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 died here in 1898. Google rating of 4.7.
The verdict
If you kept only one palace to understand the Geneva of grand hotels, it would be this one. The Beau-Rivage opened in 1865, still belongs to the Mayer family, and this is where Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Sisi, was carried after being stabbed on the quay in 1898.
Its Google rating of 4.7 from more than 1,400 reviews confirms that the history is not just a backdrop.
The address
The Quai du Mont-Blanc puts everything within walking distance: the harbour and the Jet d'eau opposite, the Old Town across the bridge, Cornavin station under ten minutes away. The watch boutiques of Rue du Rhône are just on the other bank.
The quay is busy: lake-view rooms see the Jet d'eau and hear the traffic, courtyard rooms are quiet without the view.
Our advice
A lake view is never automatic: it depends on the category. For the public weekend of Watches and Wonders, we found no rooms offered on Google Hotels when we checked, a sign that the palaces on the quay are booked months ahead.
Check rooms at Beau-Rivage Genève: the link opens the hotel on Booking.com for an upcoming weekend, change the dates to suit your stay. Prices vary a lot from one week to the next: book with free cancellation.
See availability on Booking.com →Partner link: booking through it supports the site at no extra cost to you.Read on: Where to stay in Geneva and Hotels in Geneva.
Sources: the establishment's website, Geneva Tourism, Google Maps (address, rating and reviews checked on 23 October 2026), Google Hotels (double room for two adults, prices checked on 23 October 2026). Distances are walking estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Did Sisi really die at the Beau-Rivage?
Do all rooms at the Beau-Rivage have a lake view?
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.
