Among the palace hotels of the Quai du Mont-Blanc, the Hotel d’Angleterre is the one that feels like a small, stylish private house. It stands at number 17 on the right-bank lakefront, facing the harbour and the Mont-Blanc bridge, with the Jet d’Eau a short distance away and the mountains across the water. The hotel traces its history to 1872, and has been restored as a deluxe boutique hotel with the Swiss five-star classification. Where larger neighbours count rooms in the hundreds, the d’Angleterre has just forty-five, made up of thirty-nine rooms and six suites, each decorated individually, with some richly patterned and others opening onto the lake. That small scale means attentive, personal service, with a reception, concierge and room service that operate around the clock and a limousine shuttle for guests. Food and drink centre on two venues. The Windows restaurant serves lunch, dinner and a traditional afternoon tea, with panoramic views over the lake and the Alps, and offers a cigar menu and whisky bar. The Leopard Bar, named for its bold interior, is a Geneva nightlife favourite, with live music every evening, cocktails, fine wines and spirits. The hotel also arranges unusual experiences, including a tea-time cruise on the lake, guided strolls through the local market and an early-morning outing with a fisherman. Pets are welcome.
Location and getting around
The hotel is at Quai du Mont-Blanc 17, a few minutes’ walk from the Mont-Blanc pier, where the Geneva Boat Tour departs, and from the Mont-Blanc bridge, which leads to the English Garden and the Old Town. The Bains des Pâquis are close by, and the city’s shopping streets and financial district are within a short walk. Cornavin station is around ten minutes on foot uphill. The hotel gives guests the free Geneva Transport Card, as every Geneva hotel does, and the limousine shuttle can help with airport or station transfers.
Rooms
With only forty-five rooms and suites, no two are alike. Some are traditional and richly decorated, while others are lighter and look over the water. If the view matters to you, book a lake-view room or a suite, and ask for a higher floor. All rooms have air conditioning and free Wi-Fi, and the hotel is non-smoking in its rooms, restaurant, bar and lobbies.
Dining and drinking
The Windows restaurant is a good choice for lunch with a view, an afternoon tea or a long dinner, and its cigar menu and whisky selection appeal to those who enjoy an old-fashioned evening. The Leopard Bar is lively late in the evening, with live music each night, so light sleepers should ask for a room away from the bar.
Who it suits
Couples, small groups of friends, anyone who prefers a boutique hotel to a large one and travellers who want to be on the lakefront without the crowds of a big property. It is also a popular location for weddings and small events.
Good to know
The hotel takes pets, and its 24-hour service makes late arrivals easy. Breakfast is often charged separately unless your rate includes it. The Quai du Mont-Blanc can be busy during major events, when rates rise, and quieter in winter, when you may find better prices. Ask the hotel about parking in advance if you are arriving by car, and consider taking the train instead, because parking in the centre is limited and costly.
Why stay here
- ✓Forty-five individually decorated rooms and suites
- ✓Lake-view rooms and suites
- ✓Windows restaurant with afternoon tea
- ✓Leopard Bar with nightly live music
- ✓Cigar menu and whisky bar
- ✓24-hour concierge and room service
- ✓Pets welcome
- ✓Free Geneva Transport Card
Good questions
How many rooms does the Hotel d’Angleterre have?+
It has forty-five rooms and suites, made up of thirty-nine rooms and six suites. Each is decorated individually.
Is the Hotel d’Angleterre on the lake?+
Yes, it stands at Quai du Mont-Blanc 17 on the right-bank lakefront, facing the harbour. Lake-view rooms and suites are available.
Does the Hotel d’Angleterre have live music?+
Yes, the Leopard Bar has live music every evening. Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the bar.
