Planned for a standard private room in the hostel and was delighted to be placed in the historic Continental Park hotel instead. It was a classic hotel experience with beautiful surroundings (pool, winery, grotto, botanical garden, etc), really quite stunning. At the rate we paid, it seemed like a very fair deal (for Lugano). The room itself was a bit dated but clean and comfortable with a compact shower, plenty of storage, desk, fridge and air conditioning. We didn't hear the trains in the night with the air conditioning on. Lugano guest card provided (free transit, various discounts). Overall the stay exceeded expectations, consistent with what other reviewers have been saying. Recommended!

Switzerland is crazy expensive but it was still surprising to be billed 7 CHF for 1L of tap water at the grotto restaurant

Everything is great except the sharing bathroom and shower.

Bathroom and shower place are mixed for male and female. I hope they would separate it.

I had a fantastic stay at this hostel! The location is perfect—close to city center, public transport and main attractions. It made exploring the city so easy. The staff were incredibly welcoming and helpful! The hostel itself was clean and well-maintained, which made my stay very comfortable. But the best part? The swimming pool! It was such a nice place to relax, cool off, and meet other travelers. I really enjoyed my time here and would definitely stay again. Highly recommend!

Towels aren’t included—you have to rent one if you want to use it, which felt a bit unnecessary. Luggage storage has a strict cutoff—you can only leave your bags until 3pm on checkout day, which can be inconvenient for late departures.

I hugely enjoyed my stay. The Hotel/Hostel was about 150m from the train station, a very short walk, in its own grounds, and surrounded by a mini forest of tall palm trees, most attractive. Occupancy was low in the hostel for the single night that I stayed. Arriving early in the day prior to check in time I was able to deposit bags and head off sightseeing. All the premises was spotlessly clean. There is a small well laid out and equipped kitchen but only 1 person can cook in it at a time. The dining/common room with fridge is very spacious and opens out onto a generous balcony overlooking the trees, the lake below, and surrounding mountains. Dormitories are large and spacious, containing some lockers with keys. Bathroom is very modern in design and layout. The premises is a very short distance from the town centre and restaurant area and lake shore, reached via steps for the energetic or funicular for others. Staying at the premise enables guests to load an app that gives them free use of local public transport, including the town centre funicular. Staff without exception were friendly, helpful and efficient. Although close to the train station there was no noise whatsoever reaching the building or grounds, a very peaceful spot.

There was nothing I didn't like but nearing high season full occupancy the small kitchen and bathroom could cause congestion.

Hotel&Hostel Montarina has an excellent location, just a very short walk from the train station. Despite its central location, the atmosphere is very quiet and peaceful. There is a shared dining area equipped with a full set of kitchenware, making it very convenient for guests who prefer to prepare their own meals. I had a very comfortable stay here.

While Hotel&Hostel Montarina has a great location and peaceful surroundings, the room was quite small, and the bed was not very comfortable for someone with a larger body frame. It might be a bit tight for taller or bigger guests, so keep that in mind when booking.

The Montarina is a classic. It is important to understand what type of lodging this is: casual, simple, with a hostel heart yet offers private rooms. If you approach it with that in mind, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic location and grounds, clean lodgings, and access to a great breakfast and pool. It’s also right next to the train station.

The room could use a fan, and we are still not used to the common European duvet + flat sheet style. An extra pillow or blanket could be helpful. We would love a coffee maker in the room or kettle.

Nice location, great garden and the view.

The kitchen closes at 22:00 and opens at 7:30, so if you leave early and have food in the fridge, you lose it, and if you arrive late, you cannot put the food in the fridge. The hostel rroms are very big (16 people), and there are only 2 toilets and 2 showers for a few of these rooms - expect queues in tge mornings and evenings.

The shared room is comfortable enough, although a bit small. The outside spaces compensate for that with plenty of spots to sit in the shadow of palm trees. The pool area overlooking the lake is just heavenly and rather quiet. The breakfast, suitable for vegetarians, made me want to come back every day: a huge choice of cakes, cereals, cheeses, quiches, jams and fruit salads.

Too bad the coffee machine isn’t accessible at all times but only while the common area is open, 7:30 to 22:00.

I was delighted with my room, which unexpectedly had a fantastic view plus a balcony. Air conditioning was great, there was a fridge and as a nice touch they replinished it with a new bottle of water each day. Internet worked great and the room was cleaned and towels replaced every day. I also enjoyed the pool and it was great that towels were also supplied there. The breakfasts (18 swiss francs) were lavish with plenty of choices of hot and cold food, cereals, breads, pastries, yoghurts, cakes, cheeses and meats. They were also buffet style so you could pick what you wanted.

At first I was unable to plug in any electronic devices as the sockets were unlike elsewhere in Europe. However reception were able to supply me with an adaptor that worked, which I was able to use throughout my stay. Ideally I'd have liked the pool to open a little earlier as noon was a bit late for me, however I still enjoyed using it in the late afternoon. The hotel was right next to the railway line which was convenient for getting there and away. Some people might not like the noise of trains, but it wasn't an issue for me.

The staff is very kind, they even printed me a boarding pass. The hostel provides a surprisingly vast arrangement of facilities for such a low price, from an outdoor pool to a ticket discount, sadly, I was staying for a single night and didn't get to try them out.