Le Ristolas

We were the two Flemish hikers who arrived at hotel Le Ristolas at 22:45, after a long 12-hour day walking across snow-covered mountains. The lady called a taxi for us after breakfast so we could get back to where our car was, and we'd had a hot meal and a spacious room with a good-sized bathroom the night before. She and the kitchen chef were nearly closing when we got there, but they let us in, reopened the kitchen to cook for us, and got a room ready. They told us they felt it was their job to welcome people who needed somewhere to sleep, even at closing time. We really appreciated all the effort. If you're reading this, thank you!

Breakfast ended at 9, but when we came down at 9:15, the restaurant was empty and the manager was outside smoking and chatting. She said she couldn't serve us, though she'd already waited as a big "effort" and needed to get on with her day. She did offer to make one more EFFORT and pour us coffee, but I had to beg for milk. They still insisted on charging us for half board. Earlier, they seemed to measure every serving, from the milliliters of wine to the potatoes on a poorly garnished plate. I've never seen such stingy managers, which surprised me because my experiences around Queyras have been the opposite. I wouldn't recommend staying here. Try the other hotel at ristolas instead, where there's a pool and your money will go further.

Really good food, nice rooms, and very friendly people. Great hotel, thank you so much.

That little update: the car finally thawed! We were charmed by your smiles and kindness from arrival right through to leaving. The hotel was well cared for, the rooms comfortable, the dining room lovely, and breakfast was great. Really, everything was so good that although we found you by chance, we'll definitely come back. People like you bring back the human warmth and personal touch that's so often missing. Thank you, Madam and Sir, once again.