A destination on its own, La Reserve is a hotel concept with a unique signature. There is no point in trying to make a comparison with others hotels, as the experience offered is exactly the opposite of the formatted style, too often soulless, that can be found in large hotel chains. We will share with you our experience in this beautiful resort on the shores of Lake Geneva. This hotel belongs to the Michel Reybier group, as do the eponymous properties located in Ramatuelle and Paris. The hotel is less than 10 minutes by car from the international airport.
Arrival at the hotel
We arrived at La Reserve Geneva on a beautiful spring day. Upon crossing the gate, a well-ordered nature, with superb lanes, is visible in this landscape on the shores of Lake Geneva. A valet is coming to take your luggage, which will be in your room a few minutes later without you having to worry about it.
The hotel lobby sets the tone. La Reserve Geneva offers an enchanting and warm atmosphere, set in luxurious dark woods. The decoration is based on the codes of a sumptuous African lodge orchestrated around brown, red and golden tones, punctuated by touches of purple. Jacques Garcia’s hushed and elitist identity dominates while a signature fragrance perfumes the surrounding air. Nothing is left to chance, visually as in terms of fragrances.
The check-in was very fast despite few guests arriving at the same time at the desk. The staff does not ask you to fill out a one-page form. Nor does he look for a room ready to welcome you for long minutes. We arrived on time and everything was ready, which is nice after a long trip.
Once we have the keys in our hands, all we have to do is to discover our room. The corridors are pleasant with a pretty carpet with fawn patterns. The atmosphere is hushed. Calm reigns.
The Lake Suite
Our suite is located in the first building and overlooks the swimming pool and Lake Geneva, from which the alpine peaks stand out in the background. Although our suite is located on the first floor, the view promises an unobstructed view, to be admired from the terrace where deckchairs await you.
The lake view suite has a guest powder room adjacent to the entrance corridor. It opens onto the lounge with a very comfortable sofa and a magnificent library where great literature classics are stored alongside luxurious books on art. Everything you need to prepare a tea or coffee is generously provided.
From this cosy living room, two wooden doors open onto the bedroom, in which a huge bed sits. Let’s make no secret about it, this bed is one of the most comfortable in which we have slept. Here, dreams are guaranteed without the risk of waking up with back pain. And to top it all off, a pillow menu is even available to provide you with the best comfort. This menu allows you to select a pillow from a dozen possibilities. While more and more luxury hotels offer this type of service, few have such a diversity. Another pillow, the one for the feet! And yes, when you wake up, you will have the pleasure of putting your feet on a flat shape memory cushion! Your first morning contact with the mainland will therefore be most enjoyable.
The soft drinks in the minibar are included in the room rate, which also has two televisions with a video on demand service.
The bathroom is the other great asset of this suite with a lake view. The imposing alcove bathtub with its wooden trim is absolutely sublime. Opposite to it, shower lovers will be delighted by the large rain shower. Finally, two basins and a separate toilet complete this bathroom that you would dream of recreating at home! The products of the house, using the hotel’s signature perfume, are offered in a very generous format. In addition, the hotel makes it a point of honor to make you feel at home! A large candle will deliver its scents while bathing in the princely bathtub. A Dyson hair dryer, two towel dryers and a personal scale (which even measures your fat level) complete this comfort.
As you will have understood, the general atmosphere of this suite is very warm. The subdued light and the red and purple tones create a special mood. Like the resort, every detail is an invitation to relax.
It should be noted that the lake view suite is one of the hotel’s most beautiful accommodations. If you are looking for an even more exceptional product, you can opt for the villa on the shores of the lake and its 385 m² of pure luxury. Just imagine : a villa with a private swimming pool overlooking Lake Geneva. From your room, the lake extends as far as the eye can see. You can even privatize it for an exceptional event!
Catering
La Reserve has no less than 6 possibilities to have a meal :
- Le Loti : french restaurant
- Tse Fung : chinese restaurant
- Cafe Lauren : healthy restaurant
- Lodge : restaurant offering a large panel of dishes next to the pool
- Bar : for a light meal
- Room Service
Nestled between the bar and the terrace, Le Loti offers a refined French menu. A true invitation to travel, the decor is distinguished by its bold and hushed decoration. In the centre, a huge tree supports a tent canvas that overlooks the room, echoing a real African lodge. Le Loti is a gourmet restaurant where the service is both friendly and warm. We were very well advised on the choice of dishes. As a starter, green mango and white cabbage offer a successful marriage with roasted foie gras. Then, the lamb from the Valais is melting. Finally, Swiss meringue with its rosemary infused pears, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce is a dessert not to be missed under any circumstances.
