Stunning, dog friendly Geneva, Switzerland lies between the Alps and Jura mountains. The city is located in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, and attitudes towards dogs are similar to those in France. Some of the swankiest hotels and restaurants in Geneva welcome canine guests.
Dog Friendly Lodging:
I splurged for a stay at the 5-star Hotel d’Angleterre on the edge of Lac Leman (Lake Geneva). The property is a member of the British, Red Carnation group. Louie and I had an excellent stay at Rubens at the Palace, one of their London properties, so I had high expectations of their dog friendly Geneva hotel.
From the moment I drove up to the entrance, I knew I was in for a treat. The hotel had emailed me asking for my dog’s information, but I was still surprised when the doorman took one look at him and said: “this must be Louie”! Louie was as excited as I’ve ever seen him at a hotel, running up the stairs like he knew he was a guest of honor.
Once we checked in, we were led to our room where a dog bed and bowls were already in place. Louie also got a bag of gourmet treats and a new toy. Like most dog friendly Geneva hotels, there is a substantial pet fee. At the Hotel d’Angleterre, you are charged an additional 50 Swiss Francs a night. This fee includes the services of a “pet concierge” who will is available for dog walking.
Tours & Transportation:
I didn’t utilize the dog walking services during our stay at the Hotel d’Angleterre because I was interested in exploring myself. Most of the parks in Geneva allow dogs, including the waterfront area directly across from the hotel. Geneva is a compact city, perfect for walking, but the efficient public transport system in Geneva is dog friendly should you need it.
There are some additional dog friendly transportation options for visiting Geneva. Louie and I enjoyed a Mini Train tour of the hilly Old Town. The recorded guide is in French & English with other languages available by request. For another perspective, CGN offers dog friendly Geneva cruises. Small dogs in a carrier are free, and larger leashed dogs pay half price.
CGN also allows dogs on their longer cruises from Geneva to ports like Lausanne, Montreux and several destinations in France.
Wow, this trip sounds awesome. Sounds like Louie enjoyed his time as well. I love the specialized bed and bowls for your dog in the hotel. A CGN cruise sounds relaxing. Thanks for sharing your “doggie and me” experience.
I love to hear that the world is opening up more and more to dog travel and that the hotel spoils them is even better. Thanks for all the info and cannot wait to read more
Looks like you guys had such a great trip! I love how EXTREMELY dog friendly the hotel was and that dogs can even ride the mini train.
How cute that the hotel had all the goodies set up for Louie! I’ve, sadly, never been out of the US but I’d love to travel someday. Switzerland looks lovely.
We love going to Europe because dogs are allowed in so many more places than the US. I hope someday you have a chance to visit.
Oh my gosh, this looks amazing. I don’t travel overseas with my pup (though everywhere else) because I won’ t check him. But I love Switzerland and would love to take a river cruise with my dog.
I’m lucky that Louie is able to fly in-cabin with me. He’s joined me on 2 doggie river cruises in Germany and we hope to do a 3rd next year.
What a fantastic trip with Louie. I love that hotels like that are so dog-friendly. I would like to do the boat trips (I went by train from Montreux to Lausanne then Lausanne to Geneva a few years ago plus a lot of walking and exploring in each place by the lake – just beautiful but I wish I had done the little mini train too).
I wish I’d had time to check out Lausanne. Maybe next time!
Wow!! Louie and you are living the life!! I used to work in a hotel years ago so reading how the staff greeted you and Louie when you pulled up was a very nice touch. Classy! Sounds like you definitely got your monies worth. Geneva looks beautiful. I’ve never heard anything bad about Switzerland.Always rave reviews.
I’m glad to see that these places have dog-friendly accommodations.
How dog friendly is this! Amazing. You cannot fail to feel totally spoiled Louie and I hope you enjoyed the walks too!
Fancy! The fact that the concierge made a point of learning dog-guest names is amazing – Great customer service. I’m glad you both enjoyed your dog-friendly trip.
Hotels are becoming increasingly dog friendly – I love seeing that. Looks like this was a pretty swanky place – I’m sure my dogs would get kicked out of there pretty quickly. Still, I’m very glad that these options exist for travelers who don’t want to leave their dogs behind.
I would love to visit Switzerland! And seeing the pet-friendly hotel with that sweet dog bed in place is so welcoming! What a lovely pet-friendly place in a gorgeous place to visit!
Wow! Don’t you wish there were hotels like this that are pet-friendly in the US?
It sounds like you all had a wonderful time! I love that the doorman was expecting Louie!
Looks like a great place to visit for pups and peeps.