Sandrine Maret
Sandrine spent six years on the front desk of a hotel near Cornavin station, answering the same questions every day about the tram, fare zones and the border. She writes the pages she would have liked to hand to her guests. She checks every price with the operator, never in a guidebook.
Hôtel Edelweiss: a Swiss chalet in the middle of Les Pâquis
On Place de la Navigation in Les Pâquis, the Edelweiss recreates a mountain chalet in the city: wood panelling, alpine r…
Crowne Plaza Geneva: the best-rated airport 4-star
On Avenue Louis-Casaï, near the airport, the Crowne Plaza combines a conference centre and a 4-star hotel. A Google rati…
ibis Genève Aéroport: the budget option nine minutes from the terminal
In Cointrin, nine minutes on foot from the airport station, the ibis is the budget 3-star for early flights and fair day…
Mövenpick Hotel Geneva: the practical airport base
On Route de Pré-Bois, near the airport, the Mövenpick is the 4-star for early flights and days at Palexpo. A casino, mor…
Hôtel Bel'Espérance: the budget option below the Old Town
Two minutes from Place du Bourg-de-Four, Bel'Espérance is one of the few simple, affordable addresses in the historic ce…
Hôtel Les Armures: sleeping in the heart of the Old Town
In a 17th-century house a stone's throw from the cathedral, Les Armures is the only 5-star in the Old Town. A hotel full…
Hôtel Métropole Geneva: the palace facing the Jardin Anglais
On Quai Général-Guisan, on the left bank, the Métropole has faced the Jardin Anglais and the Jet d'eau since 1854. A roo…
La Réserve Genève: the lakeside palace in Bellevue
In Bellevue, outside the city, La Réserve offers a lakeside park, a spa and interiors by Jacques Garcia. Geneva's destin…
InterContinental Geneva: the palace of the Nations and Palexpo
Near the Palais des Nations, the InterContinental tower has hosted diplomats and fair visitors since 1964. The best-plac…
Ritz-Carlton Hôtel de la Paix: an 1865 palace on the harbour
On the Quai du Mont-Blanc, the Hôtel de la Paix has welcomed harbour travellers since 1865. Now a Ritz-Carlton, it score…
Hôtel d'Angleterre: the small 5-star on the Quai du Mont-Blanc
Among the big palaces on the quay, the Hôtel d'Angleterre plays the intimate card: a 19th-century façade facing the lake…
Hôtel Président: the palace with a pool on Quai Wilson
On Quai Wilson, north of the harbour, the former President Wilson keeps its outdoor pool facing the lake and its suite a…
Mandarin Oriental Geneva: luxury on the Rhône
On Quai Turrettini, on the right bank of the Rhône, the Mandarin Oriental is the most practical palace for a packed sche…
Four Seasons Hôtel des Bergues: Geneva's oldest grand hotel
On the Quai des Bergues, on the Rhône facing Île Rousseau, the Hôtel des Bergues has welcomed guests since 1834. The old…
Beau-Rivage Genève: the historic palace on the Quai du Mont-Blanc
Opened in 1865 and still run by the same family, the Beau-Rivage is the historic palace of the harbour. Empress Sisi die…
Geneva Hostel: the youth hostel near the lake
On Rue Rothschild, north of Les Pâquis, Geneva's official youth hostel rents dorm beds and simple rooms a short walk fro…
Novotel Genève Centre: the chain 4-star in Les Pâquis
On Rue de Zurich in Les Pâquis, the Novotel is the chain 4-star that calls itself central: station and lake seven minute…
ibis Genève Centre Gare: the budget option behind the station
On Rue Voltaire, west of Cornavin station, the ibis is the simplest budget option in the centre: a chain room, the stati…
Hôtel Bristol: the 4-star with a spa between station and lake
On Rue du Mont-Blanc, halfway between the station and the harbour, the Bristol plays the quiet 4-star card with a wellne…
Hôtel Cornavin: Tintin's hotel, opposite the station
Right across from Cornavin station, the hotel where Hergé lodged Tintin in The Calculus Affair: a practical base, a gian…
Swiss francs, cards, tipping, tax refunds: money in Geneva without nasty surprises
In Geneva, cards work almost everywhere, euros sometimes, and that is where you lose money without noticing. Should you …
How much does a trip to Geneva cost? Real budget by profile, and how to pay less
Geneva is expensive, that is a fact. But it gives part of the bill back: free transport for hotel guests, free museums, …
Swimming in Geneva: beaches, public baths and water quality, place by place
In Geneva, people swim in the lake, right in the city. Six very different places, from the Pâquis jetty to the large Gen…
Geneva from France: Léman Express, border, customs and car, a day without mistakes
Annemasse is twenty minutes from Geneva, yet a badly prepared day costs an hour in traffic and a ticket for the wrong zo…
From Geneva to Chamonix: coach, shuttle, train or car, journey times and prices
Chamonix is an hour and a half from Geneva airport on paper, and more than three hours on a winter Saturday. Coach, shut…
From Geneva to Lausanne: train, coach, car or boat, the right choice and the right price
Lausanne is the easiest day trip from Geneva: a direct train almost every fifteen minutes. What costs you is buying at t…
Staying on the French side near Geneva: Annemasse, Ferney-Voltaire, Archamps, the real maths
A room in Annemasse or Archamps often costs half as much as in Geneva. But between breakfast, cross-border tickets and t…
Geneva City Pass, Geneva Transport Card, tpg tickets: which pass should you get for Geneva?
In Geneva, many visitors pay for a pass they did not need: their hotel was already giving them free transport. The free …
How to get to Geneva: train, plane, car and coach from France and the rest of Europe
Geneva is easy to reach from anywhere, but not in the same way: the train wins from Paris and Lyon, the plane only from …
From Geneva Airport to the city centre: train, bus, taxi and free ticket
Geneva Airport is four kilometres from the centre, and the train takes seven minutes. The rest needs a little attention:…
Skiing from Geneva: the resorts you can reach in a day, journeys and lift passes
"Skiing an hour from Geneva" is one of the most oversold promises in the region. The resorts you can really reach in a d…
Geneva to Annecy: bus, train, car, journey times and prices
Thirty-four kilometres, a border and a motorway that clogs up: between Geneva and Annecy, the advertised time is never t…
Hotels in Geneva: centre, station, airport and budget, where to look
Geneva has a reputation for being expensive, and it is. But reasonable rooms can be found if you know where to look: aro…
Where to stay in Geneva: the district-by-district guide
In Geneva, the right criterion is not the distance to the Jet d'eau, it is the bank, the evening noise and the journey t…
Geneva park and ride: which P+R to choose for your route
Geneva's park and ride sells a length of time, not a space: parking and a tram ticket for the whole car, provided you pa…
Getting around Geneva: tram, bus, train and Mouettes, lines and fares
One network, one ticket, five tram lines and yellow boats crossing the harbour: getting around Geneva is simple once you…
Parking in Geneva: car parks, P+R, prices and pitfalls
Geneva is not a city to visit by car, it is a city you drive to. The P+R pass that includes the tram for four, the cover…