Where to stay in Geneva: the best neighbourhoods and hotels

From the Pont du Mont-Blanc, the quays curve north along the lake in an unbroken row of belle époque façades, flags and liveried doormen. This is the Geneva of postcards and spy novels: steamers at the jetty, the Jet d'Eau across the water and the Alps beyond. The Bains des Pâquis, a much-loved public lido on a pier, brings everyone back down to earth with a swim and a cheap fondue.

The hotels are the story here. One has an indoor pool, a spa and an Italian restaurant overlooking the lake; another is a family-owned legend; a third, on the banks of Lac Léman, is known for individually designed rooms and meticulous service. Further along, an Art Deco giant has a seasonal outdoor pool. Save it for a celebration.

Geneva's Vieille Ville is perched on a hill above the lake's southern shore. Climb past antique shops and galleries to the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, where Calvin preached, and to the Place du Bourg-de-Four, a sloping square of café terraces that has been a meeting place since Roman times. Below, the Rue du Rhône is lined with watchmakers and jewellers, and the Flower Clock ticks away in the Jardin Anglais.

Hotels on this side are smaller and more intimate. A 17th-century residence in the heart of the old town is five minutes from the lake; a distinguished 1854 hotel overlooks the water and the Jet d'Eau, a five-minute walk from the Old City. In the banking district near the Grand Théâtre, a restored Art Nouveau building from 1900 houses a charming boutique hotel.

Cornavin is Geneva’s main railway station, a seven-minute train ride from the airport and the hub of every tram and bus line. The streets between it and the lake make up Pâquis, the most mixed and energetic neighbourhood in the city, where you can eat Lebanese, Ethiopian or Thai for a fraction of lakefront prices.

This is where most of Geneva's mid-range hotels are, and where the value is. One sits directly across from the station; another, renovated in a very modern style, is a few metres from the transport links. There's a calm, stylish hotel a few minutes from the platforms and a three-star with an indoor pool and sauna. The lake is a short walk downhill.

North of the station, Geneva turns into a campus for the world. The Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations, sits in parkland above the lake, surrounded by agencies, missions and the Red Cross museum. Between them are some of the city’s loveliest green spaces, including the Botanical Gardens.

It is quiet in the evenings, which suits some travellers very well. A five-star in the leafy quarter of Petit-Saconnex is an oasis of calm a few minutes from the UN, with a luxurious spa. There are also modern apartment-style rooms with a rooftop terrace, and a dependable budget hotel minutes from Cornavin station and the conference centre.

Geneva Airport is barely four kilometres from the city centre, and for a great many British visitors it's simply the gateway to the Alps. If you land late or have a dawn transfer to the slopes, a night here makes sense. The Palexpo exhibition centre is next door.

The hotels are a cut above the usual airport fare. One five-star near the terminal has soundproofed rooms and several restaurants; another four-star runs a free airport shuttle. Family-sized suites with kitchenettes are available too. Hotel guests in Geneva receive a free public transport pass, so getting into town costs nothing.

Twenty-two kilometres up the lake from Geneva, Nyon is a small town with a long memory. Roman columns stand on a terrace above the water, a turreted white castle looks out towards Mont Blanc, and the old centre tumbles down to a waterfront of plane trees, paddle steamers and ice-cream kiosks.

It's a restful alternative to the city, with frequent trains into Geneva. A family-run boutique hotel in the old centre, on the shore, has rooms with castle or lake views and a summer terrace. Nearby Prangins has a quirky hotel on a small private airfield, 500 metres from a golf club.