Looking at Geneva for June - any good hotel recommendations?

[JaneEyre70]

It's our 25th wedding anniversary and we've decided on Geneva but have no experience of Switzerland. We did like the look of Chamonix and Mont Blanc as a day trip, and Montreux but any other ideas would be very welcome. Thanks.

Tip number 1 is that you can get free Unireso transport into Geneva from the airport (think the ticket lasts about an hour and there are machines at baggage reclaim).

Tip 2 Lidl is about the cheapest place to buy wine/beer/food (There is/was one quite close to the main train station). The Chez Ma Cousine chain does cheap chicken & chips with salad.

It isn't in a particularly touristy area, but we like the chance to self cater so stay at Starling Residences (it is part of a hotel school). The tram stop is right outside.

It is easy enough to hire a car and go up Chamonix (if you have a sat-nav it might be worth bringing it). I think we went up in mid June and enjoyed it (take warm clothing/insulated shoe insoles).

Another thing we did was buy a Lake Geneva regional rail pass (splashed out and went 1st class) so we could travel round Geneva without worrying about fares and go on the (Goldenpass) tourist observation trains up to Gstaad/Zweisimmen and Gruyere. Montreux and Chateau Chillon are also lovely. www.swissrailways.com/en/products/regionalalpspass
and
www.goldenpass.ch/en

We've always chosen to stay in Geneva so it was easy to get to CERN, but I think we did decide that Montreux would be a really nice place for a break too.

Thanks for that, just what I was looking for. It's the rail travel that's made it so appealing, really. Funnily enough I found a lovely hotel in Montreux today that's half board, so I am wondering about that as a base now.....it looks gorgeous.

Montreux is lovely. Aside from getting to Chamonix, we found we were forever going backwards and forwards through Montreux to get anywhere.

Our bible was a Bradt guide "Switzerland without a car" by Anthony Lambert.

It was quite/very windy when we were last there so we scrapped plans to do much travelling on the Lake, but that might be worth investigating too.

Montreux is rather lovely and smaller/prettier than Geneva. Annecy over in France is gorgeous too.

In Geneva, I really enjoyed touring round the United Nations - not many places in the world you can do that.

The Evian Resort on Lake Geneva is stunning. Expensive but an amazing treat!

We just returned from Chamonix as it was dh's 50th. It was just so beautiful - it's about an hour and a half from Geneva and I'd recommend it. Have a great time

Geneva itself is not hugely attractive and very expensive. Along the lake would be better or a resort like Chateau d' oex.

Thanks everyone - we've booked a hotel in Montreux and will do a day trip to Geneva instread, so am planning some exciting days out now on the trains. Can't wait to go up into the mountains, I'm a very keen photographer.