Saint Charles Val Cenis

The rooms were comfortable, a good size, and good value, with an excellent spot right by the ski lifts. Still, the stay was let down by the food and service, and one interaction in particular means I wouldn’t come back. We paid the €15 nightly dog supplement, but there were no bowls, blanket, or bed for our dog. At this price, even conditioner was missing from the bathroom, which seemed an unnecessary omission. Breakfast was poorly managed and underwhelming. Plates and egg cups regularly ran out, food took too long to be replenished, and the fruit was limited and very average. A small à la carte choice for fresh eggs would have helped. The hotel also seemed short staffed. Most employees were pleasant and doing their best, though some seemed undertrained. The room service dishes were poor too. The goat’s cheese and quinoa salad was one of the worst things I’ve eaten in years. The “poké bowl” was smoked salmon, sliced avocado, and two tomatoes on cold white rice that seemed to have been made much earlier. I was pregnant and unwell, and when I tried to take food back to my room to finish it, the maître d’ gave me a hard time. He was extremely unpleasant, and the exchange upset me. The rest of the staff were generally trying to help, so his attitude felt especially out of place. The location and rooms have a lot going for them, but the breakfast service, food, and that behaviour need to improve.

The room lights stopped working when the card-activated switch failed. I called reception and was told someone would come right away, so I waited in the dark. After 20 minutes with no one showing up, I called again. The staff member spoke rudely, said someone had already been sent, and told me not to call again. The noise from the next room was just as bad. I could hear them talking and even singing, and the poor sound insulation kept me awake for two nights, especially after long days skiing. I reported it and was told I could move rooms. But after packing all my luggage and going to the front desk, the chief manager said they would not give me another room and there was no solution. I had high expectations, but this was a really bad experience. I was surprised by the way these problems were handled at a 4-star hotel. I’ll never stay here again.

The female staff member at checkout was professional and confirmed that we had already paid in full. That was very different from the way one staff member handled our check-in during our week-long stay. He kept insisting we still owed half the cost, even though we had paid everything through booking.com. He repeatedly explained “how their system works” and acted as if he was right, speaking down to us as though we couldn’t understand English because of our appearance. After explaining his position three times, he asked, “Is what I said clear in your minds?” We felt attacked, and it came across as more than a microaggression. We checked in during the evening of the 3rd of January 2026. I hope the hotel knows how he behaved and that nobody else who looks too “foreign” for him has to go through the same thing.

Our kids had a great time in the lobby play area, and the facilities were good, especially the pool. The family suite was nice too, though the light-colored carpet was clearly stained. Breakfast was disappointing because the hotel seemed short staffed. With so many people eating, staff couldn’t keep up with cleaning tables or replenishing food. They did their utmost to help guests, but it seemed impossible to manage. We enjoyed our stay, but there’s definitely room for improvement.