It is also at the Loti that you can have your breakfast. It is served as a buffet with the possibility to order eggs cooked in different ways on top of that. The pastries are very diverse with a praline brioche and a very good quality Swiss bread. A wide assortment of deli meats is also available, with some local cheeses and hot dishes. The essentials for a good start to the day are present on this buffet.
At lunchtime, we had lunch at Tse Fung, the starred Chinese restaurant. The setting is really immersive, made of black lacquered antlers and red velvet. A pretty terrace opens onto the pool. To date, Tse Fung is the only starred Chinese restaurant in Switzerland. In other words, it is really inescapable if you like Asian cuisine, which is our case.
We chose the Business menu for our meal. This menu is very complete and allows you to taste several starters and main courses in quite respectable quantities. Hot and sour seafood soup is excellent. Ginger chicken is delicately spiced up, as are the fleshy and tasty Sichuan shrimp. Finally, the meal ends with a sublime mango soup, light and refreshing, a pure delight. The service is perfect at the Tse Fung. You can watch the cutting of the lacquered duck, a whole art.
We also had dinner at the bar one evening. The atmosphere is warm with a DJ mixing with the turntables. Comfortably seated in an armchair, you can enjoy a fairly classic bar cuisine : club sandwich, burger, tartar, etc… We tasted salmon tartar and beef tartar, both very well balanced and made with fresh produce.
Finally, the hotel’s catering offer also includes Cafe Lauren, directly in the spa and the Lodge next to the pool. It is of course possible to enjoy room service in your room, the main highlight of which is to offer many dishes from the menus of the hotel’s various restaurants. Which is rare enough to be highlighted. You can enjoy the dishes of Loti or Tse Fung directly in the privacy of your room or on your terrace.
Activities
La Reserve is not a regular hotel but rather a resort with a very complete range of activities. The spa is undoubtedly one of its major assets. Indeed, the Nescens spa of the Geneva Reserve extends into a large space of 2,500 m² on the ground floor. It includes a heated indoor swimming pool, a hairdresser’s salon, numerous treatment rooms, a state-of-the-art fitness area, as well as a sauna and hammam located in the men’s and women’s changing rooms. Moreover, the very bright and spacious changing rooms have been designed to offer optimal comfort to spa guests.
The pool is really beautiful. We appreciated the warmth of the place. Even when you get out of the water, you won’t get cold because the space is very well heated. The chairs and deckchairs around the pool are very comfortable. The space is very quiet and clean. If you want to do a little sport, friendly coaches are waiting for you in the fitness area, which is very well equipped with Technogym brand equipment.
Finally, if you want a moment of absolute relaxation, do as we did and book a treatment in a cabin! The professionalism of the therapists combined with the quality of the products used made us have a really pleasant time, as you can discover in our article on the Nescens spa at La Reserve Geneva.
On sunny days, you can also enjoy water activities on the lake, the outdoor swimming pool and clay tennis courts. If you want to go downtown, a boat (more precisely a motoscafo) directly accessible from the hotel’s pontoon brings you to Geneva’s city center in 10 minutes. This is an ecological and fast way to get around. In winter, the outdoor swimming pool is a delight for sliding enthusiasts as it transforms into a large skating rink.
Finally, don’t hesitate to come with your family! Your children will be so grateful to you for it. They will be pampered at La Reserve! Kids club very well equipped, outdoor games and indoor activities (during the Sunday brunch) await them. And all this under the watchful eye of qualified personnel!
Conclusion
La Reserve is an ideal hotel for a family or couple stay few minutes away from Geneva. In this green haven of peace, we particularly enjoyed the refined charm of the place, as well as the quality of the restaurants and spa. The service is very professional, attentive and efficient. You will notice the attention to detail and the many small attentions paid to make your stay unforgettable. It is all these little details put together that make a stay at La Reserve a unique hotel experience.
There is a peaceful and serene atmosphere in all the hotel’s areas. Everything is very cosy, punctuated by notes of exoticism and naturalness. Art lovers will appreciate the many art works displayed everywhere, indoors and outdoors.