Hôtel Eliova - Le Chaix

The room was clean, with plenty of charging points, enough space for all our gear, and an awesome view. The location is excellent, right next to the slopes, and reception and restaurant staff were polite, friendly, and helpful all week. The food, unfortunately, was probably the worst I've ever been served at a hotel. Breakfast had no hot choices beyond cooking eggs yourself, and that was only available for half the holiday. Evening meals were generally dry and plain, with things like instant mash and cold leeks served twice. It was edible if you're not fussy, but there was no red wine all week.

The location right by the slope is excellent, and that's the only reason I'd consider coming back, at a significantly discounted rate. I wouldn't eat here again or pay full price for this food. We still had a great holiday, largely because we found some very good, expensive restaurants elsewhere. The food here was genuinely inedible, even for our group of six, none of us fussy eaters. We gave dinner two chances, then paid to eat elsewhere every other night despite having already paid for half board. Breakfast was just as disappointing. Guests had to make their own eggs and pancakes while staff put out basic items like cheese and ham. The egg boiler only held six at a time, so breakfast took too long for a group. Nothing felt organised, cooked, or ready, and getting a hearty meal in a reasonable time was difficult every morning. Before the trip, I also had a frustrating booking problem. I had my own room but was charged half board for two people. I tried repeatedly for months to get the refund for the second person's half board charge. The hotel and Booking.com kept passing me back and forth and shifting responsibility. Nobody seemed willing to take ownership. It was eventually refunded, but only after far too much time and effort. The place constantly smelled of weed, and the staff's lazy, unhelpful attitude seemed to reflect that. They appeared more interested in getting stoned than serving guests. They were consistently disengaged and often seemed irritated by simple questions. One time I was refused a beer because I was told the bar was closed. Moments later, my friend asked the same thing in French and was served. That inconsistency left a bad impression and made us question how we were being treated.

No service for three days, no fresh sheets or towels, and no reception service. There was only one person around sometimes. The toilet was dirty, with fecal matter left in it. Breakfast wasn't available unless you booked the day before, and the electricity failed on our last day. It was full because of Tomorrowland, but I can't imagine staying here at another time of year. Probably the worst hotel ever. Don't waste your money.

The staff were lovely, friendly, and helpful, and the location is excellent. It's about 20 metres from the snow across a quiet road, then you can ski down to the lift and ski back to the hotel. The rooms have balconies, big windows, and fantastic views of the slopes and mountains. The continental breakfast buffet was plentiful and varied. Recommended.