The Woodward, Auberge Resorts Collection

"The Woodward is by turns wild and lavish, demure and delicate. The eclecticism that confronts you when you step in off the street—a deliberately dissonant jolt of crystal, marble, murals, gilded Victorian lacquer, midcentury modernism, and Macassar ebony—soon settles down, but that initial impression of fizz and drama lingers. Each of the 26 suites is decked out in glorious, richly textured style. The Guerlain Spa is a knockout . In addition to the spa itself, there is a 70-foot pool , two saunas, two steam rooms, a hot tub, a gym, and a cigar lounge. —Steve King"

"The Woodward’s new spa by Guerlain uses photobiomodulation light therapy to regenerate collagen and elastin."

"Why book The Woodward hotel? Because this is one of the best hotels of its kind to have opened in goodness knows how long. Ages. Set the scene Opening night went without a hitch. Unseasonably fine weather. A gentle breeze off the lake. The crowd—Oetker Collection loyalists, local bigwigs, assorted high rollers—was thumbs up and full of beans. Only three journalists were there to lower the tone, a dashing Frenchman, a gimlet-eyed German lady with a sense of humor as dry as a wooden god’s, and the present reviewer. ‘Be v-e-r-y careful what you say,’ the German advised. ‘In Geneva one person in every four is a spy. This is fact.’ The backstory What is now The Woodward, on what is now the Quai Wilson, was built in 1901 as the Hôtel Bellevue, on what was then the Quai du Léman. Six textbook Belle Époque stories, ornate though not ostentatious, with a mansard roof and a meringue-like dollop of a dome atop each corner. First a hotel, then a private residence, then offices, then a bank and now a hotel once more. The Woodward is part of the Oetker Collection, which includes among others the Bristol in Paris, the Lanesborough in London, and the Eden Rock in St Barths. The repurposed interiors, by the ubiquitous Pierre Yves Rochon (who also did the nearby Beau Rivage and Hôtel des Bergues), are by turns wild and lavish, demure and delicate. The eclecticism that confronts you when you step in off the street—a deliberately dissonant jolt of crystal, marble, murals, gilded Victorian lacquer, mid-century modernism and Macassar ebony—soon settles down; but that initial impression of fizz and drama lingers. As for the name, apparently The Woodward was almost called The Woodrow, after Woodrow Wilson, whose role in establishing the League of Nations in the aftermath of the First World War is commemorated in the names of various other buildings, streets and indeed hotels in the neighborhood. Happily, that idea was abandoned when some bright spark present at one of the brainstorming sessions pointed out that, irrespective of his achievements in public life, certain of President Wilson’s less endearing personal qualities, in particular his poisonous racism, might make him a less than entirely suitable namesake. The rooms Don’t bother asking for a room—they haven’t got any. They’ve only got suites. And just 26 of them to boot, making this the smallest five-star hotel in town with some of the largest rooms—sorry, suites—ranging in size from 180 to 525 square feet. Each of which 26 ample spaces is decked out in glorious, richly textured style: parquet floors so lovely you hardly want to walk on them; hypnotic straw marquetry panels; silk wallpaper by Fromental; translucent mother-of-pearl drawer handles by Lalique that might wind up mysteriously disappearing like napkin rings from Annabel’s. Naturally there is a certain amount of variation between suites in terms of their particular character and outlook. For the classic lake view, high ceilings and lots of lateral extension, you want to be front-row centre on one of the lower floors. For something a little more angular, a little less conventional—you might say quirky—ask for a top-story corner suite. The spa Le Spa Guerlain, with its array of sublimely scented Guerlain treatments, is a knock-out. (Heaven probably smells like L’Heure Bleue.) In addition to the spa itself, there is a 70-foot pool, two saunas, two steam rooms, a hot tub, a gym and—get this—a cigar lounge. It is located in the old bank vault and you enter through a great big steel door that still has the original No Smoking sign on it. The obvious irony of a No Smoking sign on the door to a fumoir is amusing enough; better still is the idea it engenders of the falling ash from some careless millionaire’s stogie setting fire to a secret fortune of sovereign bonds. ‘We apologise for the loss of your assets, sir, but you were warned: no smoking in the vault.’ The neighborhood Most of the city’s top hotels are on the lake, and a good many of them are lined up along this particular strip of the rive droite that extends from the Palais Wilson to the centre of town. Somehow The Woodward seems even closer to the water than most of its peers—perhaps this has to do with the presence of a little marina directly opposite. The sight of that tidy forest of gently swaying masts is immensely pleasing. Should you wish to take matters further, the hotel will make the necessary arrangements to get you aboard a vessel of one kind or another—a leisurely cruise under steam or sail, a bit of water-skiing, even a fishing trip with local beardy heartthrob and all-round good sport Balthazar Witzig.  Food and drink A big deal. People in Geneva eat in hotel restaurants a lot, so these restaurants tend to be a defining element of their hotels’ ongoing success or otherwise. It seems safe to say that The Woodward is in this respect onto a winner. Its two restaurants are the latest editions of the well-established L’Atelier Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier, both of which are here overseen by executive chef Olivier Jean, formerly a protégé of the late Monsieur Robuchon. L’Atelier needs no introduction, and this new iteration does nothing to disrupt the formula that has made it a global phenomenon. Le Jardinier provides a marvelous contrast: luminous, airy, effortlessly elegant and devoted (almost but not quite exclusively) to vegetables. Everything about it exudes a wholesomeness that makes you want to live a better, healthier, more enlightened life. The service Practically aquiver with youthful energy and enthusiasm. The staff seem as excited as their guests to be there. That kind of positivity goes a long way to defining the tone of a joint. Added to which, The Woodward team can organize practically anything. A helicopter-enabled shopping spree in Monte Carlo, lunch in Paris, cocktails on Mont Blanc, dinner in Courchevel. Whatever it might be that people who can afford to do such things want to do. The present reviewer made polite inquiries along those lines for form’s sake, perfectly content in the knowledge that he would himself have to settle for a dip in the lake and a stroll around the Old Town. For families Extremely flexible. Two, three or more suites can be connected along a common corridor; entire floors can be ‘privatized’ if need be. Young guests receive presents of coloring books, puzzles and a little St Bernard fluffy toy; they may also ape their parents’ off-duty look in kiddie-sized bathrobes and slippers. Le Jardinier has a special children’s menu—if anything is going to persuade the little devils to eat their greens, this has to be it. Child-friendly activities galore can be organized; babysitters too. Eco effort Though not unique in this respect, The Woodward is the latest of Geneva’s lakeside hotels to participate in the exemplary GeniLac scheme, whereby water from the lake is used to heat and cool large buildings. As part of the Oetker Collection, The Woodward will adhere to the brand’s four-point CSR strategy (respect human rights; consume responsibly; ensure environmental awareness; engage with sustainable communities). Facts, figures, and analysis are supplied in the Oetker Collection’s annual CSR report, which is available online. Because of the timing of its opening, The Woodward does not feature in the 2020-21 report.  Accessibility for those with mobility impairments All public areas and floors (though not all suites) are accessible to wheelchair-users. There is one fully accessible suite and one fully accessible treatment room in the spa. Anything left to mention? Call the cops. It appears some master thief with a degree in engineering has swiped the Savoy’s famous red lift and reinstalled it at The Woodward." - Steve King