Hotel les Armures, Geneva, Switzerland
Hotel les Armures 5 Stars
"An intimate, charming boutique hotel in the heart of historic Geneva, with a restaurant, Les Armures,serving up famous fondue."
Hotel Overview
Review of Hotel les Armures, by Brian Johnston
The sense of history at boutique Hotel Les Armures is unmistakeable. It is tucked away in an old town alley in the shadow of the Calvanist cathedral. The buildings date from the seventeenth century, on thirteenth century foundations, and the cellars were once used to store the Bishop of Geneva's wines. After its conversion into a hotel in the 1970s, many origin details were preserved, including decorative ceilings, plasterwork and chimney places. Medieval tapestries hang in the lobby. All of these qualities make this boutique hotel very different from the grand nineteenth-century lakefront hotels that usually cater to five-star visitors.
Right in the heart of the old town, Les Armures is near many of Geneva's museums and just a brief walk down to the commercial centre and lakefront. This boutique hotel has an eccentric charm with wooden beams and old building quirks.
The facilities
Swiss specialties and traditional dishes as well as fine French cuisine are served in a friendly fine dining atmosphere at the in-house restaurant of this boutique hotel. A Swiss wine list and gourmet local produce are also available. A special a la carte menu is on hand for guests who wish lighter dishes.
The rooms
There are no generalities when it comes to this boutique hotel's thirty-two rooms: some have vaulted ceilings and exposed beams, others brick walls, and some are tucked into the loft. The furnishings come in a range of styles from heavy antiques to surprisingly modern, which adds a certain haphazard charm. The atmosphere of internationalism is sprinkled in the details of each decently-sized room at this boutique hotel. In some rooms the collection clashes: blue bed-heads, orange cushions and modern furniture sit with exposed walls, and red silk additions add an oriental air-quirks and cultural infusions aside the quality of the furnishings and the comfort of the rooms remain high.
In fact, the odd combination of old and new gives Les Armures a definite character that is sadly lacking in many of today's hotels. If you want real quiet, ask for the two rooms that overlook a tiny inner courtyard.
Facilities
Who stays here?
British, French, and American bussiness guests dominant the hotel, while guests of all creeds from all places come to experience the fantastic French and Swiss cuisine at the restaurant, including President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary Rodham Clinton.Come for...
- A quirky historic ambience
- City location
- Cosy and quaint setting
- Old school charm
- Eccentric and quirky tastes
Not Suitable for...
- Grand hotel facilities such as pools and business centres.
- Intimacy and 17th-century ambience
- Young trendies
- Party animals
Children
Extra beds and cribs are available for children, and there are connecting rooms ideal for families.Eating in
The Genevois (and many a visitor) know Les Armures as a restaurant specialising in fine French cuisine and Swiss specialities such as fondue and raclette. It's one of the city's oldest restaurants and a perennial favourite, especially in the winter, when the hearty Swiss fare is just the thing in a rustic atmosphere of ceiling beams, red tablecloths and suits of armour.The Press Say
"Every visitor to Switzerland should sample at least one bubbling cauldron of cheesy stuff, and the Hôtel les Armures is a fondue institution. If you're famished, order the cheese fondue with mushrooms." New York Times 07"A venerated institution that serves up the smoothest, most flavorful fondue rendition." Travel+Leisure 07