Hotel Garni Montaldi

The location was the one real plus. There’s a nightclub downstairs, and the very loud, bass-heavy music continued until 5 a.m. We barely slept, so we checked out after just one night. The room also had no hot water, a rattling, noisy air conditioner, and a very small bathroom. We lost our key while out for dinner. When we asked for another, we were yelled at. The older man at reception unlocked our door and went back downstairs without giving us a replacement key. Do yourself a favor and stay somewhere else.

Right beside Locarno train station, the hotel is very central but still peaceful. It’s clean and comfortable, and good value if you’re on a budget. Don’t expect five-star luxury, though.

The staff were rude and disrespectful. A mother was threatened with the police because her two children, aged 1 and 4, were playing with Hot Wheels and talking normally, excited to be on holiday. When she asked for a bit more understanding, staff told her, “shut them up or pack up and leave now.” It was around 22:45. This place doesn’t feel family-friendly, so keep that in mind when planning a stay.

We enjoyed our one-day stay. The room was dated, like the rest of the hotel, but clean and had what we needed: a mini fridge, air conditioning, TV, and a lake view. The only thing lacking was reliable internet, which sometimes stopped working for 1-2 minutes. It’s in the city center and easy to reach by car, though parking is difficult and very expensive. I wouldn’t recommend the garage right next to the hotel. There’s a nearby bus stop with regular connections to Ascona, as well as the train station.