Review of Hotel Royal, by Maxine Jones

The place to stay at Evian is the Evian Royal Resort Hotel, inaugurated in 1909 to receive guests such as Edward VII of England, to whom the Royal owes it name. The king died before it was completed, but it quickly became the favourite thermal resort of celebrities, the upper classes and the aristocracy (the Aga Khan had a suite there on a yearly basis).

The facilities

With rooms overlooking Lake Geneva, the Alps and 47 acres of parkland, the Evian Royal Resort also boasts four restaurants, five swimming pools and an award-winning spa. Take your pick from a hydro-contact trail, jogging in the park with a coach, fitness and weight training classes, outdoor infinity pools, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, steam rooms and saunas. For pampering, there are 34 treatment rooms and a hair salon.

Its children's club is a cut above most. The kids' resort has 4,000 square metres of lounges and creative workshops, a dance studio, a stage for shows, a big outdoor square, gardens and a swimming pool. It's a place where children of different nationalities can share and exchange experiences under the guidance of dedicated team. Babies from three months are catered for, while older children can also stay in the evenings from 7.30pm to 10pm, when dinner and entertainment is provided.

At the 37-acre Evian Masters Golf club - one of the most beautiful mature courses in Europe - you can play in the footsteps of the best golfers in the world. There's no better place for learning to play or improving your skills as the Evian Masters training centre has 12 modules to help you come to grips with the game.

The rooms

The Evian Royal Resort has 154 rooms and suites. The decor is simple yet elegant, with the grandest guestroom of all being the Edward VII suite. All rooms have high speed internet access and air conditioning.