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Best Places to Stay in Lake Maggiore With Kids

Ad – press trip. (I participated in a press trip to Lake Maggiore with Bookings for You to explore what the region offers for families.)

Lake Maggiore runs through Switzerland and northern Italy where many picturesque villages lie on its waters edge. There are plenty of things to do for kids in Lake Maggiore, for all ages, including plenty of outdoor activities. This guide to the best places to stay in Lake Maggiore with kids covers family accommodation on both the Swiss and Italian side, including some of the best places to visit on Lake Maggiore: Brezo, Locarno, Cannobio, Luino, Stresa, Losone,  Maccagno, Vairano and more. 

In this guide, you can expect to find a range of family accommodation from budget hotels, holiday villas, family hotels with 2 bedrooms or more, and some luxury accommodation too!

I’ve also spoken to Jo Mackay – a frequent visitor to the region with her own children and tapped into her expert knowledge. Her company, Bookings For You offers a very personal approach and genuine advice on which place will suit you best and information on other services such as pizza making, a personal chef, tours and little nuggets of personal information such as her favourite hot chocolate place to visit. Bookings For You is like your own personal concierge!

Brezo

Sopra il Lago 5 is a modern one bedroom apartment in  Brezzo di Bedero on the Eastern banks of Lake Maggiore, not far from Luino. It boasts incredible lake views and is within walking distance of the centre of the village of Brezzo di Bedero where Jo recommends a fantastic little pizzeria. The apartment has a cot and highchair available plus a kettle for that all important cuppa!

Cannobio

Cannobio is an incredibly picturesque coastal town in Italy, close to the Swiss border (See Sarah from Extraordinary Chao’s beautiful photo tour of the town.)

Cannobio has a lot to offer children, so it is well worth planning to stay the day. Head to the picturesque beaches, and indulge in some water sports, pedalo boats, playgrounds and more. Older teens may enjoy the Parco Cartere, which is equipped with a basketball court, bowling greens and a roller skating rink. And if you kids get tired of walking like mine, there is even a little tourist train. This runs seasonally and departs and arrives at Pier Square, every 30 minutes. The tourist trains are also available in Stresa, Lugano and Locarno.

Hotel Cannero  4*(Lakeside in Cannero Riviera near Cannobio).

This lakeside edge hotel has a choice of apartments or rooms. The apartments have a kitchen area plus a sofa bed which gives you some flexible options for families. The hotel also offers a pool with umbrellas and some shady areas.

Locarno, Switzerland

Locarno is the town with the warmest climate in Switzerland. It is located on the northern shore of Lago Maggiore.

The H4 Hotel Arcadia is located on the lakeside promenade in Locarno. Family friendly  H4 Hotel Arcadia has 90 rooms as well as one and two-room apartments, all of which are equipped with a radio, cable TV, air conditioning, a minibar, an espresso machine, a seating area and a furnished balcony, as well as bathrooms with shower, a hairdryer and range of toiletries. There is an outdoor pool and kids have a play area, a video area, a playroom and a table tennis table. 

Losone, Switzerland

Garni Villa Siesta Park is near to Ascona and Locarno. The hotel complex has a large garden, family rooms, a children’s playground, table tennis, beach volley ball, BBQ Facilities and pool. Room have a small kitchenette too.

Lugano

This is a one bedroom apartment situated directly on the lakeside in the village of San Mamete, a pretty village on Lake Lugano.

It has a fully equipped kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and open plan living and dining area. The living area has a sofa allowing the property to sleep up to 3 guests in total.The property is within a 5 minute walk of the ferry boat landing.

Luino town & surrounding area

Luino is a stunning area with nearby picturesque villages nearby such as Colmegna. It is well connected with a train station and ferry stop and is known for a very popular market which runs on Thursdays. Luino is also home to Caccio Bacco – a great cafe to try the local thick, melted hot chocolate which is almost a dessert!

Camin Hotel Colmegna is a historic villa hotel surrounded by a centuries-old park. Located in the small village of Colmegna, it is not far from Luino. Family friendly facilities include a children’s laundry service, a welcome gift, bottle warming, a sand pit and toys, a small pool and more.

 You will also find numerous golf courses and trails for cyclists, as well as plenty of opportunities for sailing and boat trips on Lake Maggiore. If you would prefer to have separate rooms for you and your children then the villa and apartment suggestions below be helpful – especially as you can still use the hotels amenities.

Villa Colmegna is a 1 bedroom apartment with wonderful views of Lake Maggiore. The property is on one floor and comprises of a living area which leads out on to a terrace with lake views, a bedroom, small kitchen and bathroom. The sofa can be converted into bunk beds.  

There is also a small garden at the property, shared with 2 other apartments. There are quite a few steps up to the property so it may not be ideal for those with very small children.

Borgo Antico is a studio apartment in the traditional village of Colmegna.  The beach and lake are just a short walk through the village. The lake waters are beautifully clear and are great to swim in.

The studio apartments are set on the first and second floor of the building. Each apartment enjoys it’s own private bathroom which is located on the main stairwell adjacent to the front door of the property. The bathrooms in each case have a shower, sink and toilet. Inside the studio apartment, there is a small kitchenette and sofa bed. 

As mentioned above, guests staying at the property enjoy full use of the services of the nearby hotel, Camin Hotel Colmegna which has two pools and various other family friendly facilities.

Apartment Sereni is a 1 bedroom first floor apartment sleeping up to 4 people. The property is small but can comfortably sleep 4 people, two in the double bedroom and two on the sofa bed in the living room. 

