TERRESENS - L'Eclat des Vériaz - Megève - Praz-sur-Arly - New

At check-in, they charged us for the room and only then told us about a 300 euro deposit. We were also expected to take out the trash, gather the bed linens and towels, and leave them in a specific place, with an 80 EUR fine if we didn’t. It’s very strange, and not okay to spring all that on us as a fait accompli. The room was dusty and dirty, and the toilet was literally covered in shit. It didn’t look impossible to clean, but then the power went out that evening and the room was very cold. The reception was out of order and nobody was at the hotel. We managed to reach the receptionist, but he blamed us and told us to find the electrical cabinet and sort it out ourselves.

We stayed about eight days, a family of ten in two rooms. We arrived late on the first day, around 19:30-20:00, after driving all day, and wanted to ski the next day. Only one room was ready. The second still wasn’t ready when I went downstairs around 21:30 to ask about it. They couldn’t tell me when it would be available, so I had to push to get it sorted. The best part of the trip was the Portuguese bartender/server. He managed to find us food on the first day and made pizza for us on the following days. He’s the only reason I gave three stars overall and four for service. There were no extra towels available, and pool towels cost an extra five euros. The pool was cold and dirty, which I can understand with so many children there, but I didn’t expect it from a hotel of this standard. Kids were allowed in the hot tub and sauna area until 17:00, but nobody seemed to enforce the rule, so it was impossible to relax with children splashing and screaming. I don’t think the heater in my room was working when I tried it. I also have allergies, and there was a lot of dust under the bed. I don’t believe it had all gathered during our stay, and I expected more from a hotel at this level. Honestly, I don’t think I’d stay here again.

The location suited our ski trip, but the stay at Résidence Terresens L'Éclat des Vériaz was stressful instead of feeling premium. We were in Megève/Praz-sur-Arly, and ran into a string of organizational and maintenance problems. We found out only at checkout that early luggage drop-off might be possible, since check-in wasn’t allowed before 5 PM. The rushed check-in covered lots of details but skipped key things like where to park and how to reach the chalet. Nobody did an initial walkthrough to record existing damage, despite the €800 security deposit. The garage code had to be entered from outside the car every time, and the spaces were so narrow our SUV barely fit, only in a handicap spot. Snowy paths were icy and unsalted, and we saw people fall. On several days, the wooden terrace by the pool, bar, and gym was dangerously slippery, like an ice rink. Dim lights made it hard to inspect the apartment after the 5 PM check-in. In daylight, we noticed scratches on doors and walls, black marks, a chair with crooked legs, a red-stained pillow, and a toilet door that was hard to close and lock, especially for children and women. The kitchen was dusty, the Nespresso machine was filthy with limescale in its tank, and the microwave and stove had fingerprints. There was also dog hair on the couch, a problem for us because of allergies, and the poor lighting made it harder to see. Noise from guests on the opposite balconies kept us awake until at least 1:30 AM. Reception closed from 12 to 4 PM and opened at 8 AM, while wellness and gym visits had to be booked on the same day, conflicting with slope opening times. Emails went unanswered, and we couldn’t reach anyone by phone or WhatsApp, so several times we had to walk through the ice and cold to get an issue sorted or even get information. Extra towels during the stay cost 8€ each, and pool and spa towels weren’t included. We weren’t told about the QR code under the TV with checkout instructions, and didn’t scan it before waiting for staff to explain the process. We only learned at reception the day before checkout that we had to schedule a checkout, strip the beds, and clean the kitchen and fridge. After waiting more than 30 minutes and then an hour for staff who never showed up for the walkthrough, we were told they were busy with other checkouts. Delays were making us late, but staff still refused extra toilet paper and pressured us to leave without the walkthrough, saying we’d forfeit the deposit. Clarifying these procedures in advance would help.

The apartments stay warm, sometimes uncomfortably so, and there’s no way to adjust the temperature. The spa is decent, but too small for the number of guests, so getting a booking is nearly impossible unless you can make one of the awkward time slots. People at reception are pleasant, though the systems they have to follow can be frustrating. There’s very little signage and the resort layout is confusing. Apartments are also barely stocked, with hardly any toilet paper and no shower gel or cleaning supplies. You can’t order breakfast if you booked through Airbmb or Booking. The place has potential, but there are a lot of issues and it could do much better.