Les Grandes Rousses

Les Grandes Rousses, Alpe-d'Huez: A Comprehensive Review of a Michelin Key Selected Property

Nestled in the heart of Alpe d'Huez, Les Grandes Rousses Hotel & Spa, a Michelin Key selected property, offers a luxurious alpine experience praised for its exceptional location, attentive service, and extensive spa facilities. This historic yet thoroughly renovated establishment consistently garners positive feedback, making it a highly recommended choice for both winter sports enthusiasts and those seeking a relaxing mountain retreat.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Les Grandes Rousses is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as "fabulous," "wonderful," and "exceptional." Review platforms consistently show high ratings for location, cleanliness, comfort, and staff performance. The hotel successfully blends the coziness of a mountain lodge with a modern and stylish aesthetic.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently rave about several standout features:

• Prime Ski-in/Ski-out Location: The hotel's position at the foot of the slopes provides unparalleled access to skiing and ski lifts, with guests able to ski directly to the hotel's ski shop.
• Exceptional Spa Facilities: The "Spa des Alpes" is a major draw, offering an outdoor heated pool, hot tub, sauna (some with views), hammam, sensory showers, cryotherapy, and oligotherapy sessions. While access to the spa sometimes incurs an additional cost, it is widely regarded as a luxurious and relaxing amenity.
• Attentive and Friendly Service: The staff receives numerous accolades for their professionalism, kindness, attentiveness, and willingness to go above and beyond to ensure a memorable stay.
• Stunning Views: Many rooms and terraces offer breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the Alpe d'Huez village.
• Modern Design & Comfort: The hotel boasts a beautiful, modern decoration and comfortable amenities.

3. Room Quality

Les Grandes Rousses offers a variety of room types, including suites, triples, and doubles, many of which are interconnected and modular. Rooms are generally praised for their comfort, cleanliness, and beautiful decor. Many rooms feature balconies, perfect for enjoying the mountain views, and are equipped with amenities such as espresso makers, safes, flat-screen TVs with digital channels, premium bedding, and soundproofing for a peaceful night's rest. Bathrooms include bathrobes, slippers, designer toiletries, and complimentary toiletries. While some guests found panoramic view rooms to be a "tad small/cramped especially for the price", others highlighted the spaciousness of their accommodations. There are also distinctions between rooms in the older, renovated part of the hotel with superb valley views, and more contemporary rooms in modern buildings that face the mountains or resort.

4. Dining Experience

The dining experience at Les Grandes Rousses receives mixed but generally positive reviews.

• Breakfast: The "all-you-can-eat" buffet breakfast is often described as great, varied, tasty, and delicious, offering top-quality products like fresh pastries, local goods, and hearty options. However, some guests have found it to be overpriced or noted occasional issues with coffee availability or lack of milk for cereal.
• Restaurants: The hotel features two on-site restaurants, including L'Espérance, which serves French cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and La Ferme d'Hubert, offering a more bistro-style approach with Alpine specialties. There are also small individual wooden chalets, Les Mas'Hauts, on L'Espérance's terrace for traditional Savoyard dishes. The quality of dinner food is generally commended, and special occasions like New Year's Eve meals have been highly enjoyed. "Aux Grands Rouges" is a popular spot for coffee, tea, and evening drinks with charcuterie and cheese.
• Criticisms: Some guests have noted limited menu choices, particularly for vegetarian and vegan options, and found dinner pricing to be expensive. Service at the restaurants can sometimes be slow.

5. Service & Staff

The staff at Les Grandes Rousses is consistently lauded as a major asset, frequently described as "top-notch," "wonderful friendly and helpful," "attentive," and "professional." Guests appreciate their courteous demeanor, availability, and their genuine desire to assist, even in resolving room-related issues. The reception and bar teams, in particular, often receive special commendation. Multilingual staff fluent in Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, and English further enhance the guest experience.

6. Location & Accessibility

The hotel's location is a significant highlight, earning consistently high ratings. It is centrally situated in the Alpe d'Huez resort, offering convenient ski-in/ski-out access and immediate proximity to ski lifts, including the "Alpes Express" lifts. The hotel is also within short walking distance to the town's shops, bars, restaurants, and mountain biking trails. External valet parking is available for an additional charge, and public underground parking is nearby. Airport transfer services are also offered.

7. Value & Pricing

While Les Grandes Rousses is a luxury property, many guests feel it offers good value for money, especially considering its amenities and location. Room prices can start around €139 nightly but vary significantly depending on the room type, season, and booking platform. Some guests, however, have expressed that certain aspects, like spa access or breakfast, are overpriced, and occasionally found room size to be small for the price paid.

8. Common Complaints

Despite the overwhelmingly positive feedback, a few recurring criticisms have been noted:

• Noise Levels: Some guests have experienced noise, particularly from rooms located above the restaurant.
• Room Size: While generally comfortable, some guests found certain rooms, especially panoramic view rooms, to be smaller than expected for the price.
• Lack of Air Conditioning: During warmer periods, some rooms lacked air conditioning, leading to discomfort.
• Inconsistent Housekeeping: A few reviews mentioned issues with cleanliness, such as dust, insufficient cleaning, or inconsistent towel replacement.
• Spa Access Cost: The additional cost for spa access, including the indoor pool, was a point of contention for some guests.
• WiFi Issues: Occasional reports of frequent disruptions and a weak Wi-Fi signal have been made.
• Dining Variety/Pricing: Limited menu options, particularly for dietary restrictions, and high pricing at dinner were sometimes mentioned.

Sources

1. planetofhotels.com
2. travelmyth.ie
3. crystalski.co.uk
4. agoda.com
5. yonder-society.com
6. powderhounds.com
7. booking.com
8. booking.com
9. hotels.com
10. expedia.com
11. kayak.ie
12. voyage-prive.co.uk