I wholeheartedly recommend the two-star Hotel Panorama in Gerra-Gambarogno on Lago Maggiore. It is perfect for the budget-minded visitor who might like a quiet spot to return to after a busy day of touring the area. It has comfortable rooms, a terrific chef, and a delightful covered terrace shaded by grape vines -- just the spot to drink a glass of wine and watch the sun go down over the lake. Hanni and Axel Klomann will take good care of you. I travel by train, but it offers easier day-trips if you have a car. Of course, there are endless possibilities via the lakeboats which stop at the little Gerra dock. I could go on and on. You can take a look at hotel-panorama.ch

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JW, you have recommended this hotel many times so you must really, really like it. My problem is that it seems so out of the way if you are traveling by train. Did you have a car or how did you get around?

ttt

Hi Rondo, yes I really do like it and I travel via the Swiss Pass. I'm sorry that you've come across my mention of it so many times that I may be overdoing it. I only stay in two-star hotels, and it is my favorite. Gerra is indeed on the other side of the lake, but that's kind of what I look for. It would be perfect for someone with a car who wants to visit places around the lake and perhaps drive into the rural places to the west of Locarno. I'm never put off by a bit of inconvenience arranging my days according to train, bus, and boat schedules -- it's part of my adventure. But I agree that my type of vacation might be too off the beaten track for many, or maybe too uneventful, or maybe too basic; but I love the memory of water lapping the shore, of rain on the tile roofs with a glass of merlot, of the little boats bobbing at their moorings, of Axel's canneloni, of the twilight colors across the lake, of getting up in the middle of the night to sit on my very small balcony and watch the lights. It's not for everyone, but it's for me.

JW, we like smaller hotels as well. I just find them charming and the people interesting. I have gotten into trouble with transportation, though, because my husband does not want to drive in Europe and wants to use trains, buses, boats exclusively. We once stayed in a very small hotel in Chenonceau where the train service wasn't very frequent and wasted a lot of time waiting for trains. I do enjoy traveling by train, just not waiting for them.

Hi Rondo, I usually spend those little waits poking into the train station shops or wandering the neighborhood or just sitting on a bench day-dreaming. But I do find that the transportation system in Switzerland is so well-timed and coordinated (buses, trains, and boats are synchronized) that I never feel that I'm wasting time. Of course, you're hearing from someone who feels that no time spent in Switzerland--bench or otherwise--is wasted. Remember that you can research all your schedules via the wonderful sbb.ch website which combines all the modes of transportation. Having said that, I still am forced to admit that drivers have the best access when staying in Gerra. I prefer to watch the scenery roll by rather than traffic, not to mention looking for places to park. auggh. Is that how Charlie Brown spells it? J.