 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That sounds like typical seasonaire accommodation to me. If you were a paying guest then you'd understandably be very unhappy.
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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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Wags, it's illegal as staff accommodation. However, as far as I know chalets fall between the cracks and don't have to conform to much legislation, so it's probably fine to let it to guests.
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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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They're very common in apartments & I have one which has never been an issue. Usually referred to as a cabane or coin montagne. The agency I used to use rents dozens of apartments with such rooms, and publicises it clearly. The legislation may differ for chalets.
That said, it does get quite stuffy and I'm currently trying to figure out how to pipe a bit of fresh air into it; if I were doing the renovation again I'd install a small duct and silent inline fan to pull some air through the room.
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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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Definitely not the sort of room you want to keep your used ski socks in..... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes you can have a room with no windows or ventilation (most cupboards are like that), but you cannot call it a bedroom.
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I really don't know why I think this, but I think that there's something around if the room has no windows then it can't have a door hence why you see "Studio Cabines", Coin Montange etc etc with curtains as the divider.
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We booked a Chalet with a uk company and one of our party was given a room with no window. In addition the room doubled as a plumbing corridor with no sound insulation. The occupant was kept awake all night, due to toilets flushing etc. The operator says he gave us a 'health warning' verbally and directed us to his web site. No verbal warning was given at all. The web site says there is a room with no window but we never knew which room we were allocated. We have paid on a credit card. does anyone no if we can demand a refund? French law set out below. if someone can point me to case law that exempts chalets then by all means do so!
" legislative requirements for decent housing accommodation in France, which are set out under Decree No. 2002-120 of 30 January 2002 on the characteristics of decent housing for the application of Article 187 of Law No. 2000-1208 of 13 December 2000 on solidarity and urban renewal. The three relevant clauses are:
4. Networks and connections of gas and electricity and heating equipment and hot water are consistent with the safety standards set by the laws and regulations and are in good condition and operation;
5. Opening devices and residential ventilation allow air exchange tailored to the needs of a normal occupation of housing and equipment operation;
6. The main rooms within the meaning of the third paragraph of Article R. 111-1 of the construction and housing, have a sufficient natural lighting and an opening leading to the open air or on a volume of glass overlooking the open air.
Decree No. 2002-120 of 30 January 2002 concerning the features of decent housing, implementing Section 187 of the Urban Solidarity and Renewal Act, No. 2000-1208 of 13 December 2000, also states:
c) The right to housing fit for human habitation
The Public Health Code reads:
“Article L.1331-22: Cellars, basements, attics, rooms with no outside window and other premises inherently unfit for human habitation may be not be made available for habitation, either free of charge or in return for money.”
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Jooboo, it's not housing, it's a holiday let - doubt if that legislation applies.
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Jooboo, Contact your local trading standards dept in the UK, possibly Trade descriptions act, sale of goods and services legislation etc applies, and in the meantime 'dispute' the payment with your credit card company. All assumes the contract / sale took place in England.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The web site says there is a room with no window but we never knew which room we were allocated.
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so you just hoped somebody else would get that room?
Operators of British catered chalets seem to break quite a few French laws, quite frequently - for example they employ young British workers on illegally low wages, or various other scams which have been extensively discussed here on Snowheads. That means they can often offer very cheap holidays, undercutting local hotels. I don't have a lot of sympathy with customers who hope to benefit from the fact that chalets operate in this legal grey area but try to "cherry pick" the bits of the French law they'd like to benefit from. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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pam w,
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That means they can often offer very cheap holidays,
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Or more realistically finance their private home with it's own golf course in Devon, or a huge mansion in Cheshire, or a small estate on the south coast (although the latter went very broke and had to sell his properties!)
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You know it makes sense.
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The holiday wasn't that cheap and if they are offer sub-standard rooms they should say so in writing. We were told in writing that the chalet can accomodate up to 10 people comfortably which is not the case.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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We booked a Chalet with a uk company and one of our party was given a room with no window. In addition the room doubled as a plumbing corridor with no sound insulation. The occupant was kept awake all night, due to toilets flushing etc. The operator says he gave us a 'health warning' verbally and directed us to his web site. No verbal warning was given at all. The web site says there is a room with no window but we never knew which room we were allocated.
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Yeah that is pretty poo-poo.
