Mandarin Oriental, Geneva

Character and identity

Set on the right bank of the Rhône, this is a designated Geneva heritage landmark, the city's first postwar luxury hotel, reworked by Adam Tihany into a confident mix of art deco bones and Asian inflection. The marble lobby sets a polished urban tone, the MO Bar pulls in locals for cocktails drawn from the group's Asian repertoire, and the dining anchor is upscale Japanese, alongside a fashionable Peruvian restaurant. The spa includes a Suite Beauté developed with Geneva cosmetics house Bellefontaine, plus separate hammam and sauna facilities for men and women.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What defines a stay is the combination of a true city-centre riverfront address with a serious bar and Japanese kitchen at ground level, wrapped in Tihany's deco-meets-Asia interiors. Book it if you want Geneva's business and shopping core on your doorstep with cooking worth staying in for; families should take a Junior Suite with terrace, and bar-goers should plan at least one night around MO Bar.