Hôtel Club MMV Le Flaine

Our main frustration was being told, only a few weeks ahead, that the hotel would close early even though we'd booked seven nights. We had to find another place for the last night, which added avoidable stress during a ski trip with transfers, lift passes and hire already arranged. Expedia was no help. MMV offered another resort, but moving all our equipment elsewhere wasn't easy. We got a refund for one night. The neighbouring Totem hotel was exceptionally accommodating, letting us check in early for free, at 6pm when MMV's check-in was, and use their boot room the night before. I've stayed here five times before. It's centrally located in Flaine and convenient for the slopes. The heated boot room is secure, and the rooms are great, mostly with balconies and very good bathrooms. During the last few weeks of the season, it's AI. The top two floors are exclusive to Crystal, while the rest is split between French and other European groups. The French-oriented entertainment was enjoyed by some UK visitors. Staff worked very hard and were helpful, and the bar and balcony area are nice. This year the adult dinner food was really poor and repetitive, though the desserts were excellent. Pizza or pasta every night might suit families wanting simple food, as it did for us when our children were young. There was no orange juice at breakfast, for example, though breakfast was otherwise decent.

We'd definitely stay again. The hotel worked perfectly for our two-week ski holiday, with a central spot and views of the pistes. The slopes, ski hire shops, bars and supermarket were all minutes away, and Flaine wasn't lively enough to make it noisy. Our room was spacious, had good storage, comfortable beds and blackout curtains. Food was delicious and plentiful, with self-serve buffets and water, wine and juice included at dinner. Half board helped keep costs down. Staff were friendly, and the large boot and ski locker room was useful. The small spa had a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, but visits had to be booked and were limited to three per week. The laundry facility was a real bonus during two sweaty weeks of spring skiing.

The staff were friendly and exceptionally professional, and the rooms were clean and laid out just right. Food was pretty good, with a solid range from kid-friendly pasta and pizza to more sophisticated choices. I was glad we were there for Christmas week, despite missing omelettes at breakfast. My teenage daughter and I had a quiet room on the top floor. We split our time between the slopes and the room. The snow was perfect and most days were bluebird, but my daughter preferred watching guff on social media or chatting with her boyfriend over cards or conversation with her boring old dad. Flaine is a fabulous ski area for intermediates, and I'd recommend this hotel to anyone going there.

The hotel's location is fantastic, with the slopes an easy walk away. Breakfast and dinner had good food choices, and it's a good three-star hotel. The spa was nice, but unfortunately broke down twice during our stay. It was French holidays and the hotel was full of parents and children. We would personally have preferred a quieter place, perhaps adults only. We rented skis from ski set and went at 9am, but waited over an hour to be served because so many people were being fitted for boots. A separate line for people just picking up skis would've helped. We spent that wait in the shop with lots of crying and screaming children, on the only day of our trip with great weather. The rest of the week, conditions were so poor we couldn't see where we were skiing.