 Poster: A snowHead
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Just a little note to warn anyone booked/about to book Hotel L'Hermitage in Alpe D'Huez.
Got a fantastic deal there (Crystal's annual 'fire sale' last Feb), about £250 all in.
This place is by far the WORST place I have ever stayed. I cannot understand why or how anyone can give it even a remotely enthusiastic praise.
Yes the staff are good.
But the staff accommodation is like the worst student halls of residence, curtains hanging off, paint peeling off walls, pipes dripping. And This is all in view of the front of the Hotel entrance.
Im not going to go into the details of the Hotel itself, apart from the itching from the beds, doors that dont lock,graffiti in the lifts,beds with broken slats/stains on mattress and utter lack of investment in keeping an establishment at an exceptible standard. Crystal advertise this as a 3star (club)hotel. I have stayed in one star and they are a level above this hole.
As we were complaining about the place to the southern alps head rep , in the games room, where pipes were leaking onto the actual pool table we realised we had to just cut our losses and leave the place and stay next door, in a 3 star which was lovely. Crystal did refund us a total of £200 so fair enough, but I think it an utter disgrace they still sell this place as a 3 star, and some people will actually be forking out list price of upto £800 for a week there.
I have noticed on Tripadvisor , after an unfavourable review, a Crystal Management response was that a "partial renovation" of some of the public areas has taken place. Believe me, a total major renovation is needed, to bring this place upto even a 2 star standard.
My main gripe is with unrealistic grading of accommodation, which Crystal seem repeatedly guilty of. Some of the staff at the 'Hermy', off the record admitted the place was an utter dump, and that their fortunes changed after resort allocation moved them from their previous years hotels/chalets to this place.
If I had booked this place and it was advertised as a 1 star, then I would have probably gone expecting what I had got, and been happy with my lot.
Just a word of warning....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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But the staff accommodation is like the worst student halls of residence, curtains hanging off, paint peeling off walls, pipes dripping.
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That's pretty standard for TO staff accommodation. It's one of the side effects of selling holidays at £250 for a week.
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And This is all in view of the front of the Hotel entrance.
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So it would be all right if you couldn't see it? 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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An object lesson in the value of tripadvisor.com . It's been very useful to me over the past few years. Also: laterooms.com , when avoiding package arrangements.
There's always a role for dirtbag accommodation. It gets young skiers on the first rung. When I was a skateboard writer (and aspiring snowboard writer) I used to stay in these shitholes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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There's always a role for dirtbag accommodation. It gets young skiers on the first rung.
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Balls. In the case of the Hermitage it's a wealthy multinational company ripping off its young staff for mingpit sub-student accommodation which is probably illegal.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Well, in that case blame the authorities. What the hell are they doing?
It suggests to me a breakdown in social order in Alpe d'Huez. But then, these 'second generation' ski resorts were pumped by the French government with cash, so they never grew organically like most Austrian and Swiss resorts.
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My point and main gripe is that this place is marketed as a 3star 'clubhotel' and many people pay the list price.
A side point... although some of the skiing (le Tunnel) is first class, I thought the whole place was rather charmless and second rate.
Even La Plagne/ Les Arcs has a 'soul', but ADH left us cold.
And The ESF seem to be even more arrogant and ignorant here more than anywhere else ive been.
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Things have obviously gone downhill - stayed there some years ago and it was OK then. I must disagree about the resort though. I think it has a great range of skiing and it was where I got the missus to progress from beginner to improver thanks to graduated range of runs. Yes, not much soul, but that's not what I go skiing for.
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Yup, was there New Year 07/08, dire, and the strep and his sidekick were crap. Lost our bags, rep made no effort to locate them (they were in LDA). Barman eventually got them retrieved by phoning a pal. (Rep was sacked the following day, I have to admit to looking pleased when I heard this.)
I quite liked the resort (as custom built French resorts go). Great ice rink. And for once the ESF instructors were quite helpful and good with kids. So that's why my last three trips have been Mayrhofen, Zell am See and Mayrhofen. ANd next one will be to the Dolomites:)
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