Au Charmant Petit Lac - Ecohotel Parc & Spa

We stayed as a family of 3 at this hotel between Christmas and New Year and were extremely impressed. The food was incredible. We were on a half board stay. Breakfast is called “a gastronomic offering” and simply could not be improved. It was vast and meant we really didn’t need lunch on the mountain. We ate in both the hotel restaurant and their bistrot which is a few minutes walk from the main building. Both were exceptional. In Lo Bistrot the portion sizes were almost too big! Every late afternoon on return to the hotel, they are a selection of complimentary savouries and cakes on offer. Make sure you have a drink in the bar before your evening meal as they bring out a selection of incredible appetisers with your drinks. At every meal there was plenty of delicious gluten free options for me - I have to say the gluten free croissants I ate each breakfast time were simply the best I’d ever had. We went to the Spa each day too which has so many different facilities and one afternoon I enjoyed an excellent massage. The aromatherapy products they use there and in your room smell amazing and we brought some during our stay to remind us of this great hotel once home. On the 1st morning we asked for our car (it’s valet parked when you arrive) as we wanted to start our day at the Frachey funicular. However there was no need for it, as they will drive you there and back with no extra charge. What really makes this hotel outstanding is their friendly customer service ethos. You feel as a guest very welcomed and valued. We’d particularly like to commend Roland in the restaurant and Rencho the very kind driver. We used the ski hire shop Telemark which the hotel recommended and received once again such individual friendly service each day (they store your gear overnight) - they even will help you put your ski boots on and off !

Location 5/5. In the center of Champoluc, everything can be reached easily. Room and bathroom 5/5: we got a junior suite room with an amazing view. Great bedroom, great bathroom. Cleaning service is EXCELLENT. Service 4/5: the reception staff is very welcoming, but the manager seems not interested in understanding how your stay is going (we stayed a week, he never asked us if we needed anything). SPA 4/5: really nice. You get access to many SPA services like Turkish bath, sauna, emotional shower. SPA is not so big so when many children enter (and sometimes people from outside too) you loose all the relaxation well-being. Breakfast 4/5: A buffet is not available. They serve it as big canapes (and it seems very reach). This means that you have to eat what they serve (e.g. fresh fruit is available in little bowls and they decide what kind of fruit you can eat every morning) and keep in mind that if you want extras (like an orange juice) they’ll charge you. At the end of the day this also means a waste of everything they serve and that you don't want/can't eat. Restaurant 4/5: food is good but too local, and not so excellent. They recently decided to use ZeroKM materials and a very local cooking way, but this type of cuisine is not a 5-Stars level and does not suit the prices they apply during the Christmas period. Atmosphere 5/5 : a nice place to relax (even if you are not on a skiing trip). In our opinion being a 5-Stars (and applying 5-Stars prices), the restaurant (breakfast and dinner) and SPA organization and management need to be reviewed. The rest is excellent.

Incredibly disappointed. Yes, the hotel surroundings, rooms, spa were all of a very high standard, and reception staff welcoming. However, breakfast was a HUGE letdown….all waiting staff, even the head waiter, were completely disengaged - no attempts to make eye-contact, convivial chat completely absent. Day 1 - served 2 enormous trays of what can only be described as fancy canapés. Even fresh fruit was in two tiny, miniature bowls of about 6 berries, served on a blob of whipped cream. All pastries (tiny croissants) were hard, crispy and over-baked. Fillings were fancy meat/cheese when DIY croissants/rolls would have been far better. We had to ask for cereal, bowls of yoghurt and much more fruit, and also toast, jam/butter, then waited ages…. Coffees often lukewarm, hot chocolate weirdly inconsistent - sometimes lovely, next day like cold milk mixed with cheap drinking chocolate. Day 2 was same so we asked for extra items (basic continental breakfast), and listed exact requirements to head waiter. Day 3 was slightly better, with more attentive staff, but still some items missing which had to be waited upon. For Day 4 we spoke directly to reception and all items were even written down. Day 5 resulted in more accuracy but still abysmal, slow, disengaged service. For Days 6 and 7 no better. I have skied for some 40+yrs and never had such poor, disengaged service. I’ve eaten better in simple 2-3* chalets, with smiling, chatty staff. Save your money and stay elsewhere…