Meet the Chef Package
Celebrate Reto Brändli's success with us! Our chef Reto Brändli from the fine dining restaurant ECCO Ascona has been awarded...
40 Years of Giardino Ascona – A Story of Hospitality
In 1986, Hans C. Leu brought his vision to life: a house where luxury does not need to be loud, but is felt – through genuine warmth, authentic service and moments that linger long in the memory. He laid the foundation for a hotel that is far more than a place to stay: a place where people feel truly welcome and where hospitality is lived every day.
Today, Wolfram Merkert leads Giardino Ascona, ensuring that this philosophy remains tangible day after day. Under the direction of Daniela and Philippe Frutiger, the Giardino Group has grown while preserving the spirit of the house – a collection of hotels united by the same promise: excellence, a personal atmosphere and service that recognises guests as individuals, not as room numbers.
Forty years of Giardino Ascona – an anniversary we take as an opportunity to say thank you: for the trust, the loyalty and the countless moments we have been privileged to share with our guests.
1986 – The Birth of a Way of Life
The concept of Giardino Ascona was bold for its time. While many hotels relied on classic elegance, Giardino introduced colour, southern architecture and a sense of stagecraft to Ticino.
The property was conceived in a Tuscan-Mediterranean style:
rosé-coloured buildings, lush gardens, cypresses, palm trees and lemon trees. The idea was to create the feeling of a southern retreat – without ever leaving Switzerland.
From the very beginning, the garden played a central role. It was not merely decoration, but both stage and heart of the property. It created space for encounters, for tranquillity and for the distinctive holiday atmosphere that continues to define Giardino to this day.
The 1990s – Consolidation and Maturation
Over the years, the resort grew not only architecturally, but also in its identity. The Mediterranean vision remained, yet it became calmer, clearer and more refined.
During this period, structures were professionalised, processes refined and the level of quality further elevated. Service evolved from a form of staged presence into discreet perfection.
The resort also began to position itself more strongly as a year-round destination. Wellness and wellbeing gained increasing importance. The ambition was no longer simply to create a holiday atmosphere, but to offer holistic regeneration. Themed evenings, cultural events and special moments staged in the garden enriched the guest experience.
The hotel was vibrant, playful, almost theatrical – and that was precisely what made it so distinctive.
Giardino Ascona quickly became a meeting place for people seeking individuality. For guests who appreciated style without formality. For travellers looking for more than just a room.
The 2000s – From Country House to Lifestyle Resort
With the turn of the millennium, a new phase of development began. Rooms and suites were modernised, the spa area further expanded and the culinary concept redefined.
Giardino Ascona evolved from a charming country house resort into a stylish lifestyle hotel with international appeal. Yet its central promise remained unchanged: Mediterranean lightness in the heart of Ticino.
Culinarily, the hotel developed an increasingly distinctive profile. Gastronomy became more than part of the offering – it became a defining element of the hotel’s identity. Quality, creativity and authenticity took centre stage.
Architecture in Transition – Preserving and Evolving
Over four decades, Giardino Ascona has been continuously renewed and carefully adapted – yet never radically changed. Its essential spirit has always remained intact.
Renovations have been carried out with sensitivity.
Colours have been refreshed, materials reinterpreted in a contemporary way and spaces thoughtfully reimagined – all without losing the original character.
This balance between preservation and evolution continues to define the resort to this day.
Today, Wolfram Merkert leads Giardino Ascona, ensuring that this philosophy remains tangible every day. Under the direction of Daniela and Philippe Frutiger, the Giardino Group has grown while preserving the spirit of the house – a collection of hotels united by the same promise: excellence, a personal atmosphere and service that recognises guests as individuals, not as room numbers.
Forty years of Giardino Ascona – an anniversary we take as an opportunity to say thank you: for the trust, the loyalty and the countless moments we have been privileged to share with our guests.
The People – Continuity as a Strength
A central element of Giardino’s success story is the people behind it.
Many team members have accompanied the resort over long periods of time. This continuity creates trust and authenticity. Returning guests appreciate seeing familiar faces again, while new guests immediately sense the genuine warmth that defines the house.
Here, hospitality is not a strategy – it is a culture.
Over four decades, generations of hosts have contributed to ensuring that Giardino Ascona is not simply a place, but an experience.
Dolce Far Niente – From a Feeling to a Philosophy
What began in the 1980s as Mediterranean inspiration gradually evolved into a clear philosophy: Dolce Far Niente.
It does not mean doing nothing.
It means time, consciously enjoyed.
It is breakfast without haste.
An afternoon in the shade of the palms.
A conversation on the terrace that lasts longer than planned.
In a world that moves ever faster, Giardino Ascona remains a place of gentle slowness – a place where luxury is not loud, but simply a natural way of being.
Today – A Resort with Character
Today, Giardino Ascona stands for modern, relaxed luxury living in Ticino.
A resort with Mediterranean flair.
With refined gastronomy.
With a spa dedicated to rest and regeneration.
With architecture that allows light and space to unfold.
It is a place for couples, families, groups of friends and solo travellers.
A place for summer – and for quiet winter days.
A place for returning guests, and for those discovering it for the first time.
40 Years – And the Journey Continues
Four decades mark an important milestone.
Yet at Giardino Ascona, history is not seen as a conclusion, but as a foundation.
The future will be shaped by thoughtful, sustainable development, by a continued commitment to quality and by preserving what makes this place so special.
Because in the end, it is not about the years.
It is about the moments.
And there have been many of them here.
Since 1986.
Offers
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Meet the Chef Package
Celebrate Reto Brändli's success with us! Our chef Reto Brändli from the fine dining restaurant ECCO Ascona has been awarded 2 Michelin stars and 18 Gault Millau points and was named "Rising star of the year 2026".
