Palace hotels inspection

By Gilles Malaisé

Contemporary and stylish, the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva ranks amongst of the top 5 palace hotels in Geneva. Majestically situated on the lake, in the chic and safe heart of Geneva Triangle of Gold, this large property (412 rooms, including 33 suites) might lack of charm at first sight. Further inspection, followed by a short stay, proved us that this is much more than a well structured and efficient business hotel; but a destination in itself.

Settled in the walls of the former Noga Hilton, the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva opened in February 2007 after a complete reconstruction. Egyptian architect Tarek Hegazy, who worked on prestigious projects such as the interior design for the Jordanian Royal Family Residence, upgraded the hotel into a ritzy five star property matching the key elements of Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group.

The lobby is quite large; though not reflecting the size of the property. We found it amazingly intimate, and warmly designed: completed with a modern fireplace, sophisticated lightening, smart  furniture made exclusively for the hotel, and this «je ne sais quoi» which made us feel like in a palace hotel as soon as we had stepped inside. The check-in procedure was as smooth as silk, and quick as a lightning. It took less than 5 minutes to be interviewed about any special request we might have, receive our key, and be offered a very useful complimentary Geneva public transportation pass available during the whole stay.

We liked the nice variety of rooms and suites, fitted to please any category of distinctive traveller. Businessmen booking an ergonomic sized Classic Room won't mind the view on the courtyard patio: moreover if they stay on the top floor, where most of the rooms in this category feature a pleasant and spacious terrace. Leisure travellers should straightly book in a Deluxe Lake View. The location of the hotel is so ideal that it would be a pity to miss the panorama on the sun-shimmering lake, Jet d’Eau tower and mountains. Both categories of rooms display on 30m², and are somehow equally luxurious: enveloped with soft, neutral tones, with fine furniture spacious wardrobe, marble bathroom, vast windows and a high tech Samsung Plasma TV set with a Blue-Ray home-theater device. A very high standard for the «lowest» category of rooms, indeed. The 65m² - 70m² Deluxe Junior and Deluxe Junior Lake View are larger, though not reflecting much more luxury compared with the rooms. Rates start from 780 CHF for a classic room, up to  5000 CHF  for a Deluxe Junior Suite Lake View.

The 4 Signature Suites make all the difference. One life visiting palace hotels couldn't prevent a WOW! entering the Geneva Suite. The pride of the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva, this  is one of the largest free standing Suite in the world. Located at the top of the hotel, accessible by 2 private elevators, it covers a total surface of 1,080m² (11,690 square feet). A private butler and dedicated staff assure the round-the-clock service of this breathtaking 11 rooms duplex: including 2 living rooms, in which noble materials have been used throughout and carried to extremes (walls are covered in chamois leather, hand-made leather mosaics or pure silk!), and 3 master bedrooms with hand-made “Carpe Diem” beds incorporating a unique spring system ensuring unsurpassed comfort: one single bed takes 35 days to manufacture!. The 4 ritzy bathrooms reflect the opulence of The Palace of a Thousand and One Nights: we loved, indeed, the one with an authentic Oriental team bath displaying gilt enameled tiles, and transparent black marble sinks with internal lighting. Each detail has been sought out by Hegazy, who signed here one of his most prestigious and successful designs. He and his team thought out down to the minor details, to offer the happy few a spacious retreat where he can welcome friends, conduct business or just relax by the fireplace. All while enjoying privacy in front of spectacular landscape. A breathtaking view overlooks from one side the Old Town and, on the other, the Jet d’Eau and Mont-Blanc. This hard to describe suite -even our illustration cannot show 10% of its luxurious concept- hosts additional rooms offering generous spaces for an office, a gym and a pool table.  The well equipped kitchen is catered by the private service of an executive chef and staff, included in the rate... The suite is equipped with state of the art technology like Crestron Digital Media system, 22 TV screens, a master TV of 65 inches, 2000 Watt surround system and B&O flat screen TVs. The furniture is custom-made: even chairs do not have standard measures! Special attention has been given to security: with bullet proof windows throughout. The security room, which can be used as a «panic room», acts as a screening centre with cameras at all entrance points.

If you can afford the CHF 50,000 (approximately EUR 35,000) daily rate, travel with a very large family or lots of friends, don't hesitate and try out this unique experience. Note that there is no discount at all with the rack rate applying all year round, and that this suite over the top should be booked for a minimum of three nights. It sells out quite well nevertheless: getting more and more popular with statesmen, world famous artists, and of course families from the Middle East. 

Since September 2010, hotel guest can use «Le Spa». A clever mixture of Swiss and Asian well-being, the largest spa in Geneva, boasting 1,400m² across two luxurious levels, offers a perfectly balanced menu of authentic, healing Ayurvedic therapies from India, and beautifying treatments. We experienced this refined complex, creating a natural ambiance of tranquillity in contemporary Asian and Arabian surroundings, with an Oriental massage performed by a Swiss masseuse trained two years in Thailand: pampered one hour in one of the 12 large treatment rooms. Chic and zen, the SPA and its treatments get it all to please spoiled clients: using exclusively award-winning Cinq Mondes massages, aromatherapy and cosmetics inspired by ancient cultures. This reputed brand used during the treatments is tested under dermatological control, and does not contain silicone, artificial coloring, animal-based raw materials nor mineral oil.  The Cinq Mondes cosmetic preparations benefit from the effectiveness of plant extracts from the pharmacopoeia of the country of origin, whilst guaranteeing total safety. The treatment prices are relatively affordable. We are in Geneva, one of the most expensive cities in the world: CHF 175 (approximately EUR 145) for our massage seems reasonable; though, some packages including hotel room and treatment might drastically reduce the bill.

