Geneva Cointrin Airport (GVA): Approximate driving time is 15 minutes and distance is 5 kilometers (3 miles).

Regular trains are available for transfer from the airport to the central Geneva train station, Gare de Cornavin (six minutes). Taxis run from the airport to any location in Geneva. The hotel can also arrange a private car to/from the airport (140CHF).

Trams and buses connect the hotel with the rest of central Geneva within 15 minutes. The closest stop to the hotel is Mont-Blanc. The hotel can order taxis on request.

Driving directions from Geneva Airport: From the airport, take Rue de la Servette all the way to the city centre. At the end of this street, take a right turn which will bring you on to Quai des Bergues.

This hotel has 122 guestrooms, all of which feature Directory and Louis Philippe style furniture dating to the 19th century or timber furnishings especially designed for the hotel. Soft cream and beige hues dominate the paint scheme, while carpet colors change from room to room. Guests feeling the need for pet company can request that a fishbowl with two of the hotel's goldfish be placed in their room. The marble and timber bathrooms have hairdryers, anti-steam makeup mirrors, heated towel rails and Hermes toiletries.

Restaurant Le Pavillon - Guests can start the day with a buffet breakfast in this cheery, street level restaurant. A daily quick lunch menu is served from the silver trolley. The mix of timber floor and carpet and simple wood furnishings lend the place the relaxed feel of a brasserie. In summer they set up tables outside.

Restaurant L'Amphitryon - The frequently changing gourmet menu, based on seasonal produce, attracts hotel guests and locals alike. Some dishes are available all year, like the St Pierre fish filet in a caramelized sauce. Still life paintings of flowers brighten the walls and polished wood dominates, from the tables and chairs through to the dessert trolley. Guests can watch the cooks at work in the kitchen from the dining area.

Le Bar des Bergues - Between the hotel's two restaurants, this bar serves as an antechamber for each. Guests perch on stools around the polished timber bar or opt for a table and chair, the latter with white spotted bright green upholstery. Light meals are served at lunchtime.

What to expect: The neo-classical fa?e of the hotel, which stands four-square in what was open country when it opened in 1834, presages the opulence of the interior. Two white lions adorn the entrance. Straight ahead and up a few stairs is the Salon Dufour, a lounge area with heavy sofas, bookcases and an atmosphere conducive to a quiet power chat. Business guests mingle with diplomats, royals and celebrities.

Amenity highlights: All six of the hotel's conference and banqueting rooms exude an air of Belle Epoque class. The Grande Salle is the biggest and most beautiful, dripping with chandeliers and its cream-colored walls punctuated by grand mirrors. It can hold up to 540 people for cocktails or 290 for a banquet. At the other end of the scale, the Salle Sal?, with its potted plants and terrace overlooking the river, can accommodate 20 banqueters.

Insider tip: The elliptical spiral stairway linking all the floors is a masterpiece of faded beauty. Frescos, balustrades and the carpet all look a little worn, because its status as a national monument means they cannot be interfered with or renovated. The hotel oozes history. League of Nations delegates sat down often in the interwar years to talks at the heavy oak table in the Salle Financier.

All six of the hotel's conference and banqueting rooms exude an air of Belle Epoque class, combined with modern conference equipment. The Grande Salle with 7-meter high ceilings and built in 1920 for the League of Nations, is the biggest and most beautiful, dripping with chandeliers and its cream-colored walls punctuated by grand mirrors. It can hold up to 540 people for cocktails or 290 for a banquet. At the other end of the scale, the Salle Sal?, with its potted plants and terrace overlooking the river, can accommodate 20 banqueters.

The hotel also has a business center, with computer terminals, Internet access and other office equipment. Secretarial and translation services can also be provided on request.

Lake Geneva offers an impressive range of summer water sports options, including sailing, boating water-skiing, fishing, rowing, windsurfing and even swimming. For those feeling less active, a variety of lake tours are also an option.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.

Tax of 3.6% plus a City Tax of 3.50CHF per person per day are not included in the price but will be added at the time of payment.
Extra person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
There are no room charges for children 12 and younger who occupy the same room as their parents or guardians.
Rollaways and cribs (infant beds) may be available and should be requested at the time of booking; fees may apply.
Photo identification and credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in. Special requests made via this Web site cannot be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.