Accommodation in Geneva

Hotels in Geneva are expensive and in high demand. Please make your bookings as much as possible in advance.

Every hotel in Geneva will offer you tickets for free public transport (they are reimbursed for the expenses by the Geneva Tourism Office). Don't be afraid to ask.

The Congress Organizers have reserved a limited number of rooms at:

  • Ramada Encore (Route des Jeunes 10-12, 1227 Carouge / Genève) for a mean price of 180 CHF per night and room including breakfast, taxes and public transportation. Interested participants should take contact directly with the hotel via telephone (+41 22 309 50 00) until July 30th.
  • ETAP HOTEL Genève Petit-Lancy (Chemin des Olliquettes 6, Petit-Lancy 1213, Geneva) for a mean price of 96.3 CHF per night and room (2 beds) including taxes and public transportation. Interested participants should take contact directly with the hotel via e-mail (h7291@accor.com) or via telephone (+41(0)22 709 02 00), using the codeword “Photobiology” until July 30th.
  • HOTEL IBIS Geneve Petit-Lancy (Chemin des Olliquettes 8, Petit-Lancy 1213, Geneva) for a mean price of 141 CHF per night and room (2 beds). Interested participants should directly contact the hotel via e-mail (h7289@accor.com) or phone using the code “137515” until July 30th.

Other Hotels

The hotels are arranged in decreasing order of ranking within the organizer’s personal preference order (which takes into account closeness to the department, prize, and (testimony about) friendliness of staff, in this order). For those who would like to offer themselves a little luxury there are also some more expensive hotels to be taken into consideration.
  • Comédie:
    • 12, rue de Carouge, 1205 Genève; tel: +41223222324; fax:+41223222323
    • singles at approx. 140 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Bel'Espérance, in the old town:
    • rue de la vallée 1, 1204 Genève; tel: +41228183737; fax:+41228183773
    • singles at approx. 100 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Le Prince, close to Uni Mail:
    • 16, rue des Voisins, 1205 Genève; tel: +41228070500; fax:+41223202870
    • singles at approx. 100 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Carmen, close to Uni Mail:
    • 5 rue Dancet, 1205 Genève; tel: +41223291111; fax:+41227815933
    • singles at approx. 100 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Lido, close to the station:
    • Rue de Chantepoulet 8, 1201 Genève; tel: +41 22 731 55 30; fax:+41 22 731 65 01
    • click here for a map
  • Pax:
    • 68, Rue du 31 Décembre, 1207 Genève; tel: +41227875070; fax:+41227875080
    • click here for a map
  • Aviation, a bit outside:
    • Chemin des Coquelicots 18, 1214 Vernier; tel: +41223411232
    • click here for a map
  • Caroline, on the other side of the river Arve:
    • Rue Caroline 51, 1227 Carouge; tel: +41223433660
    • click here for a map
  • Cloche, in the lively quarter "Le Pâquis":
    • 6, rue de la Cloche, 1201 Genève; tel: +41 22 732 94 81; fax:+41 22 738 16 12
    • click here for a map
  • Esméralda, on the other side of the river Arve:
    • Rue Simon Durand 7, 1227 Acacias / Genève tel: +41223223439698
    • click here for a map
  • Hotel Saint-Gervais, between the station and the university:
    • 20, Rue des Corps-Saints, 1201 Genève tel: +41227324572; fax:+41227314290
    • click here for a map
  • Beau Site:
    • place du Cirque 3, 1204 Genève; tel: +41223281008; fax:+41223292364
    • singles at approx. 110 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Des Tourelles:
    • 2, boulevard James Fazy, 1201 Genève; tel: +41227324423; fax:+41227327620
    • singles at approx. 130 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Le Grenil:
    • avenue Sainte-Clotilde 7, 1205 Genève; tel: +41223283055; fax:+41223216010
    • singles at approx. 180 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Hotel Windsor:
    • Rue de berne 31, 1201 Genève, tel : +41227151600 ; fax :+41227319352
    • Singles at approx : 190 CHF
    • Close station
  • Hôtel Porte de Genève
    • 4, rue René Cassin, 74240 Gaillard (France), Tel: 0033/4/ 50 39 70 30
    • Single room: 68. Euro
  • Hotel Ibis, Annemasse
    • 38, Route de Genève, 74100 Ambilly, France, Tel: 0033/4/50 38 70 66
    • (Private outdoor and indoor parking)
  • Hôtel La Place (**), Annemasse
    • 10, Place Jean-Deffaugt, 74100 Annemasse, Tel. 0033/4/ 50 92 06 44
  • Etap hotel Geneva, between the airport and the station:
    • Avenue Louis Casai 30, 1216 GENEVE-COINTRIN tel: +41227104636; fax:+41227104610
    • click here for a map
  • Aida:
    • 6, avenue Henri-Dunant, 1205 Genève; tel: +41223201266; fax:+41223212853
    • singles at approx. 120 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Ambassador, close to the station:
    • 21, quai des Bergues, 1201 Genève; tel: +41229080530; fax:+41227389080
    • singles at approx. 300 CHF
    • click here for a map
  • Appart Valley Gaillard, Porte de Genève
    • 1, Place Porte de France, 74240 Gaillard

This is the list from the Geneva tourism office.

