Swiss hospitality is by nature discrete, understated yet meticulous: no detail is ever overlooked let alone ignored. It is also defined by careful attention to every guest – centering on whatever he or she may need – but without tackiness or snobbery.
My family recently had the pleasure of staying at the Giardino Ascona, a five-star resort in Switzerland’s Ticino region where Italian is the official language.
The resort – which sits on the northern shore of the beautiful Lake Maggiore – is within walking distance from both the lake and the city of Ascona. (Check out our review of Giardino Ascona here).
Following our visit to the resort, I caught up with Giardino Ascona General Manager Wolfram Merkert to discuss Swiss hospitality, the hotel’s history, and what’s next.
“This year, the Giardino Ascona is celebrating its 40th anniversary. It was opened in 1986 by Swiss hotelier Hans C. Leu, but the hotel is today owned and operated by Daniela and Philippe Frutiger,” Merkert says.
Merkert, for his part, began working at the hotel in 1988 and became general manager in 2014.
Prior to acquiring the Giardino Ascona, the Frutigers spent a significant part of their professional careers at the resort: Philippe Frutiger worked, among other areas, in Food and Beverage, while Daniela Frutiger oversaw spa management. They later assumed leadership responsibilities and developed the individual hotel into an independent hotel group. Since 2010, they have jointly managed the Giardino Group as CEOs.
Under their leadership, the Giardino Group holds the additional five-star properties; Giardino Lago in Locarno, on Lake Maggiore; Giardino Mountain (in Champfèr near St. Moritz). In the summer, the property adapts to the seasonal market as Giardino Bed & Breakfast Mountain, offering a simplified concept without an official star classification.
My family recently had the pleasure of staying at the Giardino Ascona, a five-star resort in Switzerland’s Ticino region where Italian is the official language
Commenting on what it takes to become a five-star hotel in Switzerland, Merkert points out that the Swiss hotel classification system is administered by HotellerieSuisse which provides an extensive catalogue of criteria. “The current classification period runs from 2025 to 2030. A five-star hotel must not only achieve a specified number of points but also meet numerous mandatory minimum requirements.”
Key criteria include:
- Materials, furnishings and an overall appearance of the highest quality
- Spacious, exceptionally well-appointed rooms and public areas
- Professional and comprehensive guest services
- Reception and availability meeting international luxury-hotel standards
- Luggage, concierge, housekeeping and turndown services
- High-quality gastronomy and a sophisticated breakfast offering
- Very high standards of hygiene, safety, sleeping comfort and technical facilities
- Clearly documented quality management
- Qualified, multilingual employees
In practice, Merkert asserts, five stars are therefore not awarded simply on the basis of luxurious architecture. “A hotel must demonstrate its quality in its daily operations, including demonstrating consistency where service must remain reliable even at high occupancy. Our staff must also be able to handle special requests and unexpected situations.”
Her prefaces nonetheless that the hotel five-star classification should also be distinguished from ratings such as Michelin stars or GaultMillau points. Hotel stars assess the accommodation and its services, whereas Michelin stars evaluate the cuisine of a restaurant.
The hotel also offers the very best of Swiss – and international cuisine – at its ECCO restaurant, which has two Michelin stars and is owned and managed by the celebrated Swiss Chef Rolf Fliegauf.
“Shortly after Fliegauf took over the restaurant in 2007, ECCO earned its first Michelin star. The restaurant later advanced to two Michelin stars, with Fliegauf becoming one of the youngest European chefs at the time to achieve this level of recognition.”
If there is a ‘secret sauce’ to Fliegauf’s success, the general manager points out that the concept behind ECCO is based on modern, highly aromatic cuisine. “Outstanding seasonal ingredients were prepared using precise techniques, distinct acidity and sometimes surprising combinations, while always ensuring that the principal ingredient remained recognizable.”
Since April 2025, Swiss chef Reto Brändli has taken over the responsibility of the ECCO restaurants in Ascona and St. Moritz: His previous positions included the Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer in Berlin and Cà d’Oro in St. Moritz in addition to having spent several years working within the Giardino Group earlier in his career. “Under his leadership, both ECCO restaurants retained their two Michelin stars. He was also awarded 18 GaultMillau points and named ‘Rising Star of the Year 2026,’” Merkert explains.
Maintaining, however, Michelin stars cannot – and should not – be taken for granted let alone rely on past achievements. “Michelin inspectors visit restaurants anonymously and repeatedly. Daily precision, a stable kitchen and service team, reliable suppliers, continuous development and a clear culinary identity are therefore essential.”
