Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena

I’ve stayed here twice already and will probably return. The location is right by the mountain railway, practically in the back yard, and the spa and staff were great. Service was attentive, and the rooms felt luxurious and were clean, especially with the mountain view. The only drawback for me was the walls. They don’t block much sound, so now and then we could hear people in the next room.

We’ve stayed here before, and we’re grateful for how the management treated us when we had to cancel our upcoming trip because of the security situation in Israel. We were already past the cancellation deadline, but they understood and approved a full refund. It means a lot to see people put ahead of policy. We’ll come back as soon as we can, and would happily recommend the hotel.

The Asian restaurant was a bright spot: tasty food, a great cook, and a live tepanyaki show. The thermal area was nice too, though the indoor and outdoor jacuzzis were tiny, and the water, especially inside, was only warm rather than hot. The hotel needs serious upgrades. The bedding, linens, furniture, and dusty room carpets all felt old. Even though cleaning happens twice a day, the work was poor and needs to be more professional. The ski-in and ski-out facilities are convenient, and rental prices seemed reasonable compared with nearby rental shops and schools. There’s little for older kids to do if they’re ill or the weather keeps them off the slopes. Younger children have a service and playroom, but the hotel has enough space for things like bowling, arcade games, or a movie room. Even the single American billiard table was missing two balls, and nobody seemed to care. It felt like a fake Kempinski.

The hotel itself is fine, but the lift-pass situation made skiing miserable. The queue for a regular pass can take two to three hours while VIP holders go through. Kempinski’s VIP pass used to let you pay to skip that wait, but now everyone seems to issue VIP passes. Even when I tried paying to avoid the line, I was left waiting in the rain instead of skiing. Next time I’d pick a French resort for the same price and better skiing.