THE HOTEL
One of only a few YOTEL properties with meetings and conferences facilities, this hotel opened in April 2024 and its events spaces in September. It’s a 30-minute drive from Geneva city centre and 10 minutes from Nyon, the home of UEFA’s headquarters and a major centre for money broking.
The 237-room hotel is a 40-minute walk or a five-minute drive to the lakeside. Two inter-connected glass buildings give glimpses of the lake, the snow-capped mountains behind and even the peak of Mont Blanc on clear days.
THE CHECK-IN
We took the free shuttle bus from Geneva Airport, which runs roughly every 40 minutes from 5.20am until 11.40pm and takes just 15 minutes. We got the last bus and went straight to the 24-hour reception desk. There are also self-service check-in and check-out kiosks for busy periods.
THE ROOM
Some rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with lake views but sadly ours, a premium twin, didn’t. Instead we had a door which looked across a pebbled rooftop to the rooms opposite. True to the YOTEL brand, the room was bijoux but well designed to maximise the limited space. All plug sockets were an odd shape which meant my UK-Europe adapters didn’t fit but I borrowed one from reception, who told me there were plans to eventually change them.
The large TV had dozens of channels, including all the freeview UK channels. A small desk flipped down from the wall with a pouf (only the top room types have desk chairs). Two separate cubicles housed a walk-in shower and a toilet while the sink was in the main bedroom, next to a hanging rail for clothes.
THE FACILITIES
The Hygge Restaurant and Seafood Bar serve Danish dishes. Breakfast was limited but had the basics and a few extras, like smoked salmon. There’s a small fitness room and a work area in the lobby where guests can get free hot drinks. There are two enclosed booths if you want to make private phone conversations.
THE BUSINESS
Two new conference rooms, with standing room for up to 300 people, are well designed, with floor-to-ceiling windows, as were the four small meeting rooms. A fabulous rooftop bar for special events has lake views.
THE VERDICT
Upgrade to a lake view room to get the best experience. The free airport shuttle bus is a bonus. The staff (especially Smaïn) were super helpful. It was further from the lake than I expected but you can pick up a tourist bike just down the road and cycle there (harder on the way back up the hill!). To get to Geneva city centre, you can take a bus across the road to the nearby Coppet train station then take the train, or take the hotel shuttle bus to the airport and pick up a bus or train from there.
THE DETAILS
Room rates start from 150 CHF a night. yotel.com