“For Brändli, the Michelin stars are attributed to the result of consistency, precision and teamwork,” the general manager says.
Swiss hospitality
On what constitutes Swiss hospitality, Merkert doesn’t mince words: it consists of what he describes as precision, reliability, discretion and personal attention. “It is often less demonstrative than hospitality in other countries. Service should always be present without ever becoming intrusive.”
Typical characteristics include:
- A strong commitment to quality and responsibility
- Punctuality and organizational reliability
- High standards of cleanliness and maintenance
- Multilingualism and cultural sensitivity
- Discretion when dealing with prominent and discerning guests
- A long tradition of professional hospitality education
- A combination of regional identity and international service standards
“What makes Switzerland particularly distinctive is the combination of different cultural influences within a relatively small country. In Ticino, where Giardino Ascona is located, hospitality has a stronger Mediterranean character, while in Graubünden it is more Alpine and rooted in tradition. Yet the fundamental Swiss values – quality, safety and reliability – remain the same.”
The general manager’s vision for Giardino Ascona centers on the following guiding principle is “un po’ di più” – “a little bit more.” This does not mean ostentatious luxury, he prefaces, but rather an extra degree of attention, warmth and individuality.
A hotel – or any operation for that matter – is only as good as its people. For the Giardino Group, talent – along with tradition and values centering on excellence – is of utmost importance.
On what it takes to land a position within the Giardino Group, Merkert is quick to point out that personality and a genuine passion for hospitality are just as important as professional qualifications. “We look for attentive, warm and team-oriented people who are willing to take responsibility and identify with our guiding principle, ‘un po’ di più.’”
“We support our staff through training, internal development opportunities, the possibility of working across different properties, staff accommodation and employee benefits. Many team members have been with the company for years or even decades.”
Looking to the future
While the hotel is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, with special promotions and dining opportunities at its renowned restaurants where patrons will have the opportunity to personally engage with its celebrity chefs, Giardino Ascona is also looking to the future.
“The hotel continues to evolve through new culinary formats, retreats, longevity and wellness programs, as well as the continuation of ECCO’s success story under Brändli’s leadership.”
For its continued growth and development, Giardino Ascona’s strategic priorities centers on the continuous development its concept of relaxed luxury hospitality; expanding personalized spa, retreat and longevity programs; strengthening its culinary positioning; attracting and retaining qualified employees over the long term; further adapting the properties to their individual seasonal markets; and evolving carefully without losing the group’s personal identity.
“The key challenge will be to combine tradition with renewal. Giardino Ascona benefits enormously from its long-standing guests and employees, but at the same time it must continue to evolve. The objective is to preserve the soul of the hotel while responding to changing expectations around travel, wellbeing and luxury.”
Wolfram Merkert
Raised in a family of restaurateurs in Baden, Switzerland, Merkert began his career with a classical culinary apprenticeship. After working at renowned properties in Switzerland and Germany, he completed his master chef qualification and studied hotel management. He first joined Giardino Ascona as Sous Chef in 1988, returned as Resident Manager in 2006 and assumed the role of General Manager in 2014. His leadership combines extensive culinary expertise, decades of knowledge of the hotel and a personal, as well as an understated approach to hospitality.
His leadership philosophy was strongly influenced by his parents: to give one’s best every day and to pursue work that brings one genuine enjoyment. It is an attitude he aims to pass on both to his family and to his employees.
All images are credited to Giardino Ascona.
A few facts about the Giardino Ascona hotel:
- The hotel is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026; it offers 53 rooms and 18 suites.
- Fine dining: the ECCO restaurant has two Michelin stars and is spearheaded by the celebrated Swiss Chef Rolf Fliegauf.
- The hotel also hosts the Hide & Seek restaurant and offers bar and poolside dining.
- The hotel belongs to the Giardino Group which has additional five-star properties; Giardino Lago in Locarno, on Lake Maggiore; Giardino Mountain (in Champfèr near St. Moritz). In the summer, the property adapts to the seasonal market as Giardino Bed & Breakfast Mountain, offering a simplified concept without an official star classification.
- The Giardino Group is owned and operated by Daniela and Philippe Frutiger.
- The General Manager of Giordano Ascona is Wolfram Merkert.
- Giardino Ascona was established in 1986 by Swiss hotelier Hans C. Leu.
