Hotel Almhof

The reception team's response was the hardest part of our stay. At check-in, we raised concerns about the room temperature and poor view. After a very bad first night's sleep, we asked again whether a cancellation might have opened up another room. The staff member began, “my colleague told me about you, we already told you we have no other room,” and said there was nothing they could do. We were told the owner wouldn't offer any flexibility. Two days later, the only option was a smaller room in a lower category with a better view, but no refund for the price difference. We were polite throughout, but nobody acknowledged our disappointment or gave us a courteous farewell. We left four days early and received no refund. The room was a higher-category “deluxe suite,” but it faced the back of the hotel, over the car park and another building. To see part of the mountain, we had to stand at the window and look sideways. That was quite unlike the valley and slope views suggested by the hotel's scenic alpine advertising. The room also felt dated, rather than traditionally styled. The bathroom was spotless and seemed more recently renovated, which we appreciated. But the in-room phone didn't work, the safe was locked when we arrived, the mattress was lumpy, and the bed frame cracked loudly whenever we moved, enough to wake each other. There were no tea or coffee facilities in the room. At several other hotels of similar price on this trip, we had coffee machines, tea, and a mini-bar. We'd read a few comments about the hotel being extremely hot and assumed it was a minor issue. It wasn't. The temperature throughout was uncomfortably high, and some shared areas felt nearly like saunas. We turned off the radiators and left the balcony door open overnight, despite the winter temperatures, but the bedroom was still stifling. With the door open, we regularly heard car park noise and music from the neighbouring hotel. Dinner was disappointing and seemed mass-produced compared with its online presentation. The restaurant was very brightly lit at night and mostly full of families while we were there. We were told tap water would only be served if we ordered wine, so as non-drinkers we had to buy bottled water as well as soft drinks. At this price, that rigid policy felt out of step with basic hospitality. The restaurant staff were warm, courteous, and accommodating during the meal. They apologized and explained that the policy came from the hotel and they couldn't change it. We travel often and have stayed at many types of hotels, but in decades this was the first time we'd ever left early and forfeited a prepaid stay. We'd booked five nights for more than $450 a night and left after the first evening, giving up the other four nights and losing around €2,000 because the experience was so different from what had been represented. The hotel may suit people looking for a large, functional ski base for families with basic-standard amenities. It wasn't the cozy or luxurious alpine retreat we thought we'd booked. The gap in comfort, atmosphere, and service was significant enough for us to leave. We're sharing our experience to help future guests know what to expect.