Looking for the best area to live in Geneva?
Follow the guide, I’ve listed and detailed for you the best districts in Geneva as well as the best accommodation in the city you love to visit.
⏰ Don’t have time to read everything?
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations listed by price category:
🚨 Note : These hotels are among the most popular, so don’t delay in booking. What’s more, they offer free cancellation, so don’t worry if you change your mind
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Cheap design hotel in Geneva located 15 minutes walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Table des matières
The best areas to stay in Geneva
It’s not always easy to find accommodation in Geneva, as prices are often high. Whether you want to visit the city with your family, as a romantic getaway, reside in a quiet corner or enjoy the nightlife during your stay, we have selected for you the different neighbourhoods in which to stay in Geneva according to everyone’s tastes. Treat yourself!
First-time visitors to Geneva: the old town
Dating back over 2000 years, much of Geneva’s history can be seen in the architecture of this district. We recommend staying here if you’re visiting the city for the first time: you’ll be right at the heart of the main attractions it has to offer!
Winding cobbled streets, old buildings and squares lined with cafés: if you like the picturesque feel of medieval towns, you’ll feel right at home in Geneva’s old town!
It really is a charming and peaceful district, close to historic buildings, art galleries and numerous viewpoints. Although it’s centrally located, it’s a place that’s not swarming with tourists, quite relaxing to explore and a great place to stay!
5 things to see and do in the old town :
– saint-Pierre cathedral
– place du Bourg de Four
– maison Tavel (dating from the Middle Ages, it houses a museum on the history of the town)
– the International Museum of the Reformation
– shopping in the Rue de la Croix d’Or.
Here are our favourite hotels for a first stay in Geneva
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Genève. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Sleeping in Geneva as a couple: Carouge
Travelling to Geneva as a couple? In our humble opinion, Carouge is the district to stay in if you’re looking for a particularly romantic atmosphere for your stay!
Carouge was originally a town designed by Italian architects on the outskirts of Geneva. That’s why this place, now an integral part of the city, has a completely different soul that you won’t find anywhere else in the area!
We particularly liked the Mediterranean feel of the area, with its culture of lively cafés, restaurants and bars, and its high concentration of art galleries and artists’ studios. For a bohemian lifestyle in Geneva, Carouge is the place to be!
5 things to do and see in Carouge :
– stroll around Place du Marché
– the Carouge shopping centre
– have a drink or a coffee near Place du Temple
– the Carouge museum
– the art galleries on rue Jacques Dalphin.
Here are our favourite hotels in the Carouge district of Geneva
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Where to stay in Geneva with children as a family: Eaux-Vives
Families will particularly appreciate staying in Geneva in the Eaux-Vives district: in fact, it has a central location right next to the old town and the lake while being calm and quiet.
It also boasts Geneva’s largest park, with open-air concerts in summer and free barbecues: all perfect ingredients for great family fun!
We particularly like Eaux-Vives for its magnificent walks along the shores of Lake Geneva (in all seasons), with glimpses of the peaks of the Alps in the distance: it’s simply sublime!
5 things to do and see in Eaux-Vives :
– parc de la Grange
– Genève-Plage
– the Jet d’eau
– the Natural History Museum
– stroll along the shores of Lake Geneva.
Here are our favourite hotels for a family stay in Geneva
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Going out in Geneva: Plainpalais
Plainpalais is the area of Geneva closest to the university, so it’s lively, young and affordable. It’s a great place to stay if you want to go out in the evening!
There’s a big flea market there, the biggest in Geneva. Plainpalais is also a good place to find accommodation if you’re looking for something a little more affordable.
On top of that, there are plenty of places in the area where you can eat and drink very well for less than in some other parts of Geneva: so long!
5 things to do and see in Plainpalais :
– the flea market
– walk along the banks of the Arve river
– see what’s going on on the Plainpalais plain (shows, open-air concerts, etc.)
– the bars on rue de l’Ecole de Médecine
– an escape game evening at Trip Trap.
Here are our favourite hotels in the area for going out in Geneva
Note: Don’t delay booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
For peace and quiet in Geneva: Palais des Nations
The Palais des Nations is not just the United Nations Office: the building is located in the heart of a district of Geneva that bears the same name. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to stay in the city, this is the place to go!
The Palais des Nations includes the large Ariana Park, the Geneva Botanical Gardens and the United Nations headquarters. Situated on the western shore of Lake Geneva, this district is only a few tram stops from the old town, but with its lungs full of greenery and its proximity to the lake, it’s an area where you’ll find peace and quiet in Geneva while never being far from the city centre!
5 things to do and see in Palais des Nations :
– the Palais des Nations
– ariana Park
– walk along Lake Geneva
– the Geneva Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
– the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum.
Here are our favourite hotels in Geneva’s quiet district
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
Budget accommodation in Geneva: Les Pâquis
If you want to travel to Geneva on a budget and still be close to the city centre, Les Pâquis is the place for you.
Not far from the main railway station, the old town, the Palais des Nations and, of course, Lake Geneva, this is also where you’ll find the largest concentration of youth hostels in Geneva.
And it’s true that the nightlife here is top-notch! Pâquis is also one of Geneva’s most multicultural districts, which is reflected in the variety of cuisine you can find in the cafés, bars and restaurants. Adventurous eaters, this is the district for you!
5 things to see and do in Pâquis :
– the Perle du Lac park
– the Pâquis baths
– the Brunswick monument
– a stroll along the shores of Lake Geneva
– have a drink on the terrace and enjoy the scenery.
Here are our favourite cheap hotels in Geneva
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most booked in Geneva.
(€) Meininger Hotel Geneva. Design and cheap hotel in Geneva located 15 min walk from the city centre and the jet d’eau. Book here.
(€€) ❤️ CitizenM Geneva. Located in the heart of the tourist sites, 250 m from Lake Geneva and 1 km from the jet d’eau. The staff are very helpful and the rooms are spacious. Book here.
(€€€) Hotel Bristol. Superior 4-star hotel located in the travellers’ favourite district, 100 m from the lake and the station. Exceptional welcome! Book here.
Where to stay near Geneva? Nyon
For your stay in Switzerland, if you fancy staying on the shores of Lake Geneva and are planning to visit Geneva but don’t necessarily want to stay there, we suggest the town of Nyon. Ideally situated between Geneva and Lausanne, this town founded by the Romans offers an exceptional living environment!
With its rich built heritage and geographical location, Nyon’s cultural life is one of the most impressive in Switzerland. In summer, you can take part in no fewer than six film, performing arts or music festivals. If you’re in Nyon in July and love the incomparable atmosphere of the concerts, don’t miss the Paléo Festival under any circumstances: it’s the biggest open-air festival in Switzerland and quite honestly one of the best music scenes in Europe!
5 things to do and see in Nyon :
– the Roman Basilica and Museum
– the Lake Geneva Museum
– nyon Castle
– nyon beach
– paléo Festival (end of July).