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SWISS LUXURY TRAVEL BLOG
Le Richemond Geneva
A hotel with a love for art
Like many of Switzerland’s hotels, Le Richemond has a very rich history, having hosted illustrious guests over the years such as Marc Chagall, Sofia Loren and the Aga Khan. First opened in 1875, with only 25 beds, today it boasts 109 rooms and 22 suites. It is part of the Dorchester Collection of hotels; it was passed from father to son for four generations in the Armleder family. Overlooking the Brunswick monument, it is tucked away, just a block from the lakeside on a very quiet side street offering vistas over Lake Geneva and the mountains beyond.
The hotel has a warm, welcoming lobby with a comfy lounge area and a bar. One of the standout features of the lobby is the number of art works on display. The hotel showcases the works of artists on a regular basis. When I stayed there, the lobby, bar, and lounge, were decorated with vibrant sculptures by the French artist Julien Marinetti. A number of pieces from his "Doggy John" collection were on display, featuring bronze bulldogs on which he applies a pictorial treatment, mixing painting and sculpture. The hotel’s love for art is long-standing. The reception even features a painting by the famous Swiss painter Ferdinand Hodler. Legend has it that an art dealer who was staying at the hotel in the early 1900’s, unable to settle his bill, offered the hotelkeeper a painting by a young unknown artist in lieu of payment…
During my stay, I was very fortunate to be upgraded to the presidential suite on the seventh floor. The suite offers 100 m2 of living space and a fabulous wraparound terrace. On entering, I was in awe of the beautiful marquetry parquet with an intricate star motif. It is simply beautiful. The suite is extremely spacious, bright and airy. It felt more like a private apartment than a hotel suite, with a long hallway leading to an enormous luxurious marble bathroom complete with a very large walk-in rainforest shower and a marble bathtub with a TV. The suite also offers a separate toilet in the entrance and a dressing room. The living area has an elegant dining area with the prettiest dark pink velvet armchairs that make quite a statement.
The suite is very luxurious and beautiful, but I will admit that I did find the decor somewhat faded in places and the soft furnishings were a little dated with unappealing patterns and colours from another era. As a blogger who has seen quite a few suites with the wow factor, I would honestly say that the furnishings could really do with a makeover to bring them up-to-date.
Gault & Millau awarded the hotel’s restaurant Le Jardin with 16/20 points in 2017. The restaurant prides itself on serving primarily locally sourced products from the fish to the honey, passing through the truffles. The décor in the restaurant pays tribute to its local producers with a series of beautiful black and white portraits. With a special menu dedicated to the truffle at certain times of the year, I was told that the local truffle producer even pays regular visits to the restaurant with his very cute spaniel dog Pistache to the great delight of diners. The bar is also worth a detour, with its plush red, velvet sofas and armchairs. It has a cosy, intimate atmosphere.
Although the spa is small, I was very impressed by the level of service. The masseuse I had was exceptional. The staff is very attentive and helpful and goes to great lengths to tailor the treatment to your needs, even giving you the option of selecting the type of music you prefer. This attention to detail really made this spa stand out.
2nd March 2017
The hotel is also home to an urban Sisley spa, the only one in Switzerland. It offers all the usual amenities: a small, but very well-equipped gym, a sauna and a hammam. The spa is decorated in dark tones with mosaic floors, wood-paneling and bamboo accents. The treatment rooms are bright and elegant. Not wanting to miss out on a bit of pampering, I treated myself to a wonderful massage.
You know that feeling you get when the top of your back is all knotted up and your neck feels stiff? Well it disappeared thanks to the incredible deep tissue massage I had. My therapist was incredibly attentive and an expert with her hands. She first took some time to describe the different essential oils I could choose from, explaining what their various properties were. I was in the best of hands as she quickly eased my mind and body into a relaxed state, loosening my muscles along the way, the tension in my body melting away. A very nice final touch was the hot damp towels that were placed on my back at the end of my massage. It was truly relaxing.
For more information check out the hotel's website here.