Gardenia

The food was a bright spot. There was good variety and always something to choose from. Towels were replaced daily, and housekeeping came regularly. The pool water, though, was cold, and staff wouldn’t let guests take fruit from the dining area back to their rooms. What made the stay difficult was the smell throughout Hotel Gardenia. There are around three cats in the property, and the hallways had visible places where they urinate. The odor lingered everywhere. I have nothing against animals, but a hotel still needs to keep things hygienic. Most of the staff seemed annoyed when asked for help. I had trouble with my key card four times, and each time the older man with glasses at reception reacted as though I were bothering him. He raised his voice, spoke aggressively, looked irritated, and sometimes barely acknowledged me. Once, he stayed focused on his phone while I stood at the desk asking for help. I felt scolded over a problem that wasn’t my fault. That behavior was unacceptable and made the hotel feel uncomfortable. He also doesn’t speak English, which is a serious problem in an international ski resort. The young woman at reception, also wearing glasses, was the one friendly person. She spoke politely and tried to help. The stay had some positives in the food and basic service, but the hygiene and reception staff left a bad impression.

There are signs of wear here, but they didn’t get in the way of a good stay. The rooms are lovely and the beds cosy, and there’s a nice lounge, restaurant, spa, winter garden, massages, and a play area with billiards and table football. They welcome pets, and the reception ladies were very helpful. We don’t ski, but they can arrange transport to the gondola. They’ve thought of a lot. Well done.

Being near the old city center was the one clear plus for us. The rest of the hotel felt dirty or worn: dirty room walls, light switches barely attached, a very noisy AC, and rust around the pool drains. It badly needs renovation. They say it’s a four-star hotel, but it barely deserves two. The worst part was how the extra guest charge was handled. Around NYE we booked two rooms on Booking, with two people in each, but our reservation mistakenly showed one person per room. The hotel later said we owed another 100 euros per room. I checked Booking then, and a two-person room was being offered for less than what we had already paid for one person. I pointed that out and asked for a better discount on the extra person charge. They asked me to send screenshots of the offer, which I did, then said nothing further. At check-in, the receptionist said the rooms were PREPAID and didn’t mention any extra fee. At checkout, we were told we only had to pay for still water, so we paid by card and left. Afterwards, we saw a 200 euro charge. Reception first said it was a mistake and they’d refund the difference. When we called later, they changed their story and said there was no mistake, and that we owed 100 euros per room on top of the water. This felt similar to a scam and is completely unsuitable behavior for a hotel. Avoid this place at all costs.

The furniture feels dated, though the service was acceptable. As we loaded our bags into the car, planning to come back inside to check out properly and have coffee, reception staff came over as if we were trying to leave without checking out. That was very unprofessional.