Here is a general list.

You can find more relatively cheap hotels here.

Hostels

Accommodation in Geneva is very expensive. By far the cheapest place is the Cité Universitaires, run by the university. Here is another place which costs you only 20 CHF/night if you stay 5 days. Click here for general information about university accommodation.

There are (at least) two youth hostels, the 'official' one (which is terrible), and another, much better one.

Among cheap hotels, there is the "Rhodania" (5, rue Paul-Bouchet (angle rue Chantepoulet 17), 1201 Geneve, phone 0227314720, fax 0227384089, no internet): 75 CHF for single room, better rooms below 100 CHF.

The other side

Places to eat

  • "L'Echalotte" (17 rue des Rois. 0223205999) [French] Excellent food at good-value prices.
  • "Auberge de Coutance" (25 rue de Coutance, close to the station, 0227327919) [French] A classical address, but not too cheap.
  • "Au Vieux Carouge" (27 rue Jacques-Dalphin, Carouge, 0223426498) [French] Very good fondue.
  • "L'Universal" (26 bd du Pont-d'Arve, close to the university, 0227811881) [French] Nice salads, though the service is not too friendly.
  • "Chausse Coq" (14 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 0223202092) [French] Little choice, but very moderately prized and a nice atmosphere.
  • "Café Gallay" (42 Bd St-Georges, 0223210035) [French] A nice conveniently located restaurant.
  • "Rond Point" (rond point Plainpalais, 0223204795) [French] Popular "brasserie", wi-fi access.
  • "Le Remor" (3 place du Cirque, 0223281270) [French] Excellent icecream and wi-fi access.
  • "Le Milan" (9 rue Chaponnière, 0227324665) [Italian] Serves excellent pasta and other Italian non-pizza dishes. Close to the station.
  • "Il Padrino" (41 rue Dancet, 0223203104) [Italian] Excellent pizzeria.
  • "Pasta d'Oro" (16 rue Micheli-du-Crest, 0223297298) [Italian] Good pizzeria.
  • "O Sole Mio" (boulevard Carl-Vogt 43, 0223217507) [Italian]. Good pizzeria.
  • "Le Comptoir" (Rue de Richemond 9, 0227313237) [Asian] Very good and inventive Asian fusion food. Close to the station.
  • "Shahi" (pl. de Cornavin 2, close to the station, 0227384436) [Indian] Very good curries. Close to the station.
  • "Ghandi" (37 rue de Neuchatel, 0227314112) [Indian] Smallish Indian restaurant.
  • "Sam-Lor Thai" (17, rue de Monthoux, 0227388055) [Thaï]
  • "La Mamounia" (Bd Georges Favon 10, 0223295561) [Maghrebian].
  • "Le Thé" (65 rue des Bains, 0794367718) [Chinese] A very small charming Dim Sun place.
  • "Le café des Négociants" (29, rue de la Filature, Carouge, 0223003130) [French]. Nice not too expensive French restaurant.
  • "Les recyclables" (53, rue de Carouge, 0223282373) [French]. Has lots of books, non-smoking.
  • a good guide
  • Café Restaurant Curiositas Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 8/10, – [French] for scientists with exposition of curiosities

How to get around

  • The best way to get around in Geneva is by public transport. The public transport company (TPG) have a very useful route planner.
  • Taxis are rather expensive: some phone numbers 0223314133, 0223202202, 0223202020 and 0794496147. The first of these also does "taxibus", the taxi service that goes to the airport very early in the morning (< 5 am), when public transport is idle. The last one has 5 places. Some taxis are usually waiting at the place du Cirque.
  • The best way of getting around in Switzerland is by train. The electronic timetable is here. If you come to Switzerland more than once a year or travel a lot, consider buying a Half-Fare card. It ives you access to reduced fares and costs 150 CHF, which is what you save if you travel twice to Berne and once to Zurich (per year).
  • This is the timetable of the airport. Other Swiss airports are located in Zurich, Basel and Berne.

Other information

Read the Wikitravel Guide to Geneva.