Excelsior Chamonix Hotel and Spa

The Excelsior was a pleasing 4-star stay with good value for money and a useful location for getting around the wider Chamonix area and to the lifts. I’d recommend it and stay again. The hotel is nicely decorated, modern and cosy inside. Our deluxe room was clean, tidy, spacious, and had good views. Towels were replaced regularly, the shower was warm and reasonably powerful, and breakfast had a good selection with stunning views from the restaurant. Food and drinks were high quality, with local options. Public transport links into town and to the lifts were decent, and free train tickets were included. Staff were smiley, friendly, generally spoke good English, and were accommodating. The pay-as-you-go spa suited me: it’s small, so demand is controlled and there were usually few or no other people there, which made it relaxing. A few things could be better. The spa hot tub was a bit cold, storage in the room was limited, and bar service was slow at happy hour. Our phone didn’t work, making room service inconvenient. We weren’t given the free train tickets on arrival. The ski lockers had boot heaters, but I don’t think they were working or being used. There’s no shuttle to town or the lifts, even though the bus stop is a short walk away. Coffee and water weren’t restocked daily. The ski room staff could also be more supportive with gear advice, knowledge of the slopes, and helping with boots. The best hotels do that. With a gym, a local minivan shuttle, a few thoughtful touches like chocolates on the pillow, and maybe a couple more staff, it could easily become a great 5-star hotel.

Our first-night Raclette at the table set the tone for a lovely stay in the mountains. The bar had great cocktails, and the spa massage was to die for. Josquin and his front desk team gave awesome service, and even arranged for me to stay an extra night during my “on the go” journey through Europe. We had a great stay at the Excelsior Chamonix. For a cosy Alps stay with great service, I’d recommend L’Excelsior Chamonix!

I won’t return to this hotel. My brand-new Swarovski earrings and necklace went missing from my room during housekeeping. They were still in their original box and had never left the room. I reported it to management right away, but the housekeeping manager immediately got defensive, insisting the staff member involved “would never take anything” instead of taking my complaint seriously or showing empathy. The safe wasn’t working when we arrived because its batteries had been removed. We reported it and asked for a repair, but nobody came, so we had nowhere secure for valuables. After returning home, I checked all my things thoroughly and confirmed the jewellery was missing. I formally reported the incident to the police at the local police station. I know situations like this can be hard to prove, but it was extremely upsetting and ruined my stay. I cried, and the feeling that someone had gone through my suitcase was awful. The way the hotel handled it was disgusting and not what anyone expects at a hotel of this standard. Future guests should take extra care with valuables, as I’ll certainly do from now on.

We booked one night for a great price and didn’t expect much, but I enjoyed everything about the hotel. The rooms were spacious and well equipped, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The pool looked nice, and the views were breathtaking, from Mont Blanc to the trains going by and the forests around the hotel. The bar and restaurant were good too. It’s close to Chamonix but in a quieter area.