Les Terrasses d'Isola

We were moved to a lower grade room two weeks before departure, even though we'd prepaid in full. By then it was too late to arrange another option, which was really inconvenient. The accommodation itself met our needs, but the duvets were dirty, the pillows stained, and the kitchen gear was basic.

Apartment 806 was unclean, and there were no sheets or towels. Julie (host) and Remy (co-host) charged us for clean dishes left on the drainer, unused dishwasher and washing machine tablets, unopened pasta and oats, and a clothes dryer left unfolded. After 20 years of holiday rentals, I've never had an experience this unreasonable. They also advertised the swimming pool and jacuzzi as available when they weren't. I feel disgusted by how they behaved. The reception staff were lovely, though. The appalling owners are letting them down.

We left the next morning. After an 11 hour drive, we opened our room to find we had to make the bed ourselves. The sheet had blood stains, the floor hadn't been cleaned, the sliding door was broken, and there was mould on the wall. We'd arrived Friday evening after calling to say we'd be late, and were told the key would be in a safe outside because reception would be closed. Finding the safe was easy, but there were no directions to the room, so we had to guess. It was a good price for the week, and now we knew why.

The apartment was functional and had what we needed to cook for ourselves. Its appliances were old and well used, but did the job. A few things needed attention; we reported them through reception and the most urgent problems were fixed fairly quickly. We were in the second block, about halfway between d'Isola Station and the Sierra slope. We used the slope access most, since we started and ended our ski sessions there. It isn't ski-in, ski-out, but the short walk worked as a warm-up before heading into the snow. Our first-floor apartment was fairly low down, though we still got a decent view of the main slopes.