Apartment Sereni is located in a quiet street in the centre of the popular lakeside town of Luino. It is within walking distance of numerous shops and restaurants but is situated away from the traffic of this bustling town making it a quiet place to stay within the centre of town.

The lakeside is also easy to access on foot as is the boat stop where you can catch a boat to all the other towns and villages on the lake. 

Villa Sereni

Villa Sereni is a large, modern 3 bedroom villa situated on the Eastern bank of Lago Maggiore, with stunning views across the lake.  The villa is located in quiet hamlet not far from Luino  and can sleep 6-8 people.

Less than 5 miles from the Swiss border, the villa also provides easy access to the Swiss towns of Lugano and Locarno. Lake Como is a one hour drive and trains run direct from Luino to Milan in an hour.  

The twin room is ideal for kids and is kitted out with toys and books, where the lounge has DVDs  Xbox and board games. Lisa from Travel Loving Family, recently stayed there with her young boys and shares a detailed video and review of her week in this luxury villa near Lake Maggiore here.

Casa Belva is a luxury 3 bedroom villa on the shores of Lake Maggiore, near Colmegna which has all the mod cons. One of the bedrooms has bunk beds as well as a single bed with pull out bed below.

The gardens are spacious and offer plenty of space for children to play and there is private swimming pool with a pool cover for safety.

Maccagno

Maccagno is a small town situated on the east bank of Lake Maggiore, just before the Swiss border.

The local area is well equipped with a two storey supermarket for necessities, lots of green space and places to set up camp and enjoy a picnic. The beach is pebbly in parts with restaurants dotted along as it curves around the scenic coastline.  Along the coastal walk you will see a boules green, skate board park, a playground and a few other amenities. 

Maccagno has a ferry stop – just a short,  gentle stroll along the coastline. From here you can reach Cannobio, Stresa, Luino and Cannero. Alternatively, some hotels have their own pier where you can hire a private boat.  

Maccagno also has a train station which is approximately two hours away from Milan,  and Luino is short two minutes train ride where there is a popular, large  market on a Thursday. 

Golfo Gabella provides a range of holiday accommodation from 1 to 4 bedroom apartments, located directly on the shores of Lake Maggiore. The apartments have well equipped kitchens and they offer standard to luxury apartments. (We stayed in the standard 3 bedroomed apartment)  The main bedroom has a double bed but other bedrooms have twin beds. These can be pushed together in the second bedroom to form another large double.

Outside, there is a private terrace with table and chairs and views of the hills, with some having a view of the lake. The living area is open plan with the kitchen one end and sofas, a coffee table and TV the other end.

There are some English TV channels including Cbeebies and plenty of sockets to charge any electronic items you have. You will need to stock up on soap, tea, coffee and bin bags from the local store.

There is a beautiful swimming pool and jacuzzi with a children’s splash pool, directly looking over Lake Maggiore and the magnificent mountains. The hotel has a restaurant on site serving modern, Italian & Japanese cuisine as well as a bar and cafe.

The restaurant is open to both hotel guests and the general public  – it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rooms can be arranged  to be room only, with breakfast included or half board.

The property is also within walking distance of a number of more traditional eating establishments. There is also a beach just a few yards from the property, where guests can hire boats, pedaloes or canoes. Speedboats come at an extra charge.

Claire from Tin Box Traveller has a fantastic review, with lots of brilliant photos and video to show you how family friendly Golfo Gabella is. She has also included lots of really useful information to let you know exactly what is provided.

Meina

This 2 bedroom apartment is within a short walk of the lakeside in Meina. equipped to a good standard. The Meina lido with outdoor pool, cafe and lakeside bar is a 10 minute walk away as are local restaurants.

The two bedrooms each have their own bathroom. There is a small kitchen area with a gas hob, dishwasher, fridge and freezer. A small garden and beach area which leads directly on to the lake. is only a few minutes walk away.

This brand new 2 bedroom apartment with use of communal swimming pool, situated in Dagnente near Meina,is just 10 minutes outside Stresa and 5 minutes from the beautiful lakeside town of Arona.

Pino

This 1 bedroom apartment  is in Pino on Lake Maggiore.  The living room with sofa bed and the bedroom are located on the same floor, making it ideal for families. The apartment is located within walking distance of the lakeside and it has a small communal pool on site. The centre of the village of Pino is within walking distance of the apartment with a local grocery shop and some water sports. The beach is only 10 minutes walk away.

Stresa

A convenient hotel for families in Stresa,  is Residence La Luna nel Porto. All suites have an LCD TV, a laptop-sized safe and both free Wi-Fi and wired internet, with a kitchenette.  The hotel has its own garden and terrace overlooking the lake with spectacular views. Its convenient location makes it easy to take the ferry to see the Borromean islands. 

This 2 bedroom second floor apartment is in Roncaro near Stresa. It is within an 8 minute walk of the lakeside and a 10-12 minute walk of the centre of Baveno. It has 2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a modern kitchen and open plan living and dining area. The kitchen is well equipped with an oven, hob, dishwasher and microwave. There is also a bathroom with shower on this floor.

Vairano, Swizerland

Hotel La Campagnola is a 3 star hotel situated in Vairono. There is lots of things for children on site including: two playrooms with toys, a little petting zoo, kids menu and buffet, and two swimming pools  one is heated). You can also hire women’s, men’s and kids’ mountain bikes for exploring the local area.

Do let me now about any other family friendly accommodation, to suit all budgets around Lake Maggiore!

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