Hotel Univers

I stayed at Hotel Univers for a whole month so I could work remotely and ski, and it felt like living in someone’s home. The family running it went out of their way to respond to my needs, while everyone on staff was kind and helpful. The old-fashioned room was warm, spotless, well equipped and fully functional. Food was wholesome, filling homemade mountain cooking. For better coffee, I’d take black coffee from the machine and add milk afterward. The free encamp ski bus stops three or four minutes away. WiFi was strong but uneven, and the 0.18 upload speed made video calls impossible until reception fixed it within hours. I loved staying here and highly recommend it :)

Encamp was quiet compared with the capital and had no shopping, which suited us because we wanted to hike. We found two good restaurants in town and also ate at the hotel one evening, where the meal was good. Breakfast is included. The hotel was very clean but definitely dated. The staff were helpful even though they spoke little English. It’s cheap and cheerful, and I’d come back.

We had a balcony and a fridge in our clean rooms, and the lift made carrying luggage to the upper floors easier. The weather was very hot, but there was no air conditioning. We had to leave the window open, so the nearby river could be heard rushing all night, though it didn’t prevent us from sleeping. Dinner was freshly cooked and mostly very good. The family were helpful, and the waiter Juan was especially efficient. Breakfast offered croissants, toast, cold meats, cheeses, cereals and cooked bacon. The nearby private parking was also a real plus.

The hotel is exceptionally clean, but it really could use renovation. I’m not sure whether this is normal for that price in Andorra. Breakfast was very dull, with the same limited selection every day. The eggs were cold, and the hot water wasn’t hot enough to make tea without foam 🤮