Beau-Rivage Genève

Beau-Rivage Genève is a family-owned grand hotel at Quai du Mont-Blanc 13 in the Pâquis district of Geneva, Switzerland, opened in 1865 on the north shore of Lake Geneva. The lakeside promenade is at the front door, the Pont du Mont-Blanc and the Old Town lie across the water within about fifteen minutes on foot, and Cornavin railway station is a short walk or bus ride inland. The hotel is best known for its history: Empress Elisabeth of Austria stayed here in 1898, shortly before she was assassinated on the lakefront nearby, and the Empress Elisabeth Suite commemorates her stay. Belle Époque interiors, an atrium and period detailing give the property a more traditional character than the large modern towers along the quay. Room categories include Classic Rooms, Deluxe Lake-view Rooms, Junior Suites and the Empress Elisabeth Suite, and the lake-view rooms look toward the Jet d'Eau and the southern shore. Amenities include a restaurant, a bar, a fitness centre, a concierge desk and wifi. The best-known dining room is Chat-Botté, a long-established gourmet restaurant, and a more relaxed restaurant and lounge cover other meals, with breakfast served in the main dining areas. The hotel has no large pool or spa complex, and the fitness centre covers basic training needs. Service is personal and attentive in the manner of a family-run grand hotel, with a concierge who can arrange lake cruises, excursions to Lausanne or Montreux and restaurant bookings. The atmosphere suits couples, history-minded visitors and business travellers who prefer classic surroundings to contemporary design. Rates run roughly CHF 600-1,400 per night depending on season and room category, with the highest prices in summer and during major international events in the city.