.
Some other hotels in Switzerland to have on your radar include Radisson Blu Zurich Airport and Hotel Roc & Neige.
Review and photos by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by Tourism Switzerland, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
