Geneva: Hôtel Les Armures (4 Star Hotel)

Address: 1 rue puits saint pierre , Geneva 1204, Switzerland
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Lonely Planet review

Four medieval old-town houses restored to perfection make five-star Les Armures unique. But there's more to this old dame than lumbering 13th-century stone walls, wooden ceilings painted with Renaissance brushstrokes, knights in shining armour, mosaic floors and age-old wall frescoes.

It is the grace, charm and old-fashioned chivalry of the man at reception, the staff at breakfast, the bell boy and so on that make this intimate hideout feel like (a very stylish) home. The 32 rooms are different but all are furnished in a classical 17th-century style - think antique writing bureau - or dashingly contemporary: ensure your PA specifies which style is yours when making the reservation. Both make the most of original structural features (old stone wall, painted ceiling and so on) and every practicality (DVD players, individually controlled AC) has been thought of. Service is discrete and appealing, and its restaurant (gorgeous summer terrace) is the oldest in town. Names in the guestbook include Jimmy Carter, Jean Marais, Wolinski and the Clintons.