Eden Roc Ascona

Eden Roc, Ascona

Decorated throughout by Swiss interior designer and architect, Carlo Rampazzi, the hotel is full of dazzling colours, funky patterns, fun pieces of art and quirky pieces of furniture. His style is unique taking classical pieces of furniture and adding a contemporary twist to them.

The hotel also has four different restaurants including the award-winning La Marina with 14 Gault Millau points that serves modern cuisine in a relaxed, lounge atmosphere and the beautiful La Casetta restaurant housed in a historical lakeside villa, with a lakefront terrace. It serves the very best of the lake and sea, and fresh pasta, in a Mediterranean decor.

I had a large superior room decorated in tones of beige and taupe with some bright turquoise accessories bringing a lovely pop of colour into the room. My bathroom was spacious with a really nice, large walk-in shower and bathtub all in grey marble. I loved the Molton Brown amenities. The room also had a large balcony with a table, some sun chairs and a fabulous view. In addition to the tea and coffee amenities, of note was the extensive pillow menu with eight different options including a horsehair pillow and a sheep wool pillow.

Of note, La Casetta played a surprising role during World War 2. It was in this exact villa that in March 1945 top-secret negotiations took place between senior representatives of the Allied forces and a German general to discuss a German surrender.

The Eden Roc is located just a stone's throw from the very pretty and colourful town of Ascona, right on Lake Maggiore. It offers way more than a hotel: it is a vibrant, bright, colourful resort with fantastic facilities, including a private marina.

With 95 rooms and suites, spread over three different connecting buildings, each done up in its own distinctive style, the hotel has a wide range of room categories with different decorative themes. The rooms on the ground floor, in the Marina part of the hotel, are simpler using a palette of fresh colours, with tiled floors and a direct access onto the garden, whilst the rooms in the main part of the hotel, offer a more elaborate decor, with more subdued tones and vibrant accent colours.

A perfect lakefront escape

The hotel offers extensive water sports facilities, including stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, banana boat rides and a sailing club. There’s a modern, well-equipped gym and a 2000m2 spa, with two jacuzzis, a hairdresser and a nail salon. As a keen swimmer, I particularly enjoyed the 25-meter pool (in and outdoor). The hotel also has two further pools, one on the lakefront and a kids’ club.

I liked the fact that the hotel strives to encourage its guests to leave their cars at home and use public transport. To this end, it has its own Eden Roc mobility concept. Bikes, including mountain bikes and electric bikes, an e-smart car and two Vespas are all available to guests for hire at reception. The fact that the hotel is so close to the town center also makes it ideal to walk everywhere.

The beauty of the Eden Roc’s lakefront location and its fabulous facilities really stand out. You will be forgiven for thinking that you have been transported to a Mediterranean haven, as it really offers you a little piece of paradise in a fabulous setting.

26 July 2017