Hello Out There: <BR> <BR>My husband and I will be visiting Lugano during the middle or end of May. I would appreciate any information on places to stay, things we must see, whether to rent a car or use the rail system for day trips, good restaurants, etc. We're especially interested in small, charming hotels or B&B's. Thanks for any help. <BR>

Hello Maureen <BR>We stayed overnight in a hotel overlooking lake lugano last August and were absolutely delighted with it. It is a small, family run hotel directly across the lake from lugano. It was high up on a winding road which was a bit scary at times but meant that the views were absolutely stunning. We had booked it as an overnight stop on our way to tuscany but really wished that we could have stayed longer. They have a small swimming pool. The food was great. The evening was spent eating on the outside terrace overlooking the lake and watching the lights come on one by one in lugano. Very peaceful and very romantic. The elderly mother came round with extra food to top up our plates several times during the evening - it felt like we were staying with family. I think the hotel was called Paradiso but if you are interested I will look out the info. It was very reasonable. We had booked two double rooms as we were travelling with our teenage sons but the owner pointed out that we could have had connecting rooms and saved ourselves some money. We still opted for the two separate rooms but felt that this was a very kind gesture - not the sort of thing you usually get from a hotel. I would definately go back there again - both my husband and I remember it very fondly and will stay there again.

Hello! <BR>I am interested in Carole's post about the small hotel in Lugano. Sounds wonderful!

Good afternoon., Maureen <BR>Lugano have a very interesting old town <BR>area which is located at the bottom of a <BR>funicular going up to the main RR station. If your hotel is within the old town section it is very easy to get <BR>to it. However if as you prefer one on <BR>the lake, taxis' are available at the <BR>station. The old town area has many <BR>of ristorantes and coffee houses, we <BR>have been to the Ristorante "Sayanora" <BR>, has no sushi, but some of the best <BR>italian cooking north of Italy. It is <BR>in the Pza Cioccaro, which incidently is <BR>the bottom of the Funicular from the <BR>RR station. There are also lake boats <BR>which ply Lake Lugano to Medresino and <BR>Campione d' Italia (casino) and other <BR>towns, Also there is the miniture Swiss <BR>Village near which is wonderful for kids <BR>and big kids too. Last there is also <BR>a casino in Lugano, very interesting the <BR>swiss method of slot machine payoffs.... <BR>If you want some url's for ticino, drop <BR>me an e-mail. Richard of Hickory Hills, IL...

Maureen <BR>Hello Maureen: <BR> <BR>I think I have found the hotel mentioned by Carole in her post. It is called the Panorama and is in Pugerna/Zentrum. You can find it at www.varta-guide.de and put in the info for a search. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip.