Appartement Tignes Val Claret

I’ve been skiing eight times and this was my second visit to Val Claret. I’ll keep coming back to Tignes, but not to the Balambra. I was surprised by the positive reviews. This place seems suited to people with kids, and it was full of them. The best thing is the position right on the piste above the Fresse lift, with ski-in, ski-out access. The room was a decent size, but the walls were very thin, so we could hear kids running around upstairs. Housekeeping was poor: tea and water weren’t replenished all week, and the Wi-Fi kept cutting out. The pool is tiny and full of kids, while the sauna wasn’t even switched on. The hot tub was nice, and the only break from the kids, but you only get 30 minutes. Food was mediocre, which is especially disappointing for France. I’ve had amazing food on other French ski trips, but here the choices were limited and mostly poor quality apart from the odd decent dish. At half past eight breakfast, the yoghurt and scrambled eggs were gone, tables weren’t being cleared, and I had to hunt for cutlery. Toast and butter were at opposite ends of the restaurant, as were tea and milk. Raclette night was a letdown too: just a few slices of cheap ham and some salami, and we had to fetch bread and wine from the buffet ourselves. Even 0% beer costs extra. The ski lockers are so small that getting everything inside each evening is a struggle. There’s barely room for two pairs of boots, skis and poles, so forget fitting helmets.

The ski room is on a short slope, so you can ski straight in and out, though getting there means going up and down some steps, which isn’t comfortable in ski gear. The club itself is great, with ski-in, ski-out access. Food was good in both quality and quantity, with a nice choice of meals, though a few dishes could have used more salt. The bar was great too, and the staff were friendly and courteous.

We came as a family of five adults for seven nights and six days, and the trip left me recharged, inspired and amazed. I’m a hospitality professional with over 22 years in food and beverage, hotels, major events and special events, and I’ve never seen a team bring this much dedication, energy, passion, talent and joy to their work. The staff made the biggest difference. They were excellent every day, happy, enthusiastic and engaging in a way that rubbed off on us. Thais and Remi were in the spotlight and did an epic job, but the rest of the team was great too. Director Mathias, if I’m remembering right, put together a great team and strong program. Whenever I wanted or needed something, it was there without me having to ask or wait. The nightly spectacular was funny, artful and engaging. I tried to catch every show, and even got pulled into a very funny act. The choreography, singing, gags and theatrics were all great. We laughed until our stomachs hurt, and some of the content moved us too. The nightly games were fun and friendly, though still competitive. Stretching with Remi was a big help in the middle of an intense ski week and really loosened up my hips and back. Not everything went perfectly, and we had a few issues, but the team and activities made the whole experience so good that the hiccups were easy to shrug off. I have plenty more to say, and hope I get to share it another time. Thank you for such a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime trip. I’ll always treasure it, and hope to return again and again.

The hotel is ski-in, ski-out and the staff are nice, with lots of activities for young families. It feels like a Club Med, except lift tickets and lessons aren’t included, and the food isn’t nearly as good. The meals didn’t meet my expectations, especially for the price. There’s a buffet at breakfast, lunch and dinner, with limited choice. Everything was bland, nothing was cooked to order, and food sat warm for hours, even the pizza. While I was there, a stomach bug was going around. Lunch was often made up of the previous night’s leftovers. I wouldn’t recommend staying here if you don’t eat meat. There weren’t any vegetarian dishes, and the only fish option was often deep-fried like McDonald’s.