Hotel du Col

Stayed here 3 years ago skiing and couldn’t fault it, hence we returned this year but what a disappointment. Can’t fault the cleanliness or comfort of the rooms, lovely hot showers, slept like lots all week and a lovely lively downstairs bar. As others have said the restaurant is now a big let down; cold unappetising food & not enough of it, not replaced when it should be yet they bring out a massive tray of scrambled eggs at 9am when there’s hardly anyone there?! Dinners were a joke, overlapping queues so you couldn’t always tell where it started, running out of cutlery, bun fights for the slim dessert pickings. Most of it cleared away at 8.30 then late comers arriving to nothing, opening hours supposedly 7.30 til 9pm! It’s no good having more seating at the expense of quantity or quality. Wouldn’t go beck there.

We visited this hotel 7 years ago and have been wanting to return ever since as our first experience was amazing, great hotel accommodation and amazing unforgettably fantastic food. We returned this year for a totally different stay. The hotel was the same, accommodation was good, although the rooms were cold. When we asked for the heating to be turned up, the manager said that it was 45° in the room and we would melt if it got any hotter, not helpful when you are cold. The main problem was the food which was an absolute disaster. The restaurant didn't open until 7.30pm and then there was a mad scramble for the food. There was an average salad spread of green salad, cold charcuterie meat and cheese, (the same every evening and didn't vary at all throughout our stay) . There was very little choice of hot food, which looked totally unappetising, it was sparse in quantity and very often cold. When I say cold, I mean fridge cold. There was only one choice of vegetable, often carrots or spinach. The staff brought the food trays out of the kitchen not wearing oven gloves and the trays were placed over hot water which could not heat cold food and was totally inadequate. We had to wait until 8.30 for deserts, which again were sparse mostly just two choices of tiny portions and ran out quickly. No ice cream. The food serving area was very cramped with the serving trays almost touching each other so you couldn't open two next to each other as there wasn't room. No food was labelled, so you had no idea what you were eating. Food ran out, which left guests standing around waiting for replacements. The deserts were dished up amongst the salad. The restaurant was open in the evening from 7.30 until 9.30 with food stop being served at 9.00. One evening, all the food was cleared away at 8.20 which resulted in some very angry guests who arrived after this time and who were offered a bowl of rice as a meal. It is our understanding that there is a new chef who started fairly recently. The previous chef was there for 20 years and has moved to another hotel in Sestriere. During our stay we believe there was an inspection by Crystal Ski management. On that day the food quality stepped up radically with five choices of vegetables and much better hot meal choices. Pizza and cheese balls were also served in the bar alongside the afternoon cakes (which were often stale and leftovers from the breakfast) . The hotel is advertised as a ski in/ski out which is not true as with skis on, you have to use your poles from the hotel to the slope which is 75m away. People, including us, would walk. In the restaurant, there were 27 light bulbs not working , so we were eating our meals with no proper lighting. We asked for the bulbs to be replaced and was told that they were waiting for an electrician. The lights were never replaced during our stay. On the upside, the rooms were kept very clean and the room service was excellent. The boot room was always hot, and the

Great hotel, perfect to get on the slopes with short ski / walk to elevator or drag to get you higher , rooms nice and clean every day. Water pressure brilliant so showers nice and hot, ski lockers excellent, they now have a city tax also which you have to pay about 30 euros for 2 people. Have stayed here around 7 years ago and the food was brilliant. Like some other reviews recently have to say I agree. The food was bland, cold and of poor quality, if you are a fussy eater you will struggle. Can see they have changed the layout of the dining area to accommodate more people, it just does not work. The catering staff where brilliant and very hard working, just a shame that the food they were overseeing was not good, as most are hungry after skiing you just ate what you could. Breakfast again not brilliant and the most bizarre thing is no bread rolls etc, the only bread was served at main meal and was stale and hard. We can see that the hotel managers do not look at these reviews which they should. If the food can be made better like simple tasty good Italian food it would be perfect.

Just back from a week’s skiing with Crystal ski. On arrival our coach was later to arrive, the hotel kept the restaurant open for us. Our last day they opened at 5 am to make sure we were feed. Now tell me a hotel that would do that. I liked the idea of your table for the week being allocated for you. We got to know David and he was excellent. Along with your meal wine and water are provided. We were down for the evening meal not long after opening so food temperature was fine and never had any issue with queues and the hotel appeared to be full. All the staff were friendly, rooms cleaned early and spotless. There are English channels on the TV and WiFi was very good. Location was probably the best of all the hotels. Walked out of the boot room and straight onto the slopes. For those looking to learn there were two nursery lifts just out the door. Those that can ski there a chair lift within 100m that you can ski too. Ski rent location was only two/three doors down. If with Crystal I’d recommend the day to France even those who are less confident. This was my first trip to Italy and although I ski once / twice a year this was the right choice for hotel and resort.

Really wonderful stay over New Year. Hotel is in a prime position on the edge of the slopes and you can ski to the door of the underground garage/boot room. Staff are really friendly and went above and beyond to welcome us throughout our stay. We couldn’t hire sledges/bum boards at the local hire shops after a certain time in the evening but Marcello (1 - boss) pulled out 5 bum boards from behind reception for us to use and enjoy for a couple of hours. Made our evening - thank you!! Rooms are really spacious and well appointed and serviced. The only suggestion would be to have tea/coffee making facilities in the room, although the board basis more than compensates for this. Breakfast is plentiful and varied, afternoon tea and cakes is excellent (provided in the basement pub), evening meal is varied, traditional and plentiful. The choices may not be to the taste of the more fussy or younger guests however when approached the kitchen team provided our girls with a suitable alternative. Two areas for a drink. Reception level bar (cosy with piano or relaxing music, overlooking the slopes - great to watch the slopes in general and night time skiing when it’s on) and the basement level Irish themed tradition pub (pool table, table football, big screens and great atmosphere - very welcoming and lively). Marcello (2 - barman) is an absolute star and splits himself between both bars, with other staff members, enthusiastically. Super friendly and helpful. Boot room is brilliant - each lockable locker has its own heated probes, perfect for heating boots, gloves, helmets. Thank you for a really memorable stay!!

Very disappointed - location perfect, rooms fine, staff friendly, food awful. The buffet lay out was a disaster with people struggling to get at the food - not that it mattered as it was all cold, all week! Not quite the 4 star rating we were hoping for.