So, before you read any other reviews, read this one. I write this as a 34 year old who has stayed in every type of ski accommodation through the Alps from very basic through to luxury.

Firstly, in case you don't have long to read the rest of the review:

DON'T STAY HERE, IT IS A HOVEL OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS WITH GENUINELY DISGUSTING FOOD.

I booked this place for a group 5 lads. We were only going for 4 days and as we weren't taking wives / children weren't particularly after the luxurious end of the market.

As far as I'm concerned on a boys-only snowboard trip you need the following things:

- great snow
- a good shower
- a comfortable bed (and therefore a good night's sleep)
- decent, tasty, hearty food (which is actually the easier and cheapest to prepare)

...if that's all you want, you should, in my experience, expect to pay around £500 for the week including flights based on two people sharing a room. If you assume £150 a head for the flight and transfer, the hotel is making £700 for six catered nights. For that money, expect basic and clean, decent grub and reasonably modern but no frills. Snow holidays are always more costly than others, but this is a reasonable budget.

We paid £518 each for 4 nights at the Hotel Chamois. For comparison, two years ago I paid marginally more than this for this chalet in Meribel for a week. Link is here (http://www.skibeat.co.uk/ski-beat-resorts-meribel-chalets.asp?id=39). Granted we got a group discount but you can see that this is a beautiful chalet with comfortable modern surroundings and I can tell you the food and service was incredible.

The price is where the comparison ends.

The Hotel Chamois is dated. 20 years ago it was dated. It has threadbare carpets, loose floorboards, broken curtains, NO FREE WINE with dinner (THE standard in 'catered chalets / hotels), our room wasn't cleaned or tidied. They make you pay a deposit for your room key!!!!!!!!!!!! The walls are paper thin - I didn't sleep through once. The bed is little more than a campbed, the shower is literally stuck to the wall so you cannot direct it and when you do the water is either scalding hot or freezing cold. The light bulb in our toilet was never fixed. The toilet and bathroom didn't have locks. They have a 'no outdoor shoes' policy in the main part of the hotel (presumably so they don't have to bother cleaning) and in order to use the WiFi, you have to loiter in the corridor and pray.

The food varied only in degrees of edibility. The scrambled eggs were cold and watery, the bacon just cooked, the first day we had to ask for bread and were told there was none left but we could go to the bakery across the road!!!!!!!!!!! 'The starter' on the first night was a piece of bread (after they been to get some) with a dry piece of luke warm goat's cheese, some limp lettuce and some balsamic reduction which was literally welded on to the plate (it honestly would not budge when I tried to chisel it off the plate).

There was one chicken dish with pasta which was reasonable, but then we got fatty pork in bbq sauce and duck in what seemed like jam. Both rank. You'd think the chef would learn from the sheer amount of plates returning untouched that it's time to retrain. What's wrong with lasagne, chilli con carne, a roast, spag bol, a curry....all very simple, cheap to make and frankly, not disgusting. We weren't after cordon bleu, we just didn't want dressed up rubbish which made us feel sick.

In most basic places I've stayed at least the staff make up for it. It almost seemed that whilst the staff were friendly, they seemed embarrassed to be a part of this place. One of the chalet staff was actually pretty rude as well.

So, in context, I am not a posh person, who complains that his hospital corners aren't neatly in place just someone who's seen lots of accommodation and thinks value for money shouldn't be an optional extra. This place would ONLY be o.k if if was at least half the price but I'd still recommend eating out.

They need to spend £250k on this place which would make it much better but they'd still need to chuck in the wine to keep it on par with other places I've stayed for the same money. It's such a shame as it's in a good position and, as other reviews have said, the boot room is FANTASTIC!

Oh, the power went out on the last night, the hotel has no generator, no one told us anything and we had to pack by torchlight.

This is without a doubt the worst hotel I've ever stayed in and I recommend that if you don't believe me, check the photos others have left on here.

The positive reviews must be false, no one would ever say this was anything other than rubbish. Don't make the mistake I made, don't pay money to go here.

I will never be able to use Alpine Elements again, they are rip off merchants who sell you the sizzle and deliver you a custard pie.