Residence La Duit - Vacanceole

Paying 200€ a night for the smallest room I've ever stayed in was absolutely unacceptable. We booked an apartment for three people with three beds, but got a tiny room that was basically a kitchen with three folding beds. There wasn't room to sleep without moving the dining table and chairs out onto the balcony. It was the worst holiday experience I've ever had. The hotel said it was Booking.com's fault, while Booking.com said it was the hotel's fault. Neither helped us.

I wouldn't recommend these apartments. The service was average, and despite asking three times, I never got the kitchen bin or doormat they promised. A week after checkout, I noticed they'd accidentally charged the deposit to my credit card. They eventually refunded it, but my card wasn't in euros, so I had to pay a bank exchange commission. I asked Vacanceole to reimburse that cost and never heard back. It really seemed like they didn't care about their reputation.

The area is beautiful, with breathtaking views. We enjoyed the pleasant hikes and short drives around the region, and were glad to discover it. The cheese dairy in Moutiers, about 20 minutes from Doucy, offers a pleasant two-hour guided tour about Beaufort production and sells different cheeses. Tours can be booked by phone. We also went to medieval Alberville, 35 minutes away, old Annecy, about 1.5 hours away, which is truly beautiful, and the Gorges du Fier in Annecy, a superb visit. We quickly looked around Doucy and Valmorel too. The tourist office sold us a hiking map for €5, but the leaflet we got when we asked about places to visit wasn't clear and gave us little information. Our modern mountain rental had an oven, microwave, dishwasher, and lots of storage. The bedroom was comfortable for two, and the bathroom and toilet were adequate. It was a pleasant place in many ways, but cleanliness on arrival was deplorable. There was dust on the TV and in the cupboards, the basin was disgusting, and the dishes were VERY dirty and some were missing. They said an inventory sheet was in the cupboards, but there wasn't one. First thing, we ran a dishwasher load and cleaned the toilet brush and holder, which had stools from previous guests on them. We'd also paid for the cleaning option for departure. Quiet was requested from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m., yet every morning from 7:30 we were woken by the dog downstairs barking, then howls of "MOMANNNN". It might be a rental, but 7:30 wasn't very relaxing. We were disappointed by the hygiene, the noise from the rental, and the tourist office information.

The bed creaked, and after I reported it to reception, I'm still waiting for a reply. The bedding needs a significant improvement. We paid €16 per bed for the linen package, which was just basic sheets without elastic and a blanket. There wasn't even a duvet. For that price, I find it unacceptable.