Last but not least, «Le Spa» is completed with a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a hammam and the largest private indoor pool in Geneva (free of charge for hotel guests). 

The best souvenir we are keeping from the hotel is gastronomic. Breakfast made us much impression: one of the best ever experienced in Europe, with a rich buffet, freshly squeezed 100% natural orange and strawberry juices, delicious backed pretzels and delectable scrambled eggs cooked and individually presented in « Le Creuset » cast-iron casseroles. That was the icing on the cake: we visited the hotel in summer time, and could sit in the terrace designed like the deck of a luxurious yacht: starting a working or leisure day in such an environment, looking at the old steamers transiting over the Lake, with the Mont Blanc as a background, is a visual and sensual pleasure. This all was a nice introduction to the unexpected quality of the cuisine at “FloorTwo”, which we visited again for lunch. Choosing the “Daily Special”, featuring starter, main course and dessert for CHF 48 (EUR 38 / approximately EUR 50 with one glass of wine and a coffee): a bargain in a five star hotel. The cuisine reflects a solid Mediterranean influence: with a fine selection of fish and seafood, meats grilled over the charcoal, but also lots of fresh vegetables and salads. We loved the “Grilled Cuttlefish with its Squid-Ink Black Rice”. The “Lemon Meringue Tart” is a classic and classy dessert by pastry chef Arnaud Vodounou  which you might find permanently in the carte; most of the other dishes are regularly updated, according to the season and the ingredients freshly purchased from the market. We were not in Paris nor New York: the lunch service was cool, and we could take plenty of time to treat ourselves and relax. With a lot of returning guests, this is a simple, enjoyable, and particularly pleasant table. 

One step beyond in quality and price, “Le Grill” is the gastronomic, signature restaurant at Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva. More trendy than ritzy, with a sophisticated though discreet design, a beautiful open-kitchen, and a gorgeous lake view. From the Dorchester in London to La Cantine des Gourmets or Guy Savoy in Paris, Executive Chef James Norman (assisted in “Le Grill” by Chefs Rodolphe Collet and Steven Pique) supervised 12 different restaurants in Dubai, and was also responsible for the Royal Families official functions and events attended by world dignitaries and Heads of State. He joined the Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva in June 2011: a good piece of news in a city which, until then, didn't take its reputation from gastronomy. The high level of service, the sophisticated display of the dishes and the alchemy of the cuisine transported us to the best Parisian restaurants. Specialities like the “Octopus Carpaccio with a Crispy Squid-Ink Chip, Vegetables Marinated with Ginger and Lemon”, “Wild John Dory «de ligne» from Brittany” or the light, aromatic and exotic “Grilled Steak of Springbok, Sweet Potato Purée with Peanuts Pinot Noir, Cloudy Bay Jus”, melting in our palate, were just superb. We would travel back to Geneva, just to enjoy the “Stingray, Chorizo Confit, sweet-sour sorrel emulsion”: the best meal we had since our last visit to L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon L'Etoile, in Paris, a few weeks before we experienced “Le Grill”, where we found the same simplicity in producing perfectly balanced, ideally cooked and finally unique dishes. The selection of wines was perfectly mastered by head sommelier Julien Authier, who introduced rare and elegant vintages: we particularly enjoyed the red, bullish “Bodega Numanthia Termes, Toro, Valdefinjas 2007” from Castilla y León, Spain. Now a property of French group LVMH, this vineyard produces powerful, yet impressive, red wines from the Tempranillo grape. It paired ideally our Springbok, and would taste perfectly with meat grilled over the charcoal. Fish was paired with the so classy “Moët & Chandon But Imperial”. The Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva works in a close partnership with that brand, and is one of the rare places where one could enjoy the quite girlish -maybe too sweet for our virile palate- “Moët & Chandon  Ice Imperial”. Served on the rocks, like a cocktail, this limited edition is distributed to selected high end restaurants in Switzerland, and France (Saint-Tropez and Paris). The white bottle is nice looking, the liquid interesting and elegant: we would recommend it as an aperitif, though it paired quite well our dessert: a mouth watering “Strawberry & Rhubarb Mille Feuille, Mara des Bois Smoothie”. The average bill for a la carte stands between CHF 150 – 200 (EUR 125 – 165) with one or two glasses of wine and coffee. The “Menu Prédéfini” is a good value alternative for a first, and surely successful experience: starter, main course, dessert, a glass of wine, mineral water, tea or coffee at CHF 90 (approximately EUR 75).

If Michelin doesn't award one star or two in its next edition, we would not understand the philosophy of the Red Guide anymore.

GRAND HOTEL KEMPINSKI GENEVA: Quai du Mont-Blanc 19
1201 Geneva, Switzerland
PHONE: +41 22 908 9081        FACSIMILE: +41 22 908 9090
E-MAIL: reservation.grandhotelgeneva@kempinski.com