Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Geneva
Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, holds a fascinating place in history as the former “Hôtel du Rhône,” the very first luxury hotel built in Europe following World War II. Opened in 1950, its design by Swiss architect Marc J. Saugey was revolutionary for its time, featuring a unique, accordion-style modular structure that prioritized modern efficiency and comfort.
Today, the property masterfully blends its mid-century heritage with contemporary elegance. Renowned designer Adam Tihany has been instrumental in refreshing the public spaces, infusing them with a sophisticated mix of Art Deco influences and signature Asian accents. A standout technical feature is the sliding cabinets in the guest rooms, which allow staff to discreetly replenish minibars from the hallway without ever needing to enter your room.
The hotel is perfectly positioned on the right bank of the Rhône River, offering serene water views while keeping you at the heart of the city’s action. You are within a short walking distance of the historic Old Town, the iconic St. Peter’s Cathedral, and the high-end boutiques lining the Rue du Rhône.
For those interested in culture, the hotel’s central location makes it easy to visit major landmarks like the Palais des Nations—the European headquarters of the United Nations—or the Patek Philippe Museum. Whether you’re there for the world-class dining, such as the authentic Japanese cuisine at SACHI, or simply to enjoy the riverfront scenery, the hotel remains a legendary landmark in Geneva’s hospitality scene.
Expert reviews
“The elegant, but pricey, Mandarin Oriental is located in the charming and quiet Saint Gervais neighborhood on the right bank of the River Rhône. It offers luxurious rooms, impeccable service, and three restaurants, including the top-notch contemporary Indian establishment, Rasoi by Vineet Bhatia.”
Shortlisted in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Occupying a prime waterfront position, the striking Mandarin Oriental Geneva does not fail to live up to the exceptionally high bar set by the sister properties of this internationally recognised brand.”
“Mandarin Oriental, Geneva is listed as one of the Swiss city’s Historical Heritage landmarks — it was originally the Hotel du Rhône, the first luxury hotel built after World War II.”
“This was the first hotel to be built in Europe after the Second World War. Much of its early modernist, Art Deco style was preserved when it was renovated by the Mandarin Oriental group under Adam D Tihany, creating an elegant hotel fit for the 21st century.”
What guests liked
- Friendly staff
- Walking distance
- Top location
- Excellent Wifi
- Comfortable beds
Location
Recent guest reviews
28 May 2026
Disappointing
Room 776 disappointing Needs urgent updating No correct plugs for plug-in for todays computor equipment Electrics turn the lights all off from the bedside but if anyone wanted a small light on not to disturb partner NOT POSSIBLE EXTREEMLY BAD OLD FASHIONED and not acceptable for up to date standards Staff Good Breakfast Good Ottolengi not a good choice for in house main resteraunt
AS ABOVE
7 March 2026
Passable
We booked a Junior Terrace Suite King in the period of January 14-19, 2026. The suite had a very bad smell throughout the stay (sewage smell). The front desk was informed many times and nothing was done about it. I filed an official complaint to the hotel management and they promised to refund the charge of one night through Booking.com. However no refund was made till now. The hotel management stated that the problem is from Booking.com, as the hotel management did all the formalities for the refund. Salah Alhumood
26 December 2025
Beautiful, but way way too expensive
Nice room. Spacious. Quiet. Friendly staff.
Ridiculously expensive. Probably 2x London. And while beautiful, not even close to worth it. I highly recommend 20 other places in Europe first.
10 November 2025
it was very underwhelming
on arrival the concierge made a whole scene about our room foldable bed not yet ready and how it may be too small for my two children i had to argue that i had booked the write room he wanted to charge extra 2,000 CFA i refused he later said it was miscommunication basically it was an awful experience from the beginning
16 August 2025
Very very bad and unsafety
There is nothing to like it
The rooms were dirty, corridor lights at 576 room was off, it was looking sacry, breakfast was very bad , the items that should be in the room already , was not there , and we wanted toothbrush two times
7 April 2025
Not worth the money
Very bad for the money. The room was so small and average looking. The break fast was like a take away dinner. And I spent 1200 usd per night for this.
