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Commitment to Sustainability

A Sustainable Path into the Future

For more than a century, the Hotel International au Lac has operated with a strong sense of responsibility toward its environment, viewing sustainability as a concrete commitment.

In recent years, significant investments have been made to reduce environmental impact, leading to a substantial decrease in CO₂ emissions and improved energy efficiency throughout the property.

The swimming pool is disinfected using a natural, salt-based system designed to enhance water quality and ensure guest comfort. Every measure reflects the desire to protect our nature and to offer visitors a respectful and responsible welcome.

What is Swisstainable?

The top objective is the sustainable development of Switzerland as a tourist destination. The programme aims to provide orientation for guests looking for sustainable offers. This helps them find their way through the jungle of labels. At the same time, the programme is a movement for the entire industry. Over 2,200 tourism businesses participate already. They must meet certain criteria. There are three levels.

Sustainable travel doesn’t necessarily mean having to go without. Sustainable travel means greater awareness and depth and more enjoyment. With this in mind, Switzerland follows its own sustainability strategy: 

    -Enjoy nature up close and at first hand 

    -Experience the local culture in an authentic way 

    -Consume regional products 

    -Stay for longer and delve deeper   

 

Source: MySwitzerland.com/en/Swisstainable

Statue of Alfred with steam train and historic railway tunnel in the background

Opening of the San Gottardo Railway Line

The dawn of tourism in Ticino

Vintage illustration of the Lugano Monte San Salvatore funicular with landscape and lake

Tourism, Belle Époque and pioneers

The Ciani brothers, Bucher Durrer and A. Disler

Historic view of Piazza Guglielmo Tell in Lugano with tram, people and horse-drawn carriage

From Guglielmo Tell to 'LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura'

Bernardino Luini Square

Historic street with shops, people and children in period clothing in Lugano

From Fishermen's Arcades to High-End Shopping

Via Nassa

Historic view of the Lugano lakeside with statue, people and mountains in the background

The building at Via Nassa 68, before the transformation

From family home to hotel via the Apostolic Administration

Square with historic multi-storey building and church in black and white

Great-grandfather Anton Disler's hotel concept

"The hotel must be comfortable, without excessive luxury, in light colours

Architectural drawing of a large historic hotel with flags and decorative details

Offer and project by arch. Giuseppe Pagani

The architect and entrepreneur in tourism development and the birth of the hotel in record time

Header with name and contacts of Hotel International au Lac in Lugano

Origin of the name "International au Lac"

Accessibility and location: how they influence hotel names

Official public licence document issued in Lugano in 1908

Documents from our historical archive

Letters, documents and invoices

Yellow carriage pulled by four horses on a mountain road with passengers

All Roads lead to Ticino

There are many ways to discover breathtaking scenic routes, from glaciers to palm trees.

Illustration of a house with vineyard and advertising text for Julius Schmid in Lucerne

Lucerne Families

Disler, Helfenstein and Schmid

Interior of an entrance hall with chairs, tables and classic decorations

The Bel-Etage: the social heart of the hotel since 1906

The noble hall: an atmosphere of bygone times, tradition evolving with the needs of the guests

People walking on a street in front of a building with an International sign and vintage cars parked

Entrance Hall and Reception

Reception adapts to changing travel habits

Bedroom with double bed, bench and two sinks with mirrors

From the Chamber Pot to Today's Comfort

Initially, the rooms did not have a private bathroom: they were equipped with washbasins with running water

Red vintage car with people around at an outdoor event

Underground garage in the heart of the historic centre

Courage and foresight: the birth of the hotel's underground garage

Three workers install a large suspended device in a room with concrete walls

Ten years of commitment to air-conditioning 100 venues

The freshness that passes through walls

Vintage bedroom with decorated bed, armchair, bear skin rug and chandelier

The Return of the Belle Époque to Room No. 221

One room, two eras: from the founders to today's guests

Facade of a hotel with scaffolding and a lift platform in use

Restoration of the dome

From copper to zinc like in the great Palaces

Technical room with boilers and metal pipes on ceiling and walls

A new generation thermal system is born

47.5% reduction in CO emissions thanks to the technological leap

Two workers at work in a room under renovation with a mural of a historic building

Triptych of room renovations

Investing in the future, preserving the past and building the new, safeguarding history

Two men on ladders working on the facade of a hotel with red shutters

Conservation restoration of the facade

When colour tells the story again

Stone sculpture of a cherub head hanging on a wall above a wooden frame

Art and Antiquity: the Soul of the Palace

The art preserved and told in the hotel

Rectangular cake decorated with lit candles to celebrate 100 years from 1906 to 2006

Centenary Celebrations

The 'golden brick'

Museum room with antique furniture, books, telephones and period objects on display

Museum of the hotel's history, on the 1st floor

A journey through the hotel's history

Two men in formal attire exchanging a certificate in an elegant room

ICOMOS/ UNESCO and NZZ Recognitions

Awarded for the art of combining history and modern comfort by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Group of people in formal attire and uniforms holding glasses in an elegant room

Our collaborators

People who make a difference

Page with handwritten notes, signatures and a drawing of a tower

Words from our customers

Based on hundreds of reviews from travellers around the world, we assure you that choosing to stay with us was the right decision.

Path with stream among green hills and bright sun behind the mountain

Commitment to Sustainability

A concrete commitment to the environment

Room with panoramic view

The Hotel International au Lac Today and Tomorrow

A combination of unique services in an unbeatable location plus the fifth generation and pages yet to be written