Chalet de Mado

We booked through Booking.com for five people, from December 29th to January 2nd. The listing described a detached chalet with a kitchen and jacuzzi, but on arrival we were told it was shared with other guests and a caretaker. We couldn't cook during the stay, even though a kitchen was there. The owner said there was no jacuzzi, despite it being in plain sight. You could instead order the caretaker's menu, which was overpriced. Other guests who arrived while we were there were also surprised, as they thought they had booked the whole chalet. The caretaker stayed inside throughout our stay, leaving us with a strong feeling of being watched. We also had to eat out for the entire stay, as we couldn't find another arrangement at the last minute, and that pushed up our budget significantly. The owner said Booking.com had created the description automatically and that she wasn't responsible. We called Booking.com on arrival, and support told us the owner was responsible. She refused to refund us. A tourist tax was charged at the end despite already being included in the booking price. After we checked several times, the owner eventually agreed with us. The establishment also sells alcohol without a license, and we contacted the relevant authorities about it. The listing on Booking.com didn't match reality, and the owner acted in bad faith. If you want a peaceful, hassle-free vacation, book somewhere with lots of positive reviews and ratings.

I wouldn't recommend this place. We booked through Booking.com as a group of friends, hoping for a relaxed weekend where we could cook to keep costs down and use the jacuzzi shown in the pictures. What we got was a hotel room, with no jacuzzi and no kitchen we could use. The photos didn't match reality at all. The house is shared with other people, and there's always someone watching you. We bought meat expecting to cook, but it spoiled, as did the other guests' food. Since we had to eat out, we spent extra. In Megeve, where everything is incredibly expensive, eating at restaurants morning, noon, and night costs a fortune. Eating out every night was impossible for us, and felt like a waste of money. We tried to work it out with the owner. She gave a ridiculous explanation that the kitchen wasn't insured, even though there was one, so we couldn't use it. She offered breakfast for 10 euros per person, which meant toast. We thought Booking.com knew about the situation because many people had called us. Booking.com told the owner to refund their money, but she refused outright. Other guests raised the same issue without success. They also tried to charge us a daily tax even though we'd already paid Booking.com. We were skeptical but paid it anyway, then later realized the tax was already covered. We went back and explained this to Booking.com, and they returned the money with difficulty. There's no point spending that much and being stressed on a vacation you're meant to enjoy.

AVOID THIS PLACE. They rent you a tiny cabin at the bottom of the garden, misleadingly described and too small even for two. The access is dangerous, the cleanliness is lamentable, and there's water coming in. The owner didn't take our requests into account. Absolutely avoid.