If you were told YOU are having the really poo-poo room, it has no window and is very noisy you probbaly wouldn't have booked. Just putting 'there is one not very good room' on a website isn't really showing the true picture.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Just putting 'there is one not very good room' on a website isn't really showing the true picture.
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well if the other rooms were OK, then that is showing the true picture. Jooboo, did your party have the chalet to itself? Why not name and shame if you really think you received such poor value for money (you'll need to say how much you paid, though, if that's your contention).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No we were sharing with two other couples. We were charged 449.00 per person for a catered week. The cost is immaterial. the fact is that the room had no ventilation at all - nothing! And all the sewage pipes/outflow for the entire building rand through a space that could accomodate a single bed and a small night table. The company said that if we needed to sleep and quiet we should have said so.
We will name and shame in due course, no worries there!
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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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Jooboo, it sounds a horrible room, but I think single rooms are often pretty grim. If that price included flights and transfers it was cheap. If it was accommodation only you could reasonably have expected better. I suppose if the nasty room was a single, and you had a single in your party, it was pretty likely they'd end up there, especially if the other guests were couples.
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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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Flight, transfers were extra. The fact is we were not told by the company that the room had no ventilation at all - of course they are claiming they did. We are in the building industry (architect and planning) and would have never agreed to stay in a room like this as we no how uncomfortable is would be. We are taking it up with masterCard - once that is done we will name and shame so watch this space!
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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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Jooboo, I can totally understand why you're angry, I would be too. Why would a holiday company assume you'd want anything other than a quiet room for sleeping in!?? Having no window would be like staying in a prison cell! In fact, they even have windows and ventilation.
It's completely unacceptable, especially since the total price of the holiday was probably £650 or more.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I stayed in a bunk room in a chalet in Val D'Isère back in 2000 which had no windows, no other furniture and no en-suite. It was described as such in the brochure and was sold £100 cheaper than the other rooms (although I had to pay a big supplement for sole occupancy). At the time, it meant I could afford to go to an expensive resort/chalet with friends, but now I would definitely only choose an ensuite room with at least one cupboard for my clothes. A window is nice for that beautiful morning mountain view, but it't not a deal breaker.
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We have one little bedroom, in one apartment, at our place that has no windows (which we very clearly state on our website and the room had approval from the Mairie) with a fitted cupboard and an adult-size bunkbed. We weren't sure whether to offer it as a bedroom or not (obviously when people book an apartment with us, they book they whole apartment so it's up to them how many people occupy it and who sleeps where) and had thought after the first season we would covert it into some form of additional storage room... and then virtually every time we made up beds in other rooms for families not fully occupying the apartment, the kids would move their bedding and opt to sleep in the little windowless room, so we've left it as it is - I guess for kids it's like a little private den or something, though British single adults (and French couples) seem to have always been quite happy to sleep in there too and have rebooked the same over the last few years - we've certainly never had any complaints but, as I said, people are fully aware of what they are booking and it's up to them whether they choose to use that room or not.
Sleeping right next to the plumbing corridor doesn't sound good though...
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miranda, I think that's different, as you make it very clear.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Piccadilly, yes, the being kept awake all night by flushing loos etc would bother me more in winter (when I always sleep with the windows closed).
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Charlatanefc and I stayed in a room in Chalet Val 2400 during the EoSB 06 that contained a set of bunk beds and NO other furniture..... because there was no room for any other furniture. The bunks took up the whole width of the room and the door hit the bunks when opened. The room had no window and no ventilation.... both of which were desperately needed after the first days drinking.
The hot box from Cool Hand Luke would have been preferable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Frosty the Snowman, but did you tell the tour operator that drinking was intended? And where did you hang your smoking? Who slept on top?
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| Jooboo wrote: |
| We were charged 449.00 per person for a catered week. |
Including travel? If so, any time other than early December or late April outside Bulgaria you got a very good deal on price, and with cheap prices you have to do your research. You either didn't do your research, or you took a gamble that didn't pay off.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
The room had no window and no ventilation.... both of which were desperately needed after the first days drinking.
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Not Guinness I hope. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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ccl, I think it was on the list 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Frosty the Snowman, Well there would have been plenty of vitamins in the air, no doubt....
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FAQ
somehow I suspect the OP's holiday fell into the "very cheap" category. 
