The Grand Hotel Kempinski Geneva
has opened its Geneva Suite, one of the largest free-standing suites in Europe. The suite covers two floors and
11,690 square feet, the lower floor is dedicated to receiving and entertaining areas while the private quarters are on the upper floor. As its
name suggests, the suite, situated on the top two floors of the hotel, enjoys an unrestricted view over Geneva city, the famous Jet d’Eau and
the Mont-Blanc.
Two private lifts provide access to both floors and, in the suite, the floors are connected by a stunning spiral, flying staircase, which is an
architectural masterpiece. On the lower floor, the marble hall opens onto a large living area, which occupies the suite’s southern corner. A
huge, modern fireplace helps liven up this area. Two large seating areas are next to the dining table, which seats up to twelve guests. On one
side of the living area, lies an office as well as a security room and the kitchen. On the other side, a private lounge adjoins the first of three
master bedrooms.
The upper floor is devoted to the suite’s private quarters, with two master bedrooms, each with
an en suite marble bathroom and walk-in
closets. The private living room is divided into a lounge and a dining corner seating up to ten people. As on the floor below, the living room
boasts its own fireplace. Recreational facilities, such as a billiard room, a gym and a steam bath are
also located on this floor.
Special attention has been given to security with bullet-proof windows throughout the Geneva suite. The security room acts as a screening
centre for the suite, with security cameras at all entrance points to the suite.
The suite’s electronic equipment represents the latest in technology; the flat screen TVs swivel as the guest moves about, while adjusting
screen luminosity according to the lighting conditions. The entertainment facilities are complemented by a Wii console.
The architecture and interior decoration of the Geneva Suite are the work of Tarek Hegazy, managing partner of A. B. Living Design, based
in Sweden. As for the rest of the hotel, Lake Geneva is the main visual focus of the suite. Hegazy has achieved his aim of maximizing the
views, by changing the structure of the space completely to bend it to his vision of what a royal suite ought to be. He also designed a
deceptively simple-looking but technically highly complex spiral, flying staircase to link both floors of the suite, as well as a see-through,
glass-encased fireplace on the upper floor.
Scenery lighting has been installed throughout the suite, with touch panels to remotely control the lighting, so that different moods and
lighting levels can be created in each area of the suite according to the time of the day and usage of the area.
The designer’s colour palette varies from room to room. Beige, brown and grey-blue colours frame the views from the living area on the
lower floor, whereas the master bedroom is decorated in darker, soothing tones. Gold lamé and cream egg shell dominate in the second
bedroom, while sand, slate with a touch of darkish green are the theme in the third bedroom. The billiard-room
is dark brown, black and beige.
Noble materials have been used throughout and sometimes carried to extremes: marble and sandstone, rosewood and ebony, velvet and
silk. A total of 160m² of hand-made silk carpets cover the living and dining area floors. Walls are covered in chamois leather, hand-made
leather mosaics or pure silk. The furniture has been custom-made for the Geneva Suite, even the chairs are in non-standard dimensions,
while accessories are either unique pieces or limited editions.
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