- Introduction: A Ski Trip In The French Alps
- Review: Lufthansa Lounge Boston Airport (BOS)
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Boston Airport (BOS)
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Airbus A340-600 (BOS-MUC)
- Review: Lufthansa First Class Lounge Munich Airport (MUC)
- Review: Air Dolomiti Business Class Embraer E195 (MUC-GVA)
- Review: The Woodward Hotel Geneva, Oetker Collection
- Review: Airelles Val d’Isère, France (Perfect!)
- Review: Four Seasons Megeve, France
Want to take advantage of Virtuoso benefits at no extra cost, including a room upgrade, free breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He doesn’t charge booking fees, and may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
To kick off our ski trip in the French Alps, we first spent a night in Geneva. We did this so that we had a bit of a buffer in the event of any irregular operations with flights, and so that we could start to adjust to the timezone prior to staying at Airelles Val d’Isère and Four Seasons Megeve. Furthermore, Geneva is an amazing hotel city, and also a generally fun place to spend a night.
Geneva has a lot of luxury hotels, with everything from a Ritz-Carlton to a Four Seasons. However, we decided to mix things up a bit on this trip, and stay at The Woodward, a 26-suite hotel that just opened in September 2021. Not only was I excited to stay at this hotel because of how gorgeous it looked, but it would also be my first stay at an Oetker Collection property.
I’m happy to report that The Woodward didn’t disappoint, and I can’t recommend this hotel enough. This is a stunning property with gorgeous suites, ample amenities, great dining, and friendly service.
In this post:
What is Oetker Collection?
For those not familiar with Oetker Collection, it’s a German luxury hotel management company that has been around for over 150 years, and it’s managed by the Oetker family.
The Oetker Collection has roughly a dozen properties, including some of the world’s mist iconic hotels, like Hôtel Le Bristol Paris, The Lanesborough London, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, and Eden Rock St Barths, among others.
Booking The Woodward Geneva
For the night we were staying, The Woodward was charging 880 CHF all-in (~$990), and that’s what we paid. Ford booked us through Virtuoso, which doesn’t cost anything extra, and offers additional perks. These perks include an upgrade (subject to availability), a $100 property credit, complimentary breakfast, and early check-in and late check-out (subject to availability).
If you’d like help with a Virtuoso booking, Ford is happy to help, and can be reached at [email protected].
Entry level pricing at The Woodward is on par with the other top luxury hotels in the city, with the major distinction being that The Woodward is an all-suite property. The base rooms here are 600 square foot junior suites, so you’re getting a lot more space than at other hotels (as a point of comparison, standard rooms at the Ritz-Carlton are 270 square feet, while standard rooms at the Four Seasons are 280 square feet).
The Woodward Geneva location
The Woodward is situated directly on Lake Geneva, just off Quai Wilson. While I’m not an expert on Geneva, I thought the location was great, and it was a short walk from all the other luxury hotels in the city. We enjoyed going on an afternoon stroll from the hotel.
We lucked out with amazing weather during our visit in March, as there were blue skies and pretty warm temperatures — you can’t beat that!
Note that the hotel’s entrance is rather unassuming, and is located on a side street.
Then when you enter on the ground floor, you’ll find both an elevator (a snazzy red lacquered one, no less!) and staircase leading up a level, as that’s where the main lobby is located.
The Woodward Geneva lobby & check-in
To appreciate the design of The Woodward, it’s worth understanding the history. The building initially opened as a hotel back in 1901. Then eventually it was converted into a bank (HSBC), before being renovated for six years to make it what it is today.
The design of this property is stunning, and it really feels like no expense was spared. The lobby features plenty of seating, art, and floral arrangements, and then the reception desk is located right next to that.
Our check-in process was efficient and friendly. We were checked in within five minutes, and then escorted up to our room. We were informed that we had been upgraded to a deluxe suite on account of having booked through Virtuoso (as that’s a one category upgrade), and we were assigned room 503.
The various floors of The Woodward can be reached either by elevators or stairs. The hotel has 10(ish) floors, as it goes from level negative two to level seven.
The Woodward Geneva suite
Deluxe suites at The Woodward are 830 square feet, and they’re “proper” suites with two rooms. Not bad for one category above entry level, eh?
When we entered the suite, the living room was straight ahead. It featured a couch, along with a chair and ottoman, and a TV in the corner on a stand.
