Mandarin Oriental, Geneva

Hotel description

The Hotel du Rhône is what a business hotel should be. Anything but the usual faceless downtown office block, this one is located (as the name may imply) on the right bank of the Rhône river, a picturesque situation, yet still convenient to Geneva’s business district and shopping destinations—it is a compact city, after all.

There are more opulent and more old-fashioned hotels in town, but in terms of modern functionality and thoughtful service, it would be hard to top any Mandarin. By now it’s old hat to leave shoes in a compartment by the door for an overnight shine, but here, in addition, the minibars are magically restocked from somewhere outside as soon as you turn your back. And as with any good business hotel, leisure travelers will find something to appreciate as well, whether the Molton Brown bath amenities or the aforementioned bottomless chocolates in the minibar.

The style is business standard, though well done enough that even design junkies and antique freaks will find it tolerable, and it would be difficult indeed to find fault with the city views or especially the views of the lazy river. Downstairs you’ll find you’re dining amongst Geneva’s privileged older class, who presumably have haunted this place since the Sixties. Freshwater seafood, perhaps surprisingly, is a Geneva specialty, and a specialty of La Neptune as well, which adds an extensive wine cellar and a distinct Asian influence to the lake’s finest fish.