Hotel Roc Blanc & Spa

External guests can use the spa for 15 euros per hour. The two saunas were hot, but the main pool, which is supposed to use thermal heat, had no noticeable sulphur smell, and the jacuzzi wasn’t hot. The lockers required coins, which seemed very strange inside a hotel spa. There were also no noise guidelines, so halfway through our visit a very loud family staying at the hotel started talking loudly in the pool and ruined the experience. Nobody was cleaning, either, leaving the floor extremely wet. It was fine as a way to get out of the rain, but I wouldn’t really recommend it.

The room was unbearably hot, and we couldn’t switch on the AC. When I asked for help, I was told it wouldn’t operate until June. There were no insect screens on the windows, so there was no proper air circulation, but we had to open them anyway. The outside noise was terrible, and lots of mosquitoes came in. I couldn’t sleep at all during the stay. I can’t believe a four-star hotel has no AC. It was a terrible experience.

The staff did try to deal with our complaint, and communication was adequate. They eventually moved us to a second room, which was better, although it still had problems. The first room smelled strongly of cigarette smoke, had dirty walls, and the bathroom was moldy and very musty. The furniture throughout the hotel looked badly worn, and the air conditioning was outdated. The synthetic bed linen in both rooms also created static electricity with barely any movement. We were told at first that the hotel was full and a room change wasn't possible. I understand that, but not how these conditions are acceptable when the price is around €200 a night. Even an old hotel should be clean, especially one presented as 4-star. We stayed three nights and initially thought it seemed like a good deal. It ended up being our worst hotel experience. The owners really need to address the condition of the rooms.

The location is the strongest part of Roc Blanc Hotel & Spa. It's right by the main pedestrian shopping street, with a bus stop outside for the ski resorts, a good specialty coffee shop nearby, and Caldea only a couple of minutes away. Breakfast had plenty of choice, and the staff were friendly and responsive when problems came up. Our room, though, was in awful shape. The walls were scratched and worn, as if they hadn't been painted in ten years. I suspect guests with pets may be given the worst rooms, but it was embarrassing for a hotel in this category. The heating also failed. An electric heater arrived immediately and the system was repaired the next day, but our request to move rooms was refused. Parking was another frustration. With the valet setup, you can't take your own car into the underground garage. You hand over the keys and then wait for the valet to bring the car back. Nearby public underground parking costs the same 26€/night and lets you reach your car directly, so the hotel's arrangement seemed pointless. I wouldn't return, despite the convenient setting and reasonable breakfast.