Residence villa Frejus

The main problem at Residence Villa Frejus (RVF) was getting help at reception. I saw staff only three times during our two weeks, and the advertised hours seemed more like a suggestion. Even after our representative called ahead, nobody was there when we arrived. Another guest said the owners were “free spirits” who came and went when they felt like it. Eventually I found a note on the door with a phone number. I’m with O2, so the international call cost me nothing, but having to use my own phone just to check in was ridiculous. Once we reached someone, we waited another hour in a dated, gloomy sitting area before we could get into the room. The room itself was badly laid out: a double bed, a sofa bed, and a roll-out bed all squeezed into a tiny space, with no real room to prepare food in the kitchen. The fridge whined all night and made sleeping almost impossible. We found black mould in the room and black and brown grime along the bottom of the shower doors. The grime even flaked off while we showered. The doors barely worked, so the bathroom flooded nearly every time and we had to mop it up. One plug socket was broken. Keep in mind the sockets are Italian three-pin, not standard EU two-pin. That left us with one working socket, which often sparked and came loose, a genuine fire hazard. There were closets all along the hallway but only five hangers in each wardrobe. The bed was so uncomfortable that we both ended up with aching backs. The sauna was decent, but there was no privacy. Anyone could walk into the shared changing locker room. One guest nearly did, until a very young receptionist stopped them. To reach the sauna, you also have to cross a public room that doubles as the gym. The free WiFi was just as frustrating. You had to scan a QR code to get the login details, so you basically needed internet to get internet. Even once connected, it kept dropping out. We couldn’t watch even one episode of a show. The ski locker room was left open on cleaning days with nobody around, making our expensive gear easy for anyone from the underground car park to reach. Walking down the concrete car park slope in ski boots felt like a death trap. I nearly ended up on my backside three times. The walls were paper-thin too: we could hear the people above talking, moving around, and even using the toilet. I could also clearly hear people in the next room using their bathroom while I collected my gear. I can’t imagine which hotel the positive reviewers stayed in, because it wasn’t this one. Two other guests told me they had exactly the same complaints. Don’t be taken in by the high rating. Avoid this place if you want a holiday that isn’t a total nightmare. I have nothing personal against the staff, who were friendly enough in the few times I saw them.

The staff were lovely and ready to help. The furniture was worn, especially the sofa, and the frying pans were the worst I’ve ever used.

We found the staff friendly and full of helpful information about Bardonecchia and things to do there. The apartment had all the amenities we needed, including cooking utensils, so we didn’t have to eat out every time. Our one-bedroom place on the first floor had a balcony, and the linens felt soft and nice. It was a classic but very cozy apartment, and the price for four nights was affordable. The train station and bus stops were very close. Grazie mille!

The staff were awesome, and we had a very comfortable stay. It’s a convenient spot for skiers and snowboarders.