34 years of travelling and not once before had I missed a flight. None of us had. But for some reason, this time the excitement had got to us. This was our first girls’ trip as a five: my mum, two sisters and three-year-old daughter. Three generations ready to explore a country none of us had stepped foot in before. Months of planning had brought us to this moment. The moment not being quite what we had envisaged: an angry lady in a high-vis jacket telling us the gate had closed three minutes earlier and that it wouldn’t be possible to board the plane. Cue desperation and scrambling around to find alternative flights, booking train tickets to airports halfway across the country and negotiations with airline staff to ensure we made it to Geneva.
The one saving grace of the day? A phone call to the concierge of our destination hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, who calmed me in an instant. Rearrange the transfer for later in the day? No problem. Make two collections from the airport because we would now be arriving on separate flights? No problem. Amend our lunchtime booking in Le Bar des Bergues to a dinner booking? No problem.
That conversation allowed me to breathe again. That same quiet efficiency was reflected time and time again during our stay. The team noticed every small detail and acted on it, often in ways we would never have even thought to ask for. The porter stored our pram so we didn’t need to navigate it through the hotel and make space for it in our suite; the room attendant decluttered our living space by wrapping phone chargers with cable tidies and neatly arranging our shoes on a shoe rack; the waitress brought my daughter a hotel-inspired colouring book and crayons to keep her busy before we’d even ordered our drinks.
This attention to detail extended to the amenities provided: mosquito repellent plugs for summer evenings by the lake, adapters in case we’d forgotten our own and everything we could have wanted for our toddler. From a child’s toiletry set to the softest miniature dressing gown and even a step stool so she could reach the taps in the bathroom, the team seemed to have walked through our stay in their minds before we’d even arrived, knowing what each day with a toddler might need before we did.
Opened in 1834, Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues is one of Switzerland’s oldest grand hotels, and with views across Lac Leman towards Mont Blanc, here it is easy to believe that fairytales might be real. For my daughter, the princess treatment began the moment we arrived. At breakfast she was presented with a hotel teddy bear and a jar of sweets. After a day exploring the city, we returned to a room full of balloons, alongside a bowl of popcorn and toys to keep her entertained as we got ready for dinner. At bedtime she was gifted a personalised comforter. But my personal highlight? The colouring sheets left in our room. Colouring sheets wouldn’t ordinarily stand out, but these featured her favourite Frozen and Bluey characters. At check-in, someone had not only taken the time to engage with her but had listened and used that information to make her stay extra special.
This magic extends beyond the hotel itself: Geneva is a city for children, grandparents and everyone in between. It is not only safe and clean but also the perfect location to both relax and explore, which is not always typical of a city break. With fewer than 250,000 residents, it has a scale that feels surprisingly personal: locals jogging along the lakefront, children playing in the sun on the manmade Genève-Plage, and tourists sampling their way through the city’s chocolate shops.
It’s small enough to discover on foot without wearing everyone out, and when we’d walked far enough, the overland trains, open top buses and boats allowed us to cover more ground while learning a little more about the city. My daughter’s favourite way to see the city was from a pedalo, with a front-row view of the Jet d’Eau and, when the wind changed, a front-row soaking too. Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, as one of the most centrally located hotels in Geneva, allowed us to explore a lot of the city on foot, whilst never being too far to return when bellies rumbled and little legs tired.
When those bellies did rumble, there was no need to venture far. On the rooftop of Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues sits Izumi. Serving Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cuisine, it provides the perfect setting to celebrate. With views across the lake and a laid-back sax beat in the background, Izumi is the personification of Geneva: relaxed but chic, classy but cool.
With more than 35 appetisers on the menu and wanting to taste a little of everything that was on offer, we struggled to narrow down our choices. The Wagyu beef gyoza were plump and generously filled, served atop thin slices of apple which added a crunch and sweetness that completed the dish. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the crispy rice and tuna tartare with gochujang sauce, but the soft, creamy tuna against the crisp block of rice turned out to be my favourite combination of the evening. After the meal came a palate cleanser: frozen grapes, mini matcha cakes and lemon chocolate Mikado sticks. My mum declared it the best meal she had ever eaten. For me, the beef fillet I’d eaten the night before in Le Bar des Bergues had set high standards to live up to.
Spa Mont Blanc sits alongside Izumi on the top three floors of the hotel. Featuring an indoor heated pool, steam room, gym and relaxation room with eye massage headsets, it provides guests with a sanctuary to relax in after a day exploring the city. For us it provided respite from the rain on the final day of our stay and an opportunity for my daughter to expend her energy before boarding a train through the Swiss Alps.
Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues is truly a stunning hotel, and the ongoing renovations will ensure its suites continue to impress for years to come. With an impressive history that includes playing host to League of Nations meetings, this is a building that has been part of Geneva’s story for nearly two centuries. However, for those experiencing the hotel today, the undisputed highlight is the team that ensures every guest has a stay that feels entirely their own. A team that had taken me from stressed and stranded at the airport to relaxing in the hotel pool, watching my daughter practise the swimming she’d talked about all week. We’d seen Geneva together, eaten far too much chocolate, and given my mum the girls’ trip we’d very nearly missed.
The Details
Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, 33, Quai des Bergues, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 908 70 00
Website: www.fourseasons.com
Email: res.geneva@fourseasons.com
Fly directly to Geneva with easyJet, British Airways, Jet2 or SWISS. The hotel is approximately 20 minutes by car or taxi from Geneva Airport. Alternatively, take the train to Geneva Cornavin station, a journey of around 15 minutes, followed by a 5 minute walk to the hotel.
Type of Hotel: 5-Star Luxury Hotel
Number of Rooms: 72 guest rooms and 43 suites.
Price Band: High
Insider Tip: Pick up a Geneva Choco Pass for a delicious way to explore the city. It lets you sample treats from various chocolate shops as you wander, turning sightseeing into your own chocolate tasting trail.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10/10
Author Bio:
Sam Mead is a freelance writer and entrepreneur specialising in family travel and memorable food experiences, seeking out destinations, hotels and restaurants shaped by personality, story and a meaningful sense of place.
Photographs courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva
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