Smart Hotel Binario - Self Check-IN

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone from outside Switzerland unless perhaps you have a new mobile phone with an expensive international phone plan. The problem is that the hotel is changing to being a "smart hotel" and, in fact, already is a smart hotel after 6pm. With a "smart hotel", when you arrive, no one is there to check you in and the hotel is locked. The hotel assumes that they can send your phone the code to enter the hotel and the information to check yourself in but this is a very dangerous assumption to make. For example, suppose, your phone number is different between when you booked the hotel and the day you arrive because you use a different sim when abroad from at home. Or suppose your phone battery dies unexpectedly. Or suppose (like me) you cannot enter your correct phone number on a common hotel booking website because the website doesn't allow your correct phone number so you must enter a fake phone number to book any hotel at all. There is a message on the door of the hotel telling you to call a number or go to this other hotel if you have problems entering but this is useless if your phone doesn't work so you can't make a call and can't find the other hotel. Meanwhile, perhaps it is raining, it is late, you have lots of luggage and you don't speak Italian. This is a disaster waiting to happen and I want nothing to do with hotels like this. It's a shame because it is a very good hotel in many ways and I would particularly like to thank Samira for being very helpful with check-in and the wifi and for speaking very good English.

We made a short city trip by train to Locarno and decided to stay conveniently close to the train station b/c of luggage etc. We were happy to have chosen to stay at the Binario 934. It's a cozy small boutique hotel. A warm and friendly welcome by the CEO and founder herself, a personal welcome note with some biscuits on the room ... a truly nice first impression. The room itself was facing the train station and the view wasn't as nice (given you're in Locarno) but the room is greatly sound proofed so no big noise. The room category was a bit misleading by ***********, if I would have checked the hotels homepage I would have known better and opted for another category. The bathroom was very nice and was comfortable with a rain shower and amenities. All the little details including fresh flowers on each breakfast table, the cozy couch corner in the lobby etc etc ... they can really call themselves a boutique hotel. Overall we loved it and the friendliness and positive personality of the founding lady made it a very pleasant experience. As mentioned it's conveniently located right by the station, a stroll away from the center and the lake makes it a perfect choice for city trips. Breakfast choice is ok. However it is all very fresh and always refilled etc. We can highly recommend the Binario 934 if they keep up that great level of customer service. Great job well done.

We had an awesome stay in this boutique hotel. Everything is very pretty and there is a lot of attention to details in the rooms and common areas. The bed is comfy and the shower great. The location is perfect if you come to Locarno with the train as the hotel is virtually by the station. Even though our rooms was facing the tracks we didn't hear a sound. The breakfast offer was very good and the staff absolutely lovely. It would be our first choice if we once come back to Locarno!

Moderne Zimmer, alles sehr gepflegt. Gutes Bett. Das Frühstück ist reichhaltig, alles frisch und schön angerichtet - lohnt sich auf jeden Fall. Nicht überrascht sein dass es keine Reception hat. Ist gut organisiert und was nicht klappt, ist jemand in kürzester Zeit da und sehr freundlich. Die Lage ist perfekt wenn man mit dem Zug kommt. Und erstaunlich ruhig - wir haben weder Zug noch sonst was gehört.

Nos ha gustado la atención que nos dieron en el desayuno, muy amables, y la habitación es muy confortable aunque sea solo para dormir ya que gracias a la ubicación es posible pasar todo el día paseando por Locarno. Lo recomendamos, ha sido muy bonito nuestro fin de semana. Gracias