Where to stay in Geneva? Hotel Rotary MGallery

For some time, I have been getting messages asking me where to stay in Geneva. This is difficult to answer because it depends on your budget, personal tastes, etc… But, in February, on my way to a business lunch, I fell in love with this place.

I thought, “I'll take the risk of proposing it without ever having stayed there, contrary to my usual practice.”  If I were a tourist I would choose this boutique hotel because it is well located and tranquil despite the dynamic neighbourhood and I am also fond of its elegant and chic décor.

I asked the MGallery manager (thank you, Hervé, for your welcome and availability) if we could arrange a visit and photo shoot, which he kindly accepted to do.

So, ladies and gents, this is my suggestion. I would really appreciate it if you drop me a line with your feedback after your stay.

Location

Located in the business district. A discreet façade, nestled in a kind of a courtyard. No more than a ten-minute walk from Lake Geneva, Cornavin train station or the luxurious Rue du Rhône and also close to many excellent restaurants and trendy wine bars and cafes.

Hotel

A superior four-star boutique hotel, elegantly decorated by London-based interior designers, showcasing many objects found by the owner during his travels over the years. My personal feeling is that it is intimate, cosy and homely; I felt more like I was in a large private house, only the presence of the staff reminded me that this is a hotel.

The Lobby

Nice, small lobby which gave me the feeling of intimacy that I love so much. There is no bling-bling here, this is a classy place: the main customers are businessmen or couples enjoying a romantic weekend. As you will have understood, the hotel is not suitable for families with small children.

Bedrooms

I was speechless in the face of such beauty! The rooms are a respectable size and they seem very comfortable…

The bathroom

The bathroom is small but comfortable, with enough storage space and everything you need, dressing gown, etc.…

…and they are graced with a beautiful set of products by Bigelow Apothecaries…

The “Artisan” Lounge-Bar and Restaurant

You can indulge yourself with French cuisine and a couple of international dishes. I loved the excellent service and relaxed atmosphere, even though there were many business lunches taking place at the same time. The tables are close together and, once again, it felt like home.

In summer, the restaurant offers a terrace with a fountain...

I hope you have enjoyed this enthusiastic tour.

This post, like all my posts, is not sponsored. This is my true opinion and I'm happy to share it with you, my dear readers.

Hotel Rotary MGallery

Rue du Cendrier 18-20

1201 Geneva

Email: H1322@accor.com

Phone: +41 22 908 80 80

The Story of Chicago May by Nuala O’Faolain (2005)

Outlaw, showgirl, confidence trickster, thief and occasional prostitute, red-haired May Duignan was, according to legend, “The Queen of the Underworld”.

At nineteen, she stole her family’s savings and ran away from rural Ireland to America. The extraordinary life of crime that followed would take her from Chicago to the rip-roaring Tenderloin district of New York, from London to Paris, from bordello to jail. But her tale has remained little known, until now. Her gifted memoirist, Nuala O’Faolain, reaches across the decades to re-tell the incredible story of an independent and unrepentant woman: one who remained an outsider all her life, yet could still find herself, after everything, transformed by love…

Author: Nuala O'Faolain was an Irish journalist, teacher and writer born on March 1^st, 1940. She died of cancer on May 9^th, 2008. O'Faolain shared her time between Ireland and New York City and never got married. She became well known after the publication of her memoirs Are You Somebody? She only published five books.

My thoughts: this is a terrific book that re-tells the history of May Duignan, a 19 year-old who, in 1890, left her deprived Irish town and departed to the United States in search of a better life. May wanted to escape from a life of misery and she tried to do so by any means open to her. I felt empathy for May, even though she did not lead an exemplary life. Her existence was filled with roughness and troubled events across various cities. May was sometimes cruel and also unwise and vulnerable in her love-affairs. She moved me a great deal and all the time I was reading the book I absolutely wanted May to succeed, to take the right path and to have a good life....

I read this wonderful book in March 2007, in just a couple of days. How do I know this? Because I usually date and sign all my books once I have read them. It also stuck in my mind because I really enjoyed this book. I have always been passionate about novels set in the 19th century. I have quite a few on my shelf (already read or waiting to be read), most of them are stories about women.

Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir

Hello ladies! Today, I review a phenomenal product! When my Clarins serum finished a few months ago, I bought this serum by Caudalie - known as the Rolls Royce of serums.

Some time ago, I was offered a sample which I used for a week and was seduced by it...This is how I became familiar with Caudalie, a French skincare brand.

So let me tell you why this serum has impressed me and has been a pleasure to incorporate into my skin care regime.

The texture: half dry oil (non-greasy) and half serum.

The scent: a subtle smell of roses and lovely essential oils.

The result: I have sensitive combined skin and every night I apply 4 drops on my face and neck before my moisturiser. Since then I’ve noticed that I wake up with a more glowing skin.

In addition, The Elixir is a 99.5% natural anti-aging product and it is not tested on animals. It helps to target deep wrinkles and age spots and it firms and nourishes the skin.

The presentation/packaging is chic. The thin glass bottle has a dropper/applicator that is easy to use and avoids waste. It is going to last a while.

This is definitely a luxury product, but well worth the price. Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir (29ml, CHF 74.00) is available at all good pharmacies.

Et voilà, job done.

Now, tell me, have you tried this? Are you a fan of Caudalie?

This post, like all my blog posts, is not sponsored.

