Breakfast was insipid, but something about this hotel seduced me -- perhaps the unassuming young owners or the soft color scheme in the rooms. The showers had fantastic nozzles (poor ones are a pet peeve of mine), the bathrooms were spotless, and I never wanted to get out of those butter yellow sheets. For US$105 a night for two, this was the deal of the weekend (it now costs about US$145).
I had, however, kept the best secret for last. My favorite place in Geneva is neither a bar nor restaurant, but a sort of public beach complex run by a nonprofit cooperative dedicated to keeping it accessible to all.
It is the Bains des Paquis, on the right bank of Lake Geneva, jutting far into the harbor almost directly opposite the Jet d'Eau, the lake's landmark fountain. Originally a set of wooden docks and cabins, the bains were completely rebuilt in Art Deco style after a fire gutted the buildings in 1932.
The complex is used during the summer as a public beach and is open every day for massages by professional therapists; just last year, the sauna and hammam rooms were renovated.
My tough deep-tissue massage lasted a delicious 50 minutes in a spotless wooden cabin overlooking the lake, followed by a session in the Turkish baths and sauna. And the massage cost me just US$28, since I was a student (for others it is US$48).
Making the most of unseasonably warm weather, and noticing that the fabled boat cruises on Lake Geneva were few and far between in early spring, we decided to end our weekend by driving through the vineyards on the north side of the lake.
We borrowed a friend's car, and from the center of Geneva, a 20-minute drive landed us at the beginning of the "vineyard drive." The drive is officially labeled on local maps, but it can be hard to follow. Most roads are public, though, and what views!
RSS