Geneva in December- recommendations for lodging and sites

My recommendation would be to not stay in Geneva - stay in Montreux, Vevey or one of the more quaint villages along the lake. Geneva is easily accessible by a quick train and it’s much more enjoyable to stay in one of the other cities or villages along the lake that has more charm.

I couldn't agree more WanderWeg. The cities and villages along Lake Geneva are gorgeous and a better alternative than Geneva.

Pruffier: I normally love Montreux. Just be aware that the Montreux holiday market will be in full stride during December. It is one of the iconic holiday markets in Switzerland and a lot of fun to visit. But, last year the market was very crowded, especially on the weekends. If you don't mind the crowds, Montreux is a good choice. I am a bit partial to Lausanne. It is a 40 minute train ride from Geneva and a 30 minute train ride to Montreux. It is surrounded by the gorgeous Lavaux Vineyards. It's holiday market is nice but not nearly as crowded as the market in Montreux. Just an idea.

We also chose Lausanne. It had a small Christmas market that was not a problem with transportation around the city or crowds. But we did make it over to Montreux-wow that's a big one! Our other fav stops were Gruyere cheese factory, Cailler Chocolate factory and Castle Chillon just outside Montreux. We visited for Thanksgiving and weather wasn't an issue, not sure about mid-Dec. The roads were good going up to Gruyere.

Oh we stayed Hôtel Bellerive in Lausanne. I don't remember a lot about it except it was a pleasant place to stay and we had a view over the lake.

Thanks to all for the great suggestions. I will definitely look into staying outside of Geneva as an option. Also, nice to know about the Montreaux Christmas market. That's why we're going in December!