About this hotel
General information
Castello del Sole Beach Resort & SPA lies within a 140-hectare estate on the shore of Lake Maggiore in Ascona. Together with the Cantina alla Maggia winery it forms a working estate: a bird sanctuary, a botanical garden, an orchard, vineyards and fields of rice, maize and vegetables that supply the resort’s own kitchens. It is part of The Living Circle and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and Swiss Deluxe Hotels.
The estate’s story goes back to the 16th century, when Francesco Orelli built a refuge here for followers of the Protestant faith. Around 1900 it was a modest six-room osteria, which over the following decades grew into a hotel of the first rank. Today the resort comprises a main building and two pavilions, Retreat and Wellbeing, with 79 rooms and suites, three restaurants, a bar, a beach snack bar and Ticino’s largest spa.
Location
The resort stands in Ascona on the shore of Lake Maggiore, beside the delta of the Maggia river. The nearest international airports are Milan Malpensa (110 km, about 1.5 hours) and Zurich (210 km, about 2 hours 45 minutes). Trains run to Locarno, where a transfer can be arranged, or the hotel’s skippered boat can collect guests at Locarno harbour and bring them straight to the resort’s beach.
Spa
The 2,500 m² SPA & Beauty has a heated 25 × 8 m indoor-outdoor pool (28 °C), an exercise pool with massage jets, a whirlpool, a hydropool with ten settings and more than 750 jets, a bio sauna, Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and Kneipp path. For privacy, the 70 m² SPA Suite Onsernone, with whirlpool, steam bath, sauna and two heated loungers, can be hired. The signature VinoAqua Therapy is a scrub made from grape seeds, skins and vine leaves from the estate’s vineyards; other treatments use TEAM DR JOSEPH and Valmont. There is also a hair salon and an aesthetic dermatology practice.
Sports & leisure
The resort has four outdoor and two indoor tennis courts with an instructor, a light-filled gym and a weekly programme of Pilates, stretching and meditation. Bicycles and e-bikes are available. The Frauscher 1017 Lido motorboat runs excursions to the Brissago Islands, the Borromean Islands and the monastery of Santa Caterina del Sasso; other options include hydrofoil and wakeboarding, the Otter water e-bike, cliff diving, climbing, ceramics, birdwatching, lake fishing and tastings at the winery. The estate also has a stable where guests can bring their own horse.
For children
The supervised Kids Club takes children from age 3 from April to October, staying open into the evening in July and August. Young guests also have a playground, a playroom, a donkey enclosure, a Kids SPA and pony riding lessons; a babysitter and baby monitor are available on request.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchens draw on produce from the estate’s own fields, gardens and winery.
- Locanda Barbarossa — gourmet restaurant with the “Sapori del Nostro Orto” tasting menu, one Michelin star and 18 GaultMillau points
- Ristorante Tre Stagioni — breakfast and an à la carte dinner menu that changes daily, 15 GaultMillau points
- Ristorante Al Parco — summer lunches outdoors in the park: antipasti, grills, pizza and pasta
- Bar Bassa Selim & Cortile Barbarossa — cocktails and after-dinner drinks with piano music, in the bar or the courtyard
- Snack Bar La Spiaggia — relaxed bistro on the private beach
- Rustico del Sole — mountain hut 1,000 m above the lake for lunches for resort guests, from four people
- Cantina alla Maggia — wine shop among the vineyards pouring the estate’s wines with Ticino snacks
Swimming
The resort has its own beach on Lake Maggiore, shaded by centuries-old trees, with several sunbathing areas and a jetty leading out into the water. Canoes, kayaks, pedalos and motorboats are available.
Pets
Dogs are welcome for a daily fee (food on request). They may stay in the room and join their owners on the pool lawn and in the Cortile Barbarossa, but not in the park, on the beach, in the restaurants or in the spa.
Rooms
The 79 rooms and suites — 41 suites and junior suites and 38 double and single rooms — are spread across three buildings. The main building is decorated in Mediterranean colours above a park that runs down to the beach, while the Retreat and Wellbeing pavilions, built in the manner of a Lombard country house, have terracotta floors, generous terraces and views over the fields.
Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV with radio, safe, a minibar stocked with Cantina alla Maggia products, a Nespresso machine, toiletries made with the estate’s rice, bathrobes and slippers; a pillow menu is available on request.
Superior Double Room with Balcony
Bedroom, bathroom with tub and a balcony overlooking the 11-hectare park; sleeps two.
Classic Junior Suite with Balcony
Living room and bedroom, one bathroom with tub or two with tub and shower, and a park-view balcony; sleeps three.
Deluxe Junior Suite
Living room and bedroom, one or two bathrooms with shower and tub, and a balcony or French balcony facing the park; sleeps three.
Corner double room Comfort
A corner room with living and sleeping areas, a bathroom with tub and a mountain-view balcony; sleeps two.
Small Grandlit Double Room with balcony
A snug room with a 160 × 200 cm bed, a bathroom with tub and a park-view balcony; sleeps two.
Comfort Double Room with balcony and mountain view
Bedroom, bathroom with tub and a balcony looking out to the Ticino Alps; sleeps two.
Retreat Loggia Suite
In the Retreat Pavilion, with an open living and sleeping area, a bathroom with tub and shower, and a terrace overlooking the winery’s fields and the bird sanctuary; sleeps four.
Retreat Loggia Master Suite
In the Retreat Pavilion, with an entrance hall, separate living room and bedroom, a bathroom with tub and shower, a guest WC and a corner terrace; sleeps four.
Wellbeing Loggia Suite
In the Wellbeing Pavilion, next to the spa: a spacious living and sleeping area, a bathroom with tub and shower, and a terrace with loungers; sleeps four.
Wellbeing Loggia Master Suite
In the Wellbeing Pavilion, with an entrance hall, living room, bedroom, a bathroom with tub and shower, a guest WC and a corner terrace; sleeps four.
Wellbeing Luxury Two Bedroom Master Suite
A family suite with a living room opening onto the greenery through a large window, two bedrooms each with its own bathroom, a guest WC and a spacious corner terrace; sleeps six.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.