Geneva - Hotels, Restaurants, Bars and Galleries
1 October 2014
With views of snowy Alpine peaks and glittering Lac Léman, Geneva is sandwiched between some of the most attractive scenery in Europe. But the city doesn’t fall far behind. If you’re travelling here in winter you’ll want to indulge in fromage-y fare such as raclette and fondue, but the cosmopolitan city has as many Michelin-starred restaurants and urbane cocktail bars as it does Swiss lodges.
Hotels
The Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues
Officially Geneva’s first hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues opened its doors in 1834. And 180 years later the grand dame has lost none of its opulence, with new additions like the three-storey Spa Mont Blanc ensuring its ongoing relevance.
fourseasons.com/geneva
Hotel d’Angleterre
In any other city the interior of the traditional Hotel d’Angleterre – a Rococo-inspired blend of chandeliers, rich textiles and antique furnishings – would garner all the attention, but here the décor competes with equally stunning views of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
dangleterrehotel.com
La Réserve Genève Hotel And Spa
On the city’s edge, La Réserve is dedicated to the singular art of relaxation. At play are suites with lakeside views, three high-end restaurants, a heated outdoor pool and a spa that comprises 17 treatment rooms, a steam bath and salon.
lareserve.ch
Hôtel N’vY
Geneva Geneva’s hotels generally lean towards a more traditional style, but the arty Hôtel N’vY opts for playful design rather than crown mouldings. Instead you’ll find graffiti on brick walls, neon furniture and public art installations. The youthful energy extends to the DJs playing at the bar.
hotelnvygeneva.com
Restaurants
Il Lago
With pilasters and frescoes, Il Lago looks like an 18th century drawing room: an appropriate backdrop for its sophisticated, Michelin-starred northern Italian cooking. Dishes like oxtail agnolotti with red wine and sage are equal parts elegant and satisfying.
fourseasons.com
Vertig’O
Michelin-starred chef Jérôme Manifacier is behind Vertig’O, a contemporary fine dining haunt found in the luxurious lakeside Hôtel de la Paix. While the cooking is rooted in French cuisine (with a few glimpses of Mediterranean sun breaking through), the wine list is thoroughly Swiss.
hoteldelapaix.ch
Les Armures
You’re not truly on a Swiss holiday until you enjoy some of the country’s considerable dairy bounty. There are few better places to sample some of it than at Les Armures, the city’s oldest restaurant, where melted cheese of all stripes is the star.
hotel-les-armures.ch
Eastwest Restaurant
True to its name, Eastwest Restaurant – found in the eponymous hotel – sees locally sourced Swiss ingredients married with a subtle Asian twist. Under glowing lanterns, guests dine on fare like octopus carpaccio with seaweed salad and Simmental beef with wasabi.
eastwesthotel.ch
Bars
Les Enfants Terribles
Is it a café, a bar, an interior design store, épicerie or a music venue? Whatever its identity, the multifaceted Les Enfants Terribles sees the city’s chicest sharing bottles of Swiss wine during l’heure de l’apéro.
les-enfants-terribles.ch
Rooftop 42
Given its views – aquamarine Lac Léman, the plume of Jet d’Eau, snowy Mont Blanc – Geneva was long overdue an exceptional rooftop bar. Enter Rooftop 42. The seasonal outdoor terrace is ideal for warm weather, while DJs heat up the interior on chillier nights.
rooftop42.com
Le Chat Noir
Open since 1985, Le Chat Noir is a bona fide Geneva institution. Well-mixed drinks are one draw (the Old Vs New menu sees classic cocktails given contemporary touches), while the venue’s live music scene is the stuff of local legend.
chatnoir.ch
Le Verre à Monique
The playful Verre à Monique’s Art Deco ambiance recalls the age of the speakeasy, while creative drinks like the Pandan Style (pandan syrup, dark rum, lime, coconut water) punch served in dainty teacups are made for modern flappers.
verreamonique.ch
Galleries
Mamco
Though it was only founded in 1994, Mamco is already Switzerland’s biggest modern and contemporary art museum, with a collection of more than 4,000 works. The museum hosts regular exhibitions alongside thrice-yearly updates to its permanent collection display.
mamco.ch
Musée Rath
The first fine art museum in Switzerland, the neoclassical Musée Rath opened in Geneva in 1826. Today, the museum space is used exclusively for temporary exhibitions, ranging from displays of Flemish tapestries to major retrospectives of artists like Gustave Courbet.
institutions.ville-geneve.ch
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire
Ranging from ancient works to modern masterpieces, Geneva’s Musée d’Art et d’Histoire houses the city’s largest art collection – more than 7,000 artworks are found within the museum. Highlights range from Byzantine icons to paintings by Konrad Witz and sculptures by Rodin.
institutions.ville-geneve.ch
Blondeau & Cie Gallery
In a converted factory within Geneva’s thriving Quartier des Bains gallery district, Blondeau & Cie displays works by predominantly 20th century and contemporary artists, including the likes of Maurizio Cattelan, Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman.
blondeau.ch