Aria Retreat And Spa

Our stay at Aria was incredible. The staff, facilities and location of this resort were wonderful. As many other reviews state, and this can not be downplayed, the staff at Aria were incredibly professional, knowledgable and made the experience feel special. From the moment we drove up, Michaela ensured we were taken care of. Christian and Giulia at the lounge also made us feel welcome and at home. Breakfast delivered to our suite every morning and eating on our balcony really is a nice touch (thanks Fabio and Giulia), especially with the incredible views of Lake Lugano. Dinner at La Musa was fantastic (go for the 6 course option) and special shout outs to Matteo, Pietro and Fabio, your service was impeccable and you made the evening very special for us. The SPA was new with an indoor and outdoor pool. The gym was clean and well equipped. We'd definitely would come back and visit Aria again.

Our experience at Aria was simply sensational. There is so much to explore, try and see at this facility. We stayed 3 nights with our teenage daughter in a 2 bedroom suite. This was the most expensive accommodation of our trip… We wanted a little bit of luxury for a special occasion. Our travel agent found this place but hadn’t sent guests here before. No doubt she will now be sending everyone here! Totally worth it. From the moment we arrived to the moment of Departure we were treated like royalty by the exceptional staff. Nothing was too difficult for Michela, Matteo and Martina, and all staff were wonderfully friendly. In particular Martina (from slovakia) served us a few meals and was delightful- but really, everyone was fabulous and wanted us to have a perfect stay. The huge rooms were appointed to perfection with very luxurious details, linen, beds, kitchen and bathrooms . Clearly no expense spared in furnishing the resort and rooms. Huge bedroom, massive walk in wardrobes and enormous bathrooms. Everything perfect - except bedside lights are far away from the bed (have to get out of bed) and hanging space will not accommodate very long dresses. These were such minor issues, everything else was great. Housekeeping attended at least twice a day - amazing service. The balcony views of the lake and Porlezza are superb, even when it rained. We were spoilt by the massive daily room service breakfast (I wish I had this at home !) and also enjoyed meals at La Veranda, Dolce Vita and the very reasonably priced pizza delivery. Parco San Marco recreation facilities were available to us if we wished. We took a water taxi boat to Lugano, arrange this with the team at the Private beach. This was a lovely experience, and very well priced, only a little more than a road taxi, but much nicer experience. We did walk within the Parco San Marco area, but we preferred the quiet of Aria. For the first day we thought we might be the only guests - it felt like the whole hotel was ours alone. The Spa area and pools are superb and a world class facility. The design features are impeccable and stunning. The long Corridor from Aria to Parco San Marco is very unique and gave me a shock the first time I saw it, a little surreal like being in a David Lynch movie ! But we quickly realised is a portal between the real world and a wonderful sanctuary. We were very sorry to leave this heaven !

What a magical place ARIA is! Me, my husband and our 3 years old son have spent a week at this ultra-luxury hotel and it was an amazing stay from the beginning to the end. We were treated like royalties and our little boy loved the place - we had a Lake view grand loggia suite - it was enormous, with 2 kingsize bedrooms, 2 big bathrooms, 2 walkin closets, guest toilet and huge living /dining room where are boy could easily play and relax. The suite had also a big terrace with a big comfy swing and furniture. We used the spa every day , there is nothing better to swim and relax in the outside infinity / jacuzzi pool overlooking the lake and the mountains. What makes this place exceptional is the staff - they deserve more than 5 stars from both hotels - Aria and Parco San Marco - so friendly, helpful , professional and always with a smile and a kind word (a special greetings for Martina, both Matteos, Claudio and Roman). There are so many kids friendly activities available, private, beautiful beach, many restaurants on site, and even a koi pond and cute little donkeys that you can feed (dont forget to grab some carrots for them from the kids club). There are several playgrounds and kids get a treasure map quest at the checkin - we loved doing it together and it took us 3 days to find all the hidden spots. Happiness of our son getting a well deserved prize was priceless :) You can have a lavish in-room breakfast each day or just go to Parco San Marco buffet which is just 3 minutes walk through a beautiful garden (both choices are great with a selection of top quality breakfast items but having a little toddler we preferred the buffet). Be sure the premises are so beautiful and relaxing that you won’t even feel like leaving this place for other attractions. There is even a hill dedicated just for reading (you can grab some books from the book exchange bookshelf at the very same spot) and relaxing in the hammmocks (a million dollar view included). Try the massage at Aria Ceo spa - one of the best I ever had. We are truly amazed by this little piece of heaven on Earth and already planning to go back.

The service was above expectations. The reception, staff in the spa depar**ent and in the restaurants did everything to ensure that we as guests were satisfied, they always did that little extra. We will definitely come back to Aria, it is absolutely worth the price. Romantic and totally relaxing! The rooms were large, very clean and nice. The view from the terrace was amazing! And the wonderful breakfast (one of the better we had) was happily enjoyed on the terrace every morning overlooking the mountains.

