Hotel Villa Emden Isole di Brissago

The room was clean and spacious, though the night was warm and the frogs were very noisy. The food was good, but so design-focused that it wasn’t clear what I was eating. The service was terrible, and I wouldn’t recommend the hotel. We were left for over an hour without a drink while the waiters ignored our table. Even though the terrace was nearly empty, they seated us beside a large, chatty group in the veranda. Dinner was interrupted by general questions about our stay, and a second coffee came in the same cup. The pancakes smelled and tasted bad because they’d been cooked in the same pan as someone else’s bacon. We ordered a bier but were brought white wine; they didn’t promptly change the glass and asked whether it was still okay. They should check names before writing them, and it seemed to us that they write their own reviews. We also felt they didn’t trust us. We never felt welcome, it was weird. The staff need to learn good manners.

Once the last boat leaves at 17:30, the island becomes very tranquil, shared by the ten rooms in the villa. Before then it’s busy with tourists. It’s a special place to spend a night, with a lovely setting for both lunch and dinner. The food was delicious, the chef very talented and the service kind, though meals took a long time. The rooms are modest and get very hot in summer, with no air conditioning, just a fan, so early autumn might be a better time to visit. There’s a decent swimming area, but the lake water isn’t great quality for Switzerland. I really missed having SUPs for guests to explore around the island.

We booked a weekend wedding here and found it amazing. The location is idyllic, the gardens are beautiful and the staff were very accommodating. Having private boat docks is a plus. It is a bit expensive, but it’s an island.

We only came for lunch at the restaurant, not a hotel stay. Yuliana gave us excellent service and recommended meals and drinks. Everything was fresh and delicious, and we really appreciated having our water bottles filled before we left. It’s a bit pricey, though that’s expected for a hotel restaurant on an island.