Hotel Tamaro

Facing Lake Maggiore, Hotel Tamaro, a Ticino-style patrician house, is smartly attired in soft yellow with crisp-white shutters. Its tables and chairs spill out onto the lakeside promenade, creating a pleasing picture. Strollers settle here and enjoy a cup of coffee or an ice cream while leisurely watching the little ferryboats glide in and out. You may well be welcomed by Evelyn, the charming daughter of Annetta and Paolo Witzig, owners of the Tamaro. The hotel’s inner courtyard (crowned by a glass ceiling for protection against inclement weather) has tables set gaily among many potted plants, giving the feeling that you are dining in a garden. The guestrooms are situated on various levels, and it’s almost a game to find your room. Each bedroom varies greatly in style of decor, views, and size. I particularly enjoyed room 6, a standard corner room with windows facing both up the promenade and to the lake. The rooms are all decorated attractively with a charming, home-like ambiance throughout. Request a lake view—some even have a small balcony overlooking the promenade.