The rooms are very nicely appointed and the location and views are amazing. That said, anyone considering ARIA should be aware of the climate control in the rooms. We were very hot in the middle of the night and kept turning the air conditioning down but the room temperature never seemed to react. The temperature in the room varied from approx. 66f to 76f (I have included a picture of the high end of that range: 24.3c which is approximately 76f). Note that the lowest 66f reading was only achieved after leaving the sliding doors wide open all night but at the disadvantage of being woken up at 6:00 am by ambulances passing on the road directly below the hotel. I brought the issue to the attention of multiple staff members who continued to insist that the system was working fine. I eventually got to one member who finally shared the truth. It turns out that the hotel disengages the entire cooling system when the temperature falls below a certain level (fine for the winter but we were there in September). What was more disturbing than the temperature situation was the interaction with management which I can only describe as bizarre. First it wasn’t until I spoke to various members at least 3 or 4 times until I got the straight answer. Then after having the proper explanation they tried to frame it as an environmental thing (i.e., “we are a green hotel”) rather than “we save thousands by not supplying air conditioning.” In any case they were unable to do anything (i.e., “it is the entire system, not just your room”). On to the next bizarre interaction: I was offered a 10% discount which was offensive given that this is a $1,000 per night property and we were not able to set the system to our desired temperature (the manager actually eventually agreed to 15% but the refund was never processed at that rate). The next bizarre reasoning: We already received a 15% discount even though the rate we received was the rate offered when the customer assumes the full risk of cancellation with a full loss of pre-payment (hardly a discount). Next bizarre exchange: The manager insisting multiple times that she was sorry “we did not like her hotel” and we could re-locate to another hotel for the last two nights and she would refund those nights. Again, I had to insist multiple times that we were not going to take one day of our three days in the area to relocate. And how in the world is that a concession?? “Don’t stay for the remaining two nights and don’t pay for them.” And as far as “sorry you don’t like the hotel,” I had to correct her multiple times stating that we had no problem with the property itself, we just wanted air conditioning! In summary, the hotel’s policy regarding air conditioning was absolutely unacceptable and the interaction with the staff given the situation was even more frustrating. I would select another hotel.

We were fortunate enough to book a room at this resort. Could not have imagined how beautiful it was from the pictures on the website. To wake up to the amazing lake view in a spectacular room was a gift. Daily breakfast brought to your room spoiled us and the staff made us feel very welcome. it's not cheap to stay here but more than worth the price!!

I wanted to go somewhere special for my wife's special birthday and Aria was simply stunning in every way. The location is breathtaking, the modern design is tastefully done, you have real time and space to relax. The facilities are exceptional, particularly the huge spa space. The food is of a really high quality. We enjoyed le Joie de Vivre, and dolce vita, although la Musa was just a different class. From the lead up to planning the trip through to every member of staff we encountered, there was such a can do and helpful attitude. Staff were friendly and extremely professional without ever making you feel uncomfortable. Given how hard it is to find excellent staff, Aria has done just that, and they are all trained so well. Their attitude is to do everything they can to bring joy, happiness, relaxation and that something special to guests. They really go above and beyond. We're fortunate to have enjoyed some lovely hotels, but this has topped everything due to consistent excellence and professionalism from all the staff. On my wife's birthday, the lovely private spa cabin was a totally special and unique experience in a stunning location. I may now leave someone out, in which case I am sorry for that. But particular stand outs were Matteo and Tecla in concierge as well as the whole front desk team, other Matteo the restaurant manager, the two other waiters who served us at la Musa, the remarkable Christian and lovely Giulia at dolce vita, and Roman in le Joie de Vivre, the women in the spa. But back to Matteo in concierge who provided me with so much help over the last few months as I planned the surprise trip for my wife - what to do, where to go and catering for our dietary requirements. The way all the staff smile and do their best deserves a special mention for everyone so I am sorry if I have missed out someone. Aria promised an unforgettable experience for my wife's special birthday and they have gone above even my high expectations. Many many thanks.

We stayed here for four nights in September. We travel extensively and this has to be one of the most comfortable and beautiful hotels we’ve stayed in. The hotel only has 15 suites and so the attention to detail is exquisite. We loved every minute of our stay. Every suite looks out onto Lake Lugano and breakfast is brought to you in the morning where you feast on a breakfast banquet on your terrace. There is a sitting area with a small kitchen and then a separate bedroom with a bathroom off the bedroom. The only thing missing was a small table to rest your wine glass on as you soaked in the beautiful deep bath after a day sightseeing or a day spent at the outdoor pool. There are plenty of dining establishments within the area and a magic tunnel will take you there! We also ate a couple of times in The Aria, albeit a small menu. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful and attentive and on arrival they arranged for us to visit Como and have a private boat tour. They took care of all the transportation and it was all so well organised via what’s app. We spent a lot of our time at the pool resting and sunbathing after a busy two week walking holiday in Switzerland. The pool area is quiet with several sun loungers and has the most amazing views. We loved every minute of our stay at The Aria Retreat and would highly recommend it to others. It really is a little piece of paradise and the staff are a credit to the hotel. Thank you for a wonderful stay.