Exclusive special offer until October 17, 2026 - Meet the Chef. Experience fine dining at the highest level with our limited Meet the Chef package (valid until October 17, 2026, except Monday and Tuesday):
- 1 overnight stay in a beautiful Morning Sun double room
- 5-course menu in the ECCO Ascona restaurant per person
- Meet the Chef aperitif - personal encounter with Reto Brändli
Total package price: from CHF 1,150 per room (2 people)
Hole in One
For golf lovers: enjoy 4 nights in a double room in the morning sun, pay only 3 - a real hole in one for your time out. Let yourself be enchanted by an exquisite 3-course menu in the Hide & Seek Ascona restaurant, created by Sicilian chef Francesco Leone. Unwind with a relaxing sports massage and benefit from a 10% discount on green fees in Ascona and Losone.
Bookable subject to availability, outside vacation periods, public holidays and high season
Package price from CHF 2,487 per room (2 people)
Package price from CHF 2,487 per room (2 people)
dipiù Break
Treat yourself to some time out for your well-being, vitality and inner balance: look forward to two relaxing nights in a stylish double room Morgensonne, accompanied by an exclusive dipiù Special Touch Treatment, a dipiù candle and daily morning yoga. Culinary highlights await you with a balanced 3-course menu in our Mediterranean restaurant Hide & Seek Ascona.
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Meet the Chef Package
Celebrate Reto Brändli's success with us! Our chef Reto Brändli from the fine dining restaurant ECCO Ascona has been awarded 2 Michelin stars and 18 Gault Millau points and was named "Rising star of the year 2026".
Exclusive special offer until October 17, 2026 - Meet the Chef. Experience fine dining at the highest level with our limited Meet the Chef package (valid until October 17, 2026, except Monday and Tuesday):
- 1 overnight stay in a beautiful Morning Sun double room
- 5-course menu in the ECCO Ascona restaurant per person
- Meet the Chef aperitif - personal encounter with Reto Brändli
Total package price: from CHF 1,150 per room (2 people)
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Events
Every Friday from 7 pm
Lobster evening
Lobster evening
A whole lobster, interpreted in three distinct ways – fresh and inspired by the Mediterranean. Accompanied by a light four-course menu, with perfectly paired wines upon request, each course is a small masterpiece that unites flavour, finesse and pure pleasure. In short: an evening for those who cherish culinary refinement and the allure of the sea.
Menu: CHF 145 per person incl. mineral water and coffee
Every Thursday from 7 pm
"ECCO meets Perrier-Jouët" - Champagne menu
When champagne meets creative cuisine, a captivating interplay unfolds. At Restaurant ECCO Ascona, meticulously composed dishes reveal their full nuance alongside the refined cuvées of Perrier-Jouët, creating an evening defined by elegance and delightful surprises. As a keepsake of this special occasion, each guest will receive a Perrier-Jouët champagne glass.
CHF 380 p.p. including appetizer, 4-course menu, accompanying champagne, mineral water and coffee
The package can only be consumed by the table
The package can only be consumed by the table
2026: 10.-24.4./3.-12.5./14.-19.6./6.-11.9./2.-18.10.
Get to know Ayurveda
3-day retreat
With this three-day retreat, you will experience how the millennia-old wisdom of Ayurveda can unfold its effects in a remarkably short time. You will discover your individual constitution type and gain an introduction to Ayurvedic nutrition—its core principles and how they can be seamlessly integrated into everyday life. The programme combines light, Mediterranean-inspired Ayurvedic cuisine with authentic treatments, gentle movement, and moments of deep relaxation. Together, these elements help restore the body’s natural balance, support the elimination of accumulated toxins, and activate the body’s innate self-healing powers. An ideal introduction for beginners with no prior knowledge, and equally suited for those with experience who wish to reconnect and begin anew.
Friday, April 10 – Friday, April 24, 2026
Sunday, 03. – Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Sunday, June 14 – Friday, June 19, 2026
Sunday, 06. – Friday, September 11, 2026
Friday, 02. – Sunday, October 18, 2026
Sunday, 03. – Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Sunday, June 14 – Friday, June 19, 2026
Sunday, 06. – Friday, September 11, 2026
Friday, 02. – Sunday, October 18, 2026
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Häufige Fragen zu 40 Jahren Giardino Ascona
The Hotel Giardino Ascona was founded in 1986 by Hans C. Leu. He developed the concept of a Mediterranean 5-star hotel in Swiss Ticino - with Tuscan-inspired architecture, cypresses, palm trees and an extensive garden at its heart.
The Hotel Giardino Ascona is currently managed by Hotel Director Wolfram Merkert. It belongs to the Giardino Group AG under the management of Daniela and Philippe Frutiger, which also runs the Giardino Lago (Locarno) and Giardino Mountain (St. Moritz) hotels.
The Giardino Ascona is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026 with the '1986 Package' (CHF 1,986), the 'Meet the Chef' package, champagne dinner evenings with Perrier-Jouët at the ECCO Ascona and Ayurveda and yoga retreats throughout the season.
The Giardino Ascona stands for 'Dolce Far Niente' - conscious deceleration. Luxury is not staged loudly, but can be felt through personal warmth, excellent service and authentic encounters. A place of regeneration on Lake Maggiore since 1986.
Giardino Hotels
- Giardino Ascona
- Giardino Lago
- Giardino Mountain
- Giardino Bed & Breakfast
Giardino Restaurants
Giardino Group AG, Via del Segnale 10, 6612 Ascona, Switzerland
+41 (0)800 333 313, hc.onidraig@noitavreser
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