The room had a fireplace, though it couldn’t actually be used. Still, it was pretty to look at.
It’s not just that the finishes in the room were beautiful, but I also loved all the decorations.
Waiting on the dining table was a welcome amenity, consisting of fresh fruit and some sweets.
Another awesome thing about The Woodward is that with the exception of alcohol, everything else in the minibar area is free. This included all kinds of delicious Swiss chocolates, some savory snacks, and all kinds of soft drinks and juices.
The room also had a fancy Nespresso machine.
There was also a half bathroom just off the entrance to the suite.
There were then double doors separating the living room from the bedroom. The bedroom had a very comfortable king size bed, a desk with a chair, and a TV on a stand in the corner.
There was a closet off the bedroom.
The entire room had views of Lake Geneva, which was a real treat.
Lastly, the main bathroom was off the bedroom, and wow, was this impressive as well. It had double sinks, a vanity, a soaking tub, a walk-in shower, and a toilet.
Toiletries were from Guerlain, which is also the company behind the property’s spa.
The Woodward Geneva pool & gym
The Woodward’s pool and gym are located on level minus two, and are also impressive. This is a massive space for a hotel with just 26 rooms. The “catch” is that the hotel sells memberships to the gym and pool, though I didn’t find either to be even remotely crowded during our stay.
The Woodward has a 21-meter pool, along with a hot tub next to it, which we enjoyed using! This is open daily from 7AM until 10PM.
The seating around the pool was fairly limited, though, as there were just three day beds. Like I said, though, there was no one else there when we visited, so that wasn’t an issue.
In addition to the pool, this area also has hot and cold baths, as well as a sauna and steam room.
The gym is right next to the pool, and is equally impressive, with a solid selection of cardio and weight equipment. This is open 24/7.
The gym had a variety of fresh fruit, bottled water, and some CLIF and KIND bars.
The Woodward Geneva Guerlain Spa
While I didn’t have a chance to use it during our short stay, The Woodward has a Guerlain Spa, which seems to be pretty popular. You can find the treatment menu here.
The Woodward Geneva Le Jardinier Restaurant
The Woodward has a very strong food & beverage game. Right off the lobby is Le Jardinier, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The dining area consists of two separate rooms, both with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of Lake Geneva.
Le Jardinier also has a bar, should you want a drink at some point during the day.
The Woodward serves breakfast at Le Jardinier daily from 6:30AM until 10:30AM, and you can find the breakfast menu below.
I was a little confused by the breakfast situation. For example, I tried to order “Breakfast at The Woodward,” which includes continental breakfast plus a dish. However, it wasn’t clear what exactly was included with the continental breakfast, and asking the server didn’t provide much clarity.
It was made clear that we could just order whatever we wanted, so that’s what we did. To drink, I had an americano, while Ford had a cappuccino.
We were then brought a ridiculously decadent plate of pastries, which were basically art.
I ordered some bircher muesli and an egg white frittata, while Ford ordered an omelet with veggies.
In the evening, we came to the bar at Le Jardinier for a drink, and both had negronis, which were served with a nice snack plate that had veggies, olives, and chips.
We didn’t have any other meals at Le Jardinier, but you can find the lunch menu here and find the dinner menu here.
The Woodward Geneva L’Atelier Robuchon
The Woodward Geneva’s other restaurant is L’Atelier Robuchon, which has a Michelin star, and is open for lunch and dinner. We figured we’d dine here both since we had a food & beverage credit to spend, and so that I could review all the hotel’s facilities.
This restaurant is really cool, with a totally different design and vibe than the rest of the hotel. The main part of the dining area is a 36-seat counter, where you can watch the chefs prepare your food. On top of that, there are several more traditional dining tables, in addition to a bar area.
For dinner you can either order a la carte or do one of the tasting menus. We both decided to do the six course vegetarian tasting menu, which cost 179 CHF. You can find that menu below.
The meal began with a huge bread basket and an amuse bouche.
That was followed by the six courses, and you can find the description of them above.
Honestly, what a feast. The food was as delicious as it was pretty, and that’s saying something. Service in the restaurant was also top notch. For example, at one point I accidentally dropped my napkin, and before I could even pick it up, a server appeared with a new napkin.
