Hotel Splendide Royal Lugano

Fantastic place in front of the lake with wonderful service in the lounge. The food was fine, drinks well prepared and service really professional and welcoming. I would like to mention mr. Francesco for his kindness, he made our experience perfect! We'll come back for sure, thanks

Unfortunately, I cannot share many positive comments, except for the friendly welcome at the reception. During breakfast, the restaurant manager greeted only certain guests, visiting just two tables, while neither we nor other guests seated next to us were acknowledged. This felt unusual and uncomfortable. The breakfast staff appeared rather reserved overall. While the location is excellent, that is unfortunately the only highlight. Due to our initial experience at breakfast and the room not being entirely satisfactory, we decided not to dine at the restaurant.

The venue, as always, is magnificent: elegant, bright, and captivating. The atmosphere is spectacular and promises a high-quality experience, fully consistent with its five-star status. Unfortunately, once again, the service fails to live up to the setting. A clear lack of training and service culture is evident: the waiters display sloppy gestures, awkward movements, and a lackluster approach to work. Even the language and terms used are sometimes inappropriate to the context, far from the measured and refined tone expected in a setting of this caliber. During service, the champagne was poured into visibly dirty glasses; some placemats had dust and crusted food residue, a sign of poor cleanliness and room management. The hot tea experience also presents a serious technical inconsistency: an hourglass is provided to indicate the correct infusion times, but the teapot lacks a filter. The tea is filtered directly into the cup, leaving the leaves in the teapot, which continue to steep even after the first serving. This makes it impossible to stick to the recommended times and quickly leads to bitter and unbalanced tea, compromising the entire experience. A positive element, which deserves a special mention, is the pastry shop: the sweet and savory samples are always excellent, well-executed, and with a pleasant refinement. A solid professional touch and careful attention to product quality are clearly evident. It is precisely this contrast that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth: an extraordinary location and a carefully curated pastry shop, penalized by service that doesn't live up to the standards a five-star establishment should guarantee. The setting is excellent. The service, unfortunately, remains the weak point.