I never knew depression until I stayed in Geneva. It looks beautiful but it is so sterile and the local mentality is austere and exclusive. Calvin made the locals believe that they constantly live in purgatory. My advice: visit it - because it is beautiful - but don't let it effect you.
I have been living in Geneva for 7 months, and it feels like forever! Expensive, difficult housing, absolutely no night-life, And the most depressive thing is you always feel like an alien. People come and go makes you always meet new people, but always loose some in the same time. Its not even a city, its a giant airport.
Geneva is not a big tourist city. You can see most of its attractions in one or two days. For nightlife, try the area around the train station or in the Paquis section.
Geneva is nice but very upscale. Definitely take the train around the lake to nearby Leysin and stay at the Hiking Sheep. If you get there for a summer celebration, you can watch the fireworks from a cliff looking over the lake.
Geneva is small, but friendly, clean, and pretty. I'm staying there for the summer, and I can tell you that it can be difficult to find fun places to party at!! Try Chat Noir in Carouge (but it's far from the hostel) or the club SYP or the Alhambar. Every year at the beginning of August there is an 8 day festival thats pretty cool, but really there aren't that many things to see other than an incredible number of parks, the UN, and a few random museums. Also in summer there are free outdoor concerts about twice a week.
The streets are almost startlingly clean, the lines are straight and crisp, mocking the wave-like undulations of Rome's Via Nazionale, where I live. Windows are crystal clear and close completely (if you've ever been to Italy, you know what a change that is). The trams slip along the street smoothly and silently, smirking with Swiss superiority at the rumbling roaring buses of Rome. And not a hint of graffiti in sight. I almost wanted to throw some litter on the ground to make myself feel more at home. I didn't. I first chose Geneva for this expedition based on a description in a Robert Ludlum novel. The image he created of the Swiss sun shining off Lake Geneva against the backdrop of Mont Blanc and the Alps has stuck with me. "Glittering" was I think the word he used. Upon further research, I've seen that other Swiss cities like Zurich or Bern are considered more appealing to the tourist, yet I can't regret my decision, as capricious as it was -- Geneva does indeed glitter. Unlike…
Geneva is a place to chill out. You need to have money to enjoy this little jewel and therefore it's for the older crowd. It's very clean and quite safe and can be boring over a long stay.
I visted Geneva to see some friends I had met while travelling. And yet, Geneva left me cold. The locals I met were very very hospitable, but I think the town as a whole is very austere. My travels in the rest of Switzerland were fantastic, but I'd have to say, give Geneva a miss if you're looking for atmosphere or are on any kind of budget. I stayed there, yes, but I sure as hell could not afford to. I have done pretty extensive travels in Europe, and Geneva was by far the most expensive city I have ever been to. Switzerland was my favorite contry. Go figure. Perhaps the Genevans can be thought as having a more French mentality than a Swiss one.
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … I am staying at this hostel at the moment and have to say it's one of the best hostels I have been in. It has friendly staff, it's in a good location, and it's cheap, very clean and has a good-sized Internet room. Plus there are drinks and souvenirs at reception. What else could you ask for?
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … Good location, great price, and nice accomodations. I highly recommend it. One note: everything we did in Geneva was 5-10 minutes on the other side of the train station, meaning ~15 minutes from the hostel.
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … This place was really great. It had a great sense of community, great people, it was clean (minus a few hairs in the shower), had a great Internet room (a bit expensive), a place to buy Swiss goods, and cheap phone cards! I loved it!
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … This hostel was first class. Everything was new and spotless. The kitchen and washing facilities were great, it's cheap in an expensive city, very central, and they showed movies in the evening!
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … The City Hostel exceeded my expectations. The only thing that it did not offer was free breakfast. The hostel is located a block off the main street, so it is not that noisy at night if you want to open your windows. The rooms are small but clean and the furniture is in good shape. There were several, clean bathrooms located on each floor. They had private shower rooms so that you do not have to undress or change in public. The reception staff was friend and informative. They provide a map of the area with a general list of things to do in Geneva. The hostel is located in a good area. It is about a mile from the train station and can be reached by tram. There are a ton of restaurants in the area offering everything from Thai to African. There is a grocery store (COOP) located in the area.
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … These guys are pro! The hostel appears more like a Hotel. Excellent. Very clean, near to the station, luggage room for backpack with locker, kitchen with freezer. Only thing they could do is to put Wi-Fi in the rooms. At now Wi-Fi free only in the common room near to the reception. Recommended!
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … A very very impressive hostel, with the facilities of a hotel but the price of a hostel! It had good, clean beds (tho you do have to pay extra for linen), very nice showers, and good kitchen facilities! All in all, an excellent choice if you are going to Geneva.
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … Clean, close to train station and friendly staff — what more could you want? Oh yeah, and it has a pretty good price, too. Top stuff.
HI - Geneva Hostel in Geneva … the hostel has a good location. come of of the main train station, hop on any tram/bus going left up rue lausanne, and one stop later you are one minute walk away from the hostel, which is situated in a side street off the main road. Look for the motorcycle shop and you cant miss it. there is a co-op supermarket about two minutes walk. the hostel itself is almost like a hotel. its not the dirty, down and out dosshouse that you get in some cities. its meticulously clean, concrete and dull. the rooms are very small, but clean and warm. I stayed in a double room with my girlfriend. prices are a lot better than all other places to stay in geneva. staff were usually polite, although a man tried a few times to overcharge us in the reception shop. all the other staff were ok though. all in all, i would recommend this place as the best place to stay in Geneva. The lake is about ten minutes walk away. another tip is that their online booking system said that the hostel was completely full…
HI - Geneva Hostel in Geneva … Stayed here for one night. Pretty nice place that is absolutely huge. The outside has the feeling of a cold cement complex but the room are very pleasant with wood floors and huge windows. Also very close to the center of Geneva with walking distance from the train station and the lake. The lockers are huge located outside your room so you don't trouble roomies with too much noise. There is one huge bathroom per sex per floor. The shower is a little strange with short bursts of water but it's ok I guess for not allowing wastage. Only two recommendations. The kitchen is definitely very helpful and a good way to meet people. However, you must use one Swiss Franc to buy a token from the front desk in order to use the stove top (no oven) which sort of sucks. Also, to any traveler, pack earplugs in case you get roomed with a snorer.
Enjoy your stay!
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … This hostel is a typical "big city" hostel. The 4 bed dorm I stayed in was small but clean. The toilets and showers were also small but clean. It may be good to mention here that I made a reservation for two nights but only stayed for one and there was no problem getting my money back even at 7 p.m the day of departure. I give it 4 stars -- it was clean and had very good service.
City Hostel Geneva in Geneva … Very clean for a hostel as expected for typical swiss hospitality and all staff speak english well. Day lockers are handy having just put down a deposit for the lock. Very close to the main train station and everything is within walking distance (although you'd be able to see everything in one/two days). If walking is not for you then the provided transport pass is handy as well (even though they don't really check for passes if you're traveling within geneva).
Hostelz.com is the only hostel guide with complete information and reviews on all youth hostels and backpackers worldwide.
