MH Olen Boutique Hotel

Contemporary and indulgent, when the management knows exactly what's important.

I'd choose to stay here again if I came back.

For skiing, the location is hard to beat: our room was in a building across from the Alagna-Pianalunga cable car, with a private ski room, a well-stocked rental shop, and a bar/restaurant open all day. My wife and I stayed for three nights, Thursday to Sunday, at the end of January. Breakfast and dinner cost extra unless half-board was requested when booking. They were served at Hotel Cristallo, about 200 meters away in the village. The sweet and savory breakfast was average to us, especially for a 4-star hotel. At dinner, I don't see why an extra charge is made for an appetizer while there's no vegetable buffet, which you'd find in practically any hotel of this category. The spa is included with half-board, otherwise it costs €30. I think the small sauna and cold-water pool need rethinking. One other thing: shouldn't guests be told when booking that the ground-floor bar has DJ sets late on weekends, and that the building seems about to collapse? I have no objection to the work being done during the height of the season, but guests should at least be told so they can decide whether to book, especially since the room isn't free.

The wooden rooms are comfortable and well appointed, with thoughtful lighting that gives them a lovely atmosphere. Parking is convenient, and the hotel is right by the ski lifts. I liked the idea of avoiding plastic water bottles. Water comes from a vending machine in a small room beside the rooms. There's also a basic breakfast kit with yogurt, jams, and coffee pods, though the fridge itself isn't set up for breakfast. A couple of things got in the way of the stay: the bathroom has no window, and the village church nearby chimes every half hour. In summer, with the windows open, that could make it hard to sleep if you're not used to it. The TV also felt too small for such a generously sized room.