thetravellingwilbennetts

We have just returned from a fantastic family skiing holiday in Les Deux Alpes.  This was to be our third family ski trip and we booked it pretty late as we were still undecided about whether we should spend the money due to our “home project”. I was still wanting to go, Mr TWB was more cautious so in order to convince him I needed to make sure we were getting a good deal.

I searched and searched and the budget I had set just seemed impossible but ever the researcher I didn’t give up and eventually I came across flights to Grenoble with Jet2.com that were a decent price and then I found La Belle Etoile a three star Italian run hotel in the resort of Les Deux Alpes.  Here is our Review.

Location

La Belle Etoile is situated in a central location in Les Deux Alpes.  We had booked our trip independently so had booked a standard transfer and the bus stopped only a couple of minutes walk from where we were dropped off.  The hotel is close to the Diable lift and only a 10 minute walk from the main Jandri Express.  There are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants close by.  A perfect location.

Accommodation

The hotel has 29 rooms with standard and superior rooms.  All rooms have en-suite facilities, hairdryer, satellite TV and safety deposit box.  The superior rooms have a balcony and we were lucky to get one of these rooms which offered great views.

The room was basic in décor but perfectly acceptable for a three star and we were only intending on sleeping in the room after all.  It was a decent size with plenty of storage and we particular like that there was an area just inside the door which was separate to the bedroom where you could hang your ski clothes/coats.  It kept the actual sleeping area from being cluttered.

It wasn’t the most modern, plush room we have ever stayed in but we were not paying for that either so overall we were happy.

Facilities

The hotel has a bar with plenty of seating and a pool table, restaurant, storage area and a games room with table tennis and gym equipment and a Jacuzzi area with shower, sauna and whirlpool which you need to pre book and this gave you 30 minutes private time which we did enjoyed on a few early evenings after time on the slopes.

The hotel also organised our lift passes so saved us a job when we arrived and they had recommended the services of Aalborg Sports for our equipment and booking through them enables us to obtain a discounted rate.  We were really impressed with their service and as the equipment was stored each evening meant we didn’t have the clunky walk with ski-boots and skis every night.  Definitely something we will go for in the future.

Food and drink

We were booked on a half board basis at La Belle Etoile.  They offer a buffet breakfast including pastries, bread, ham, cheese, fruit and yoghurt and you can order eggs and bacon as a warm option each morning.  Plenty to fill you up.

The evening meal was served between 7.30 and 9pm each evening.  The hotel offered a four course meal each night.  Very much Italian style.  Starter is from a buffet including soup, salad and other warm options.  Then the first course (Primi) is typically a pasta or risotto dish and then the second course (Secondi) typically a meat/fish dish with vegetables followed by a desert.

Each evening you would be asked to choose from 2 options for the following night.  There was certainly  no risk of being hungry.  On some occasions we would share some of the courses or skip one as it was just too much food

With regards to the quality it was mainly pretty decent.  There were some odd combinations on the starters and we didn’t like every meal but in the main we were satisfied.  We did opt to eat out one evening and another we had had a bigger lunch than normal so just had the first course.  In terms of good value for money you are certainly offered this and the hotel will accommodate any food requirements you have.

The bar area is well stocked and they offer a happy hour just before dinner and a daily Cocktail.  The prices of the drinks were very reasonable and we were pleasantly surprised.  We opted for the house wine with dinner most evenings and this was of a good standard and a bargain at 13 euros per carafe.

Service

This I found pretty exceptional.  The staff at La Belle Etoile work together like a big family.  They remember you name which is so personal.  They high fived Ella throughout the week and I love that they treated her like an individual and asked her what she wanted rather than converse through us which can often be the case.

Nothing was too much trouble for them and they all seemed really happy in their jobs.

Summary

I had done my research on the hotel and all but a couple of reviews were pretty positive.  The hotel, I feel, offered great value for money, great service  and we felt looked after.  Sure, it wasn’t luxurious or perfect  but it was a three star hotel and it enabled us to go skiing when we were not sure if our finances allowed.

If you are looking for a decent standard, good value property then you cannot go wrong.