Hôtel Les Vallées

The pool area is great, the studio was spacious with fine beds, and there was private parking. But the hotel spaces felt oppressively warm, and better ventilation would help. Breakfast was below par, so I wouldn't recommend it. There's a prize winning boulanger around the corner, much cheaper and tastier. Checkout was a disaster. We had to make an appointment and do chores that hadn't been explained to us. Apparently they were listed on a form in French that we couldn't decipher. The tasks themselves took 5 minutes, but the appointment and unfamiliar check-out list meant we waited 25 minutes. I wouldn't come back because of that procedure and service.

Even with a standard room, we could use the swimming pool, sauna and hamam. The room was exceptionally clean and felt luxurious for the price, and check-in was smooth and easy. The staff were very kind, and the restaurant is worth recommending. There are a few shops and gas stations nearby. It's in the Southern Vosges mountains and would be perfect for a longer stay.

I booked through booking.com with an MC guarantee under Booking's payment terms and received a confirmation email. The managing director canceled our reservation an hour before we arrived in the evening, apparently to rent the room to someone else for more money, then put us in a more expensive appartment. We paid 134€ extra on top of the Booking reservation. The next morning in the breakfast lounge, he made a scene, claiming we hadn't paid, even though we'd paid on arrival the evening before. I showed him the Booking.com confirmation email from minutes earlier and our receipt, which showed Booking hadn't accepted his attempt to cancel our stay. I referred him to booking.com during a discussion at his check-in desk, with other customers waiting and listening. The director's manner wasn't worthy of a director. I feel sorry for his staff, who made our stay very good. I edited this after the MD called me a liar, to make things clearer. The man just lacks style and thinks he can outsmart everybody. Reviewers can check my Google ratings and see that I have very good marks.

The food and decor were both very good, especially for the price. We only ate at the restaurant, and had a very good experience. The staff were really friendly and helpful. Highly recommendable!