Lake Geneva- The Grand Geneva

J and I are AWFUL about taking vacations. Come year end, we always have a ton of vacation to carry over because we never take any time off. For both of us, it always seems as more of a punishment than a relaxing getaway because we come back to work piled up or else our phones are going off the whole trip and we can’t relax. We finally decided that we are young and need to do SOMETHING every now and then, so Lake Geneva became our thing. We only take off one day, Friday, and make a long weekend out of it. It is less than an hour away so we can answer emails and get some stuff done in the morning before leaving, making for a less stressful experience.

Upon arrival, we always start our trip at Champs in downtown Lake Geneva. To me, it is reminiscent of the super old sports bars from college that probably boosted your immune system just being there an hour. Everything here looks old and original. Golf bags are used as table legs, there are college and team flags hanging from the ceiling, and there is a pop-a-shot in the corner that is ALWAYS being used. Dive bars have always been my favorite, and you can get some mean cheese curds and mini corn dogs at this joint. We usually hang out here for the first few hours, drinking a few beers to kill time before check-in. I also love to walk around the downtown area. There are several cute shops with clothes, home decor, and random knick knacks. It is so relaxing to walk around by the lake and we usually need to get a few steps in after the food we consume at Champs.

At this point, we head over to check in at The Grand Geneva, the resort we always stay at. I am dying to go in the summer but we always end up going in the fall or winter. I have never really minded because they always decorate everything for the season and I always get the warm fuzzies once I walk into the lobby. At Christmastime, they go all out and the place is GORGEOUS.

We usually stay at the resort, but they also offer villas. We tried the villa once and they were super nice, but I think I prefer just a standard room. There are several different villas, and we booked the “studio” version seeing as how there are only two of us. There are a few perks to having a villa. For one, you have reserved parking directly outside your door, so it is easier to unpack and you don’t have to walk far to go anywhere. (There are also shuttles that can come get you and take you to dinner, etc if you don’t want to drive). This gives an added element of privacy because you are not wandering the halls to get back to your room. The next perk would be that you have a private back patio. It is a pretty good size and they have furniture out there for when the weather is nice should you want to sit outside. There is a shared fire pit as well that anyone with a villa can use. We seem to always go when it is below zero so we rarely enjoy these perks. In regards to the room itself, it offers a few things that you would not get in a standard room. There is a cozy leather sectional that you can lounge on while you watch tv or snuggle by the fireplace. There is also a full sized refrigerator and a small kitchen with bowls, silverware, etc. Right next to that, there is a washer and dryer. So, if you are like me and spill red wine on their white blanket within 10 minutes of arrival, you have the opportunity to hide the evidence.

Overall, I have concluded that the villas are best for a longer stay. They are quite a bit more expensive than a standard room at the resort, and we barely used any amenities. If you want to buy a few groceries and dine in at the villa, it is perfect. The larger villa next to us had a few couples with their kids staying there so it also seems like a better place to go if you have a group. While the villa was adorable, I really like their resort rooms as well. They are cozy, clean, and you can watch tv or listen to music through the bathroom mirror, which is, you know, the coolest thing ever. The reason we love going to Lake Geneva is because of the restaurants and views from the resort itself. Staying at the villa kind of took away from that, seeing as how we had to drive every time we wanted to go eat.

Reserved parking and the outside of the villa we stayed at

Back patio of our villa

Inside the villa- view from the sectional couch

Alright, let’s talk about FOOD now. Outside of Champs, there are a few restaurants in the area that we ALWAYS go to. Two of them are in the resort.

Ristorante Brissago

I always forget to take pictures of dinner because I am usually wolfing it down, so here is our seasonal dessert!

We always get the corner table at Brissago, but everything is pretty spaced out, still giving that private feeling.

Ristorante Brissago is the Italian restaurant located in the resort. This is always my first choice, because Italian food has my heart. I also love this place because it is a nice mix between high end and casual. If we are staying more than one night, I usually opt to go to the high-end restaurant on the last day. Brissago is elegant and the food is amazing, but you still get a chill vibe here. To start, I usually get a glass of wine, but have also ordered the Cipriani, a Prosecco drink, and it’s amazing. In regards to entrees, I usually opt for the lemon chicken, while J always orders something new each time. I am a creature of habit and he always likes to try new things, total opposites. When you are staying at the resort, it is so nice to just walk down the hall after dinner and be “home” without the commute. You can also order wine or champagne for your room so that if you want to keep drinking after dinner but your dress has suddenly become far too tight, you can do so in the comfort of your sweats on the balcony in your room. Overall, the convenience factor is amazing, but the Frank Sinatra vibes and great food really top the night off!

GENEVA CHOPHOUSE

Geneva Chophouse is the steakhouse that is located in the resort. This is usually where we eat on the second and last night of our stay. The setting here is more of a romantic, dimly lit vibe, and if you go when the weather is nice, there is seating outside with fire pits. We of course have never experienced this because we only like to go on vacation when it is below zero outside and we are entirely limited to indoor activities. Most of these activities for me involve inhaling wine- so I am entirely fine with this. I will usually stick to ordering wine when we go to the Chophouse because they have a great selection, but I have also ordered a Bellini and it was amazing. When at a steakhouse, I feel like it is entirely necessary to order a steak, so I usually stick to ordering the filet or the NY Strip. Everything is a la carte, so we will usually opt to add two sides. We ALWAYS get mashed potatoes as one, and last time we added the crab/lobster Mac. We went on our anniversary so they brought out this sweet dessert and a rose, but I am pretty sure we were both so stuffed that we had one bite and left. This place never disappoints and we always leave completely stuffed and ready to hit the hay.

HUNT CLUB STEAKHOUSE

Hunt Club Steakhouse is about 20 minutes away from the Grand Geneva. When I took J for his 30th birthday, I wanted to mix it up and find a new place to go eat. I was mainly researching places that had seating on the water, so when I stumbled upon this place, I was intrigued. It is an old mansion that was converted into a restaurant. Right when you pull up, it looks like a place out of a movie. The house is adorable and when you first enter, you feel as if you have arrived at a friend’s house for a dinner party. The setting is dimly lit and cozy and the staff makes you feel right at home. We both ordered lobster bisque and surf and turf, all of which were amazing. If you are up for the drive, this is 100% where I would recommend you go if you are looking to splurge!