What it is

A 1909 grande dame on 47 acres fronting Lake Geneva, with the iconic Évian Spa, 11 restaurants and bars, and bottomless activities (including golf and a casino).

What it isn't

Just for grown-ups desperate for a spa day. Kiddos are pampered here full throttle, from their own children’s pool to spa treatments designed just for them.

What we think

Tucked within a Belle Époque exterior, Hôtel Royal Évian Resort is the type of place families, celebs and highpower business tycoons alike return to year after year for decades—and they have. After all, it’s the type of resort that has everything: including dogsledding, hiking with donkeys, behind the scenes tours of Charlie Chaplin’s old house, and so many other unexpected exploits. Guest rooms are elegant and sumptuous, with both lakeside and mountain views; the Sejour Park View Rooms begin at 290 square feet and are equipped with marble sheathed bathrooms, minibars, and, often, furnished balconies. Our favorite room option is the Residence Lake View Room for its jaw-dropping views of Lake Geneva and 505 square foot floor plan; the Junior Suite Rotonde is also worth a splurge for its sitting room in a rotunda overlooking the water.

You're here because

The spa is more than 18,000 square feet and home to Evian water that bubbles up pristinely from the earth after a 15 year journey.

The Moment

The main dining room here, Les Fresques, has been Michelin starred for years…and no wonder. It’s entirely transportive, from the evergreen tree standing like a sculpture amid the dining room to the menu (your favorite tonight: gray snails from Chevenoz cooked in garden herbs, black garlic, Chambery vermouth and froth.)

Restaurants & Bars

Les Fresques - fine dining experience by Michelin-starred chef Patrice Vander, offering sophisticated international cuisine

La Véranda - relaxed dining atmosphere offering international cuisine using fresh seasonal produce

Le Bar - offering creative cocktails, spirits, whiskies from around the world, champagnes and wines as well as light bites

L’Oliveraie - available during summer months, offering a Mediterranean-style buffet near the pool

Location

A prime perch of Lake Geneva’s waterfront on the French side, less than an hour from Geneva.