In 2017 our cupola's facelift

Renovation work on the hotel’s cupola in 2017

The historic emblem of the Hotel International au Lac in Lugano has been given a new look following the complete renovation of the magnificent cupola, a structure dating back to 1906 that dominates the hotel located on the lakefront of Lugano between the LAC - Lugano Arte e Cultura and the splendid Via Nassa.

Realised entirely by craftsmen from Ticino, both in design and execution, the cladding of the new cupola has been made using precious materials such as quartz-zinc and natural zinc, used in restructuring palaces and historic buildings.

The work started in the autumn of 2017 with the erection of the scaffolding, followed by the removal of the cladding, now marked by the passage of time, and the renovation itself, which lasted four months and ended with the inauguration in early April 2018.

Now the new cupola is revealed in all its glory, majestically looking out towards Lake Lugano, ready to receive visitors to the Hotel International au Lac. It also stands out as the main image of the line drawing that forms the hotel’s logo.

The Schmid family, which has been in the hotel industry for four generations and runs this historic property, has always put significant resources into the renovation and maintenance of this traditional hotel. The project by Giulio Schmid has sparked particular interest, in 1988, it was he who recognised the importance of an underground garage. He was one of the first to equip the rooms with air conditioning and the magnificent garden with a games area and swimming pool, which, being just a stone’s throw away from Via Nassa, is presented to visitors as an oasis for astonished eyes - also not forgetting the centenary museum with numerous objects and interesting artefacts that have helped to write the history of the famous Hotel International au Lac.