The Woodward Geneva service
For the most part, I found service at The Woodward to be phenomenal. Every employee seemed like they genuinely wanted to ensure that guests had a great stay, which is always nice to see.
The only real constructive feedback I have is that some of the hotel staff spoke very little English, and could only communicate in French (and there’s not much German in Geneva either). That wasn’t a big deal, but for an international business city like Geneva, I think that’s something that could be worked on.
Bottom line
I’m so happy we chose to stay at The Woodward Geneva for our overnight. Not only was I excited to finally stay at an Oetker Collection property, but I think this property in particular is special. At just 26 rooms and with all accommodations being suites, this place gives you lots of space while also having an intimate feeling.
But it’s not just the rooms that impress here. The hotel also has a very nice gym, pool, spa, and two great restaurants. If you can swing it, I’d absolutely recommend The Woodward. I’m now even more intrigued by the rest of Oetker Collection’s portfolio.
What do you make of The Woodward Geneva?
This looks extremely classy. Operators of North American 5* hotels should take notes.
Thanks for the review. It seems to be a nice property and with Virtuoso benefits an o.k.-ish price.
In Geneva, the price depends on whether there are high level international conferences or the Arab summer holidays. Then it can be much more, in the second week of January it can also be less.
An excellent review - thank you for your care and eye for detail. I am an Oetker devotee and this hotel is a welcome addition to the collection in a gorgeous city.
I look forward to you reviewing other properties in the group to compare notes.
Glad you enjoyed your stay, The Woodward has been on my radar ever since it was announced it was opening a few years back. It's on my list to stay when Im in Geneva pre-Courchevel!
Learning a little French when going to a French speaking country is ideal. You will be surprised by how much the locals appreciate it.
I don’t think Ben said he didn’t know any French. He said some staff only spoke French, not German or English. Not the same thing.
That does imply though he didn't choose to try to speak French, but in turn expected them to speak English. Regardless, CR is correct, learning a little of the local language can go a long way rather than just expecting English to be spoken everywhere all at once!
Seeing as Switzerland doesn't really have a unified common language thats not as simple as you imply. Regardless, in a luxury hotel in Europe staff should be able to speak some English.
Mon français est horrible, en fait je peux parler seulement en cognats et à le style maladroit. C’est tout que je me souviens de mon cours français à lycée il y a 15 ans. Et quoi de plus, je n’ai aucune d’abilities d’écouter la langue française. Je suis inutile sans un machine de translation. Mais, pour vous, je suis supposé faire ça……..
Looks outstanding. Thanks for the review!
Ben, Le Jardinier and L'Atelier du Joël Robuchon are two of our fave restaurants in Miami. If you and Ford haven't been, highly recommend!
Was curious about the gym membership, turns out the annual cost is $8300 per person.
Great review! Oetker is fantastic. I'm dying to stay at Brenner's Park in Baden-Baden.
Ben, you should do a staycation review whenever their Palm Beach property opens.
Wait, wait, wait.....a 5-star rating at a place that doesn't offer avocado toast for breakfast. Am I missing something here?? That just can't be.
When you mentionned Le Bristol... I was about to say meh!!! Of course I will go if you pay me the meal...
Now when I read L'atelier Robuchon, then I understand why you find the restaurant at this hotel excellent.
When Monsieur Robuchon was still alive, once at L'atelier in Paris, he was in the kitchen and I had two young Japanese couple beisdes me.
I called Monsieur Robuchon to come towards us, and when...
When you mentionned Le Bristol... I was about to say meh!!! Of course I will go if you pay me the meal...
Now when I read L'atelier Robuchon, then I understand why you find the restaurant at this hotel excellent.
When Monsieur Robuchon was still alive, once at L'atelier in Paris, he was in the kitchen and I had two young Japanese couple beisdes me.
I called Monsieur Robuchon to come towards us, and when he just arrived, the young couple fell very much impressed to be saluted by him: they were "squared" in their body to salute him, exulting an amazing "Ah Monsieur Robuchon": this time that was the best ad he would have in Tokyo when the couple would say they had met Monsieur Robuchon in person. What a souvenir!
And the food is so good too indeed.
Check your spelling of l'atelier...
If you ate at a Robuchon joint and didn't have the potatoes, you should go back.
A more compact version of their spa/gym setup would be my dream at-home basement setup lol