Some exciting news for avid travellers, Helvetia fans and appreciators of all fine things alike. Oetker Collection is adding a 10th hotel to its exceptional portfolio with the opening of The Woodward in the heart of Geneva, Switzerland, next spring 2021. Following a historic transformation, the hotel will be Geneva’s first all-suite hotel, and will have restaurants by Michelin-starred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier by Alain Verzeroli, as well as a 1,200 sq metre spa by Maison Guerlain.
Owned by Bastion Holdings, The Woodward sits directly on the shores of Lake Geneva, with breathtaking views of the lake and Mont Blanc. Originally built in 1901 by French architect François Durel in a post-Haussmann style, the hotel – located on Quai Wilson – is currently being completely transformed behind its historic façade by renowned architect Pierre-Yves Rochon in a classic yet contemporary style.
The finest dining experiences will be provided by L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Le Jardinier, both recipients of Michelin stars for their New York outposts. After seven years as Executive Chef of L’Atelier in Taipei, Chef Olivier Jean will be at the helm of the kitchens at The Woodward. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon will feature the legendary chef’s open kitchen concept involving guests in an ultimate culinary experience. Le Jardinier, a play on the French word for ‘gardener’, by Michelin-starred chef Alain Verzeroli, will be the restaurant’s first immersion in Europe following its success in New York and Miami. Vegetables will take centre stage at this restaurant, which will be open all day and housed within two glass verandas facing the lake.
Both restaurants will focus on using local produce and suppliers, including Geneva-based Stettler chocolate and Geneva pastry institution Castrischer. Desserts will be signed by Salvatore Martone, Robuchon disciple and Corporate Pastry Chef of Bastion Group. Guests at The Woodward will be able to enjoy two bars and a tea-room, as well as a private digestif lounge located in a former vault as a nod to the building’s past as bank.
True to Oetker Collection’s commitment to wellbeing, the hotel’s 1,200 square metre spa will include a Wellness Institute by Maison Guerlain and a 21-metre indoor swimming pool – the longest in Geneva. There will be a state-of-the-art gym, two saunas, two steam-rooms, two Swedish baths and a jacuzzi. Guests will be able to enjoy exclusive treatments by Guerlain across six wellness suites, including one for couples and an area dedicated to men.
The Woodward’s much anticipated opening gives us yet one more reason to look forward to being able to hit the road again. It joins Oetker’s Collection current portfolio which includes hotels Le Bristol Paris, Brenners Park-Hotel&Spa in Baden-Baden, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, Château Saint-Martin & Spa in Vence, The Lanesborough London, L’Apogée Courchevel, Eden Rock-St Barths, Jumby Bay Island in Antigua, Palácio Tangará in São Paulo and more than 150 private villas and estates around the globe.
Editor
Camila Hennessy