30 January 2025
Never again
If you are used to 5 star luxury service, stay away from this property. Here are some reasons: 1- Only one of us had a welcome drink on arrival. My wife was asked to wait for her welcome drink at the room because it had to be delivered by Room Service, but we actually never received it. 2- Their Le Clef d’Or concierge can’t even secure a table at their own restaurant 3 nights in a row. They instead recommended bottom of the barrel restaurants. My Uber driver recommended far better options. 3- Housekeeping were attentive and helpful when needed but we found a used lipstick bottle under the nightstand from a previous stay. 4- We were seated on a table at the “MO Bar” that was not cleaned after the people who sat there before us. It literally had crumbs on it. There were french fries on the floor and the menu they gave us was wet. 5- On my way in and out of the property, the front desk either had no staff at all or staff that pretend to be too busy for a greeting and eye contact. They seem so uninterested, you can almost hear them praying for guests not to stop by. 6- While the property is located by the river, it is actually at the worst point of the river and is the furthest away from downtown than the other 5 star luxury brands on that same street. Not what I expected when I booked, and I don’t expect to book again.
30 December 2024
Not a patch on other MOs
Location & very helpful and courteous staff
The rooms were cold, bathroom floor was icy cold with no heating; food was not good at all.
19 July 2024
Very good
The location, the hospitality, the bathroom, the quality , the breakfast
9 July 2024
Great hotel at the center of Geneva
Very good location at the center of Geneva. Exceptional service. Sumptuous breakfast buffet. Well-appointed rooms with lots of amenities.
Fitness center a bit small, but ok for a short visit.
6 July 2024
Exceptional
All
2 July 2024
Good location
Good location , nice modern decoration on the main areas
some rooms out dated special the ones looking to the back side of the hotel , the staff of the breakfast restaurant needs to be upgrade to a hotel of 5 stars, this is Mandarin not any other hotel ..
13 June 2024
Amazing hotel lovely and efficient staff. Food is great
The staff are amazing always very efficient and ready. The food is amazing , location is great. I had a issue with a double booking and a lady called Giovanna from guest services looked into it and sorted out the problem , so the guest is always first in this hotel.
The property is very dated the facilities, lighting , decor of room really needs to be updated. Its a great hotel but for the price you pay the room is not up to standard.
7 June 2024
Exceptional
Prime location with extremely friendly and helpful staff.
3 June 2024
Very good
The location
It’s a bit old
3 June 2024
Fabulous
Nice room quiet place
Poor breakfast
3 June 2024
Fabulous
Comfy accomodation
Quality of breakfast and Service at The restaurant
25 May 2024
Pleasant
Nice location
It’s a bit old they need an upgrade
23 May 2024
Exceptional
everything was perfect in this hotel, i would highly recommend it especially for families
nothing
5 April 2024
Worth every Swiss Franc!
The staff was amazing and I truly felt welcomed. It’s very upscale but I was made to feel at home. The hotel itself is just extremely beautiful, clean, and luxurious. I would stay there again and again!
15 March 2024
Efficient
Location, staff, food,
Nothing
12 March 2024
Delightful!
Amazing selection at Breakfast and the Satchi restaurant is fab!
11 March 2024
Excellent!
Great breakfast. Amazing room. Best service.
2 March 2024
Excellent
The quality. The first moment that you stepped inside the building it oozed quality from the furnishings to the staff
Distance from the centre!
24 February 2024
Great hotel with excellent service
Every thing ,location ,service ,helpful staff
Nothing
25 January 2024
Exceptional
The mattress was a little too hard for me.
20 January 2024
Very good
Location
The rooms is small
18 January 2024
Good
The location is amazing.
The rooms are old
14 January 2024
Comfortable
- location is nice: very close to the shopping streets and lake. - breakfast: i like the option of having your breakfast in the room (free of charge) - variety of food: if you like asian food like me, this is a plus! I cant have European food 24/7. - the Valet and room service staff are friendly.
- rooms are very small. - paper thin walls. You can hear everything going on in the nearby rooms and hallway. - front desk don’t really smile and greet you when you enter and exit or walk by the desk (only when we checked in)
1 January 2024
Exceptional
Everything was perfect
Nothing
24 December 2023
Elegant Perfection in so many ways. A Swiss Watch of a Hotel
Excellent staff, friendly Concierge and Team. Consistent service. Smiles always . Tastefully and very thoughtfully designed and presented. Everything was fresh and new. The lady who prepares and sets out the breakfast presentation is world class. Well done to her. Great location.
22 December 2023
Perfect staycation
The rooms were perfect, the location and services.
16 November 2023
A hotel I would recommend
It’s confortable, well located with very pleasant service
4 November 2023
Very good
26 October 2023
The Gem of Geneva!
