Chalet RoyAlp Hotel and Spa

The property boasts a magnificent pool, spa, and gym facilities, along with attentive staff. Its convenient location near the train station makes it ideal for skiing and hiking. Guests praise the varied and quality breakfast.

This has the potential to be a wonderful hotel. It is set in a great location, with mountain views that are well worth paying extra for. The property is spacious, offering numerous seating options by cosy open fires and boasts a fabulous pool room with an open fire, sauna, and steam room. The jacuzzi is lovely and relaxing outside of peak times (4 pm–7 pm), when it tends to be taken over by children. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the town centre, but a convenient driver service is available to drop you off and pick you up. There’s a fantastic ski shop called Sports House for ski rentals, and a skilled gentleman named Adrian expertly adjusted my own boots. Ski passes can be purchased at reception, and the ski train, just a 2-minute walk across the road, provides easy access to the mountains. There’s also a fabulous sledge run back to the hotel if you take the train up to the Golf stop, and you can ski back to the hotel via a path at Col de Soud. However, the service doesn’t quite match the standards of other Leading Hotels of the World we’ve experienced. The staff seem a little short-staffed, and there are some inconsistencies. Breakfast service, for example, can be hit or miss. On one occasion, I asked the woman who showed us to our table if she could take a coffee order, but she replied that it wasn’t her job and I’d need to ask someone else. One day there was avocado, which was fabulous, but when I asked the next day, I was told it had been a one-off. It would also be nice if water were routinely served at the table and if drink orders were taken when you’re seated. Additionally, egg dishes come at an extra charge, which feels odd for a hotel of this calibre. Bar service is similarly slow—you need to track down a menu and then ask at the bar for someone to take your order. In our room, bathrobes and slippers were removed by housekeeping but not replaced, and on another occasion, towels were taken without new ones being left. Water in the room was not replenished either. The rooms are warm, but without air conditioning, and we couldn’t open the patio doors in the evening because of smoke wafting in from a chimney or fire below. On a positive note, the lady at the spa desk, one of the men at reception, and the driver into town are all a credit to the hotel. Unfortunately, the rest of the staff seemed to have a somewhat nonchalant attitude, which detracted from the overall experience. While the setting and facilities are excellent, these service issues, particularly at this price point, let this hotel down. Would we go again? Probably not, I would look for a hotel with a better 5-star experience.