Best Desserts in Geneva 2016 - 2nd quarter

This post normally celebrates my favourite desserts from a cafe/bakery/pastry shop in the Geneva region. I have only documented delicacies here that I have tried personally (and many times).

For this quarter, the choice of cakes is small but equally fabulous.

Folar doce de Páscoa

It is a Portuguese tradition to eat this brioche during Holy Week. At Easter time, folar is considered a “must”. The origin, back in time, of the Easter folar is not known. All that is clear is that it is very old...

Pâtisserie Boulangerie Nogueira

Avenue du Leman 69 - 1005 Lausanne

We love the Jean-Luc Guerraz cake shop, located on the other side of the Swiss border in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, a French commune located 10 km from Geneva. Many cross-border workers live in Saint-Julien and it is a small town where Genevans like to shop.

The cakes in Guerraz are to die for and I will definitely be ordering my birthday cake there. Any bets as to which one of these has conquered my palate??

Jean -Luc Guerraz

Grande-Rue 16

74160 St Julien-France

The Framboisine, an incredibly delicious cake, made of layers of sponge cake, with fresh raspberries, custard, whipped cream and completely covered with bitter dark chocolate.

Alizee is composed of two creamy mousses, strawberry and passion fruit, with a fruit coulis jelly inside.

Raspberry Alizee is composed of a creamy raspberry mousse and a raspberry coulis jelly inside.

Red Fruit Tiramisu

Japanese is made up of an almond biscuit layer, praline cream and chocolate ganache.

To finish, the traditional Aimé Pouly, a kind of Geneva institution (see October 2015 review). We love their fresh and delicious fruit tartlets.

Aimé Pouly - Four de Bourg

Rue Etienne Dumont 1

1204 Geneva

Raspberry Tartlet is made of Breton shortbread covered with fresh raspberries and topped with a light vanilla crème pâtissière (custard cream).

Strawberry Tartlet is made of Breton shortbread covered with fresh strawberries and topped with a light vanilla crème pâtissière (custard cream).

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh (2014)

A tragic accident. It all happened so quickly. She couldn’t have prevented it. Could she?

In a split second, Jenna Gray’s world descends into a nightmare. Her only hope of moving on is to walk away from everything she knows to start afresh. Desperate to escape, Jenna moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast, but she is haunted by her fears, her grief and her memories of a cruel November night that changed her life forever.

Slowly, Jenna begins to glimpse the potential for happiness in her future. But her past is about to catch up with her, and the consequences will be devastating . . .

Author: Clare Mackintosh is a freelance journalist and author, living in the Cotswolds, England. Formerly a police inspector and public order commander, she is a columnist for Cotswold Life magazine. I Let You Go is her first novel.

My thoughts: Sweetheart gave me this book for Valentine's Day. I know that does not sound romantic, but believe me, he is very chivalrous. Coming back to “I Let You Go”, I read this breath-taking psychological thriller in April. I was simply unable to put it down until I finished it, so I highly recommend it to you!!! In writing my review, I have deliberately chosen not to tell you the plot twist as this would spoil the story if you intend to read it... Here is a brief summary…

Jenna Gray, a sculptor, is desperate to escape from her past after a tragic hit-and-run accident destroys her life. Feeling lost she moves to a small Welsh village where she attempts to start anew. She begins earning a living as a photographer and meets a charming vet named Patrick, but she is still haunted by her fear and grief. At the same time, investigator Ray Stevens and his team work hard to seek justice for the mother of the five year old boy, Jacob, the victim of the accident. After more than a year, the work begins to pay off, thanks to the determination of Kate, one of Ray's inspectors (Ray and Kate enjoy a little flirt, by the way).

This psychological thriller has an emotional plot with a big twist that I did not see coming and which changed the dynamics of the story. I adore all the characters and loved the way they are developed.

My list of gorgeous Berlin restaurants

Sweetheart and I like to eat well (we are “bon vivants”). Our choice of restaurant is invariably directed to simple dishes that are well prepared with local and seasonal produce, whenever possible.

In Germany, the traditional food is based on pork, goose, different types of fish, peas, beans and potatoes, German food is one of the world’s heartiest cuisines. So, in Berlin, we enjoyed their specialties, except once, when I wanted steak, French fries and green salad...hahaha….

We had Berlin's iconic dishes, such as Currywurst (large grilled sausage with a curry-ketchup sauce), Wiener Schnitzel (breaded-and-fried veal escalope with potatoes and vegetables), Eisbein (pork knuckle), Flammkuchen (composed of bread dough rolled out very thinly which is covered with crème frâiche, thinly sliced onions and bacon). Pretzels, Apfelstrudel (apple strudel), Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest cake), to name only a few…

Needless to say we tried lots of beer, notably Berliner Weisse. I tried and loved Berliner Weisse with an added shot of raspberry or passion fruit syrup. The syrup changes the colour of the beer. A beer with the raspberry syrup is known as a “Red Berliner Weisse”.

Brasserie Desbrosses

The Ritz-Carlton

Ground Floor

Potsdamer Platz 3

Tel.: +49 30 337777

Dressler

Unter den Linden 39

Tél.: +49 30 2044422

Reinhard’s

Poststrasse 28

Nikolaiviertel/Mitte

Tél.: +49 30 2425295

Lindenbräu

Sony Center

Potsdamer Platz

Tél.: +49 30 25751280