The service and courtesy of the staffs are top notch. When we checked in, Tom from Front Desk was amazing. He was so efficient and fast in our check in process, hence we were able to rest in our cozy rooms much faster. In addition Tom kindly enrolled me to the Mandarin Club wirh certain attractive benefirs. The Concierge Desk lady - sorry I did not catch het name tag - was also very helpful in recommending and making reservation to a popular cheese fondue restaurant not fsr from Mandarin Geneva. While we checked out this afternoon, Adrien from Front Desk was very helpful and efficient. Last but not the least was the Car Valet and Porter team. They are magnificent! Thank YOU MO Geneva in making our short vacation a memorabke one!
The view from our room was not particularly pleasing. The hotel indeed shows some age in its electronics and digital capability. Please kindly refurbish. Thank you.
26 October 2023
Good service. Only.
Quality of servic
The breakfast room. Small, overcrowded amd understaffed. Decoration and quality more reminiscent of a Novotel than a Mandarin Oriental. Where are the Hong Kong standards ?
20 October 2023
Exceptional
Everything
Nothing
30 September 2023
Excellent.
Location and amenities were great with room overlooking the river.
Nothing.
28 September 2023
Wonderful
Location, staff, restaurant and bar were excellent. The hotel, while classic, is to our liking and the staff was exceptionally warm, friendly and helpful at all times. Of my stay, I think the staff marked a big difference.
It is expensive
20 September 2023
An extremely pleasant hotel
It is a beautiful hotel but I particularly appreciate the warm welcome
Nothing
16 September 2023
Very good
Staff exceptional. Rooms immaculate and comfortable as they should be for this price point.
A hotel like this should really have a pool/spa. Also, food was great however not a huge selection, for people with allergies.
13 September 2023
A splendid stay in Geneva
Location, room service and the staff were amazing!
The rooms were a bit small.
30 July 2023
Exceptional
Everything. Just amazing stay and services. Bed sheets quality is amazing
Nothing
10 July 2023
Even though in the beginning my experience wasn’t great, I had a good time
I liked how the staff are very helpful and accommodating .
I booked the room with garden view, but was shocked to see pipes and a wall. Told the staff about it they were helpful and cooperative but mentioned that there was “no real garden”. I was about to leave and book a different place but they told me that the only thing they can do is move me to a higher floor with a slightly better view. Overall, I did not expect that a hotel like Mandarin oriental would deceive its visitors in this way.
10 July 2023
Exceptional
Our stay with the kids was just Fantastic The service + food People very friendly
It was great
3 July 2023
Exceptional
Welcoming , clean , very cozy , air conditioner, very friendly and helpful, try hard to please the visitor , breakfast is so delicious
nothing , everything is perfect
1 July 2023
Wonderful comfort
Everything but particularly the kindness of the staff
28 June 2023
Pleasant
Hotel needs an update A bit outdated . It’s nothing like the new mandarin hotels .
20 June 2023
Fabulous
The location was excellent and the staff were very helpful and attentive to all needs. The restaurants at the hotel are very nice as well.
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Kids' meals (additional charge)
- - Kid-friendly buffet
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Soundproof rooms
- - Packed lunches
- - Car hire
- - Heating
- - Allergy-free room
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Shuttle service (additional charge)
- - Airport shuttle (additional charge)
- - Pet basket
- - Pet bowls
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre
- - Fax/photocopying (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Currency exchange
- - Tour desk
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
- - Private check-in/check-out
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Sauna
- - Fitness centre
- - Spa and wellness centre (additional charge)
- - Massage (additional charge)
- - Cycling
- - Hammam
- - Beauty services
- - Facial treatments
- - Hair treatments
- - Manicure
- - Pedicure
- - Haircut
- - Hair colouring
- - Hair styling
- - Body treatments
- - Steam room
- - Spa/wellness packages
- - Back massage
- - Neck massage
- - Full body massage
- - Fitness
- - Yoga classes
- - Fitness classes
- - Personal trainer
- - Fitness/spa locker rooms
- - Bicycle rental
Outdoors
- - Terrace
- - Outdoor furniture
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Trouser press (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Entertainment & family services
- - Board games/puzzles
- - Strollers
Parking
- - Parking garage
- - Electric vehicle charging station
- - Accessible parking
Transport
- - Public transport tickets
- - Airport pick up (additional charge)
- - Airport drop off (additional charge)
Accessibility
- - Wheelchair accessible
- - Toilet with grab rails
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key access
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Breakfast takeaway containers
- - Delivered food is securely covered
- - Access to health care professionals
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

2 June 2026
If you would like a 3 star hotel that is over priced look no further !