Chalet Le Melgueil

The listing and photos made this look like a luxury place, or at least somewhere very comfortable. Instead, on day one there was dust on the shelves and bedding, a strong tobacco smell, and rodent droppings under the sink. The beds were small, bedrooms tiny, and there was no closet space or ski locker. Kitchen utensils were badly worn, and the plastic shower cubicles and curtains were in poor shape. The dishwasher was already broken when we arrived, and we were told it would be replaced sometime that week. There's more, but that's what we found on the first day. For the price, this should have been much better. It's nowhere near that standard. I wouldn't spend my money on this rental.

We had a week at Chalet Meleze with ten adults, and honestly don't understand the bad review. The owner was friendly and cooperative, the house was tidy, and it had the amenities we needed. The rooms were a little tight, but they're adequate. In our six years of staying in chalets, places in this price range for a group this size rarely have huge rooms all round. The photos were taken on departure day, so things weren't set up as neatly as they had been when we arrived. The linen goes into red bags when it's collected. On arrival, the beds were freshly made, and each person had a small and large towel wrapped by the laundry service. There were also small bars of soap and shampoo. Heating and hot water both worked perfectly.

There was plenty to enjoy here: a modern kitchen stocked with what you'd need, a big round table that seats ten, a comfortable living room, a jacuzzi, ski and boot storage, and a large terrace. The beds were warm and fresh, and we slept well. We cleaned the terrace, which had cigarette butts. We suspect they came from the same group that wrote the negative reviews, and think those reviewers may be trying to negotiate the price by complaining about the furnishings or cleanliness. We couldn't verify the complaints described earlier, including the ones about rodent droppings, cleanliness, or the shower cubicles. Alpissimo Immobilier and the property managers were very competent and helpful. At this price, I see no reason not to rent the chalet, as long as you'll leave it in the condition you found it.