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Hotel Class: 
4 Stars - 135 Opinions
23 blvd James Fazy, Gare de Cornavin, Geneva, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland
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of people enjoy staying here
135 Opinions
I was ripped off at this resto. I ordered a 19 SFR menu, including water and coffee. I was given a bill for 24.50 SFR because I had not specified the 'bienvenu' menu. The waiter was aggressive and unrepentant. I will not go again.
The 'Schtroumpfs' - The name given to these strange 'jaw-dropping' buildings derives from the famous comic characters (better known to us anglophiles as the Smurfs) and the houses they lived in. The buildings - a public housing estate are located at 23 and 29 Rue Louis Favre - the atisan area behind Cornavin, Geneva's city train station.
Built between 1982 and 1984 these apartments recall the style of Antonio Gaudi (creator of the church in Barcelona. They were designed by Robert Frei, Christian Hunziker and Georges Berthoud.
Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt to Geneva; the city is also serviced by trains via the Gare Cornavin.
Geneva has an efficient bus/tram system, the Transport Publics Genevois. The catch is that if you don't have a pass, you need exact change to purchase a ticket from one of those automated vending machines at each stop (a fact I eventually--and painfully--- discovered for myself).
I guess most people thinkk of Geneva as the gateway aiport to travel into Switzerland or France and get on a train somewhere else but it is worth a visit in its own right. The Jet D'eau is a favourite attraction here - even more fun if people are walking slowly in front of you when you walk under the fountain and you can't escape its soaking! Nearby in the lake promenade gardens is the landmark flower clock. The old town has some fine buildings too and on the outskirts are the funky architecture seen in Rue Louis Favre - located in the atisan area behind Cornavin, Geneva's city train station. Geneva is quite a centre for major organisations like the Red Cross so there is plenty going on in this swiss city.
Check out my Geneva page for more pics.
If you have a very short time in Geneva, and you are interested in how the Genevan suburbs look, take a local bus to the end of the line and come back again. A particularly pleasant route is Bus V, which starts in front of Gare Cornavin (Geneva railway station). It takes you past the UN, the US embassy, the Chateau de Penthes, a lookout view of the lake at Chambesy (don't blink or you'll miss it), then it heads past the airport where it gets close to France, then past Websters University and some cute villages till it reaches Versoix. Versoix is on the lake and has a pleasant jetty and lakeside eateries. From Versoix you can return to Gare Cornavin by train if you prefer. The bus trip is 35 mins each way and the train is 15 mins. You pay CHF3.00 if you finish your trip within an hour, otherwise you pay CHF6.00. The one ticket can be used on bus and train.
free ticket here!
4. View from the train window
3. Ramp to bicycle parking in the basement
2. Cyclists on the Promenade du lac
Hi,
I looking for a nice hotel in geneva, that is good located in good area and not so expesive. Anny sugestions?
Also i will be traveling to zurich can you please let me know wich it is the best way to to get thre, Train airplane?
Thanks
Kelly
go to sbb.ch
Transport: Go by train. It takes about 2 hours 45 minutes. www.sbb.ch has timetables.
Hotel: I've stayed in the Bernina and the Suisse (both on Place Cornavin), they are OK. But I'd recommend you go to one of the search sites like www.booking.com or hotels.switzerland-bookings.com, because these hotels are often full. Don't pay more than 200 francs/night. Check the location of the hotel carefully, some booking websites will show you hotels that are (a long way) outside Geneva.
Hi Kelly,
To go from Geneva to Zurich, the train is the only reasonable way to travel, as previous contributors already mentioned. Trains leave Geneva in regular intervals, about two each hour. Tol change the scenery, travel via Neuchatel-Biel/Biene one way, and via Bern-Fribourg on the other. You may get off at any intermediate station, then continue on a later train. The full 2nd class far costs about CHF 180 return. Check for special fares on www.cff.ch , the Swiss rail website.
As for hotels: my personal favourite would be Hotel Cornavin, right next to the railway station. The hotel is rather expensive, you may want to check for special offers on the Geneva Tourism website:
http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/
Public transport in the Geneva region is excellent between 5:30 am and midnight, with later buses/trams on FRI and SAT nights. So you could also opt for accomodation outside the city center. Beware of visiting Geneva during the Motor Show or important conferences (such as the WHO annual conference in May), as accomodation will be scarce and expensive before/during/after these events.
Good luck, Richard
Must agree with previous contributers - train is the option as you see so much of the country whilst being relaxed / chilled. And as always on the continent the trains are clean, efficient and always on time .. not like in England!
Took just under 3 hours as I remember. Enjoy!
We are planning to go to Switzerland on Jan 3rd arriving in Geneva. I want to spend about 2 days there and would love any advice or suggestions on what there is to do there for 2 days. We are in our 20s and would like to explore the cultural and night life part of the place.
Also, how cold is it usually in that time of year and are there any boat cruises? I would imagine the lake to be frozen and no boats, but I don’t know
Any information will be appreciated
Thanks
Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) will not be frozen! You can cross the Rhone by boat and there are still trips.
We spent 3 days/ 4 nights in Geneve January this year so your own stay willbe similar to our own experiences, said it all on my Geneve pages!
Enjoy Geneve ! We must go back some time
Thanks very much for your response. Can you suggest a place to stay in?
Geneva could be quite cold in january, especially if it's windy. So be prepared. I lived 25 years in Geneva (born there) and I never had a drink on a terrace in january. But I think it's not a bad time to spend some days here.
What to do: try to eat "fondue" (http://www.hotel-les-armures.ch/fr/restaurant-geneve.php)
On the cultural side, you may also visit UNO and the museum Ariana (near UNO).
Claude
Thanks everyone :)How about night life in Geneva?
I don't live anymore in Geneva.
No info on nightlife.
Claude
I am in Geneva right now. Its bout 2-3 degrees by centigrade. Geneva old town is an interesting place to visit to take picttures and lunch. See my Geneva page. I lived here 7 years before. Ferney Voltaire is an interesting neighbor French town (20 minutes by Bus from Cornavin Geneva main train station). Visit neighbor swiss cities like Vevey, Lausanne, ect (see my home pages). Visit Carouge trm line 13) and European UN HQ (also tram number 13).
Have a nice stay in Geneva.
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A: "Geneva is an international city full of expats from all over the world. English will do fine. they are use to that, you wont annoyed them Enjoy your trip, wonderful city"
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Address: 23 blvd James Fazy, Gare de Cornavin, Geneva, Geneva, 1201, Switzerland
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