Cal Ruiz Hotel

Cal Ruiz (3.5/5) Not a bad hotel with reasonable facilities including jacuzzi, sauna, pool table and tv with a selection of DVD's. It's located on the edge of Pasa (probably one of the furthest from the lifts at 300-400 meters) which means that you may need ski lockers rather than having to carry your gear to the slopes and back each day. Lockers are available on the slopes at about 20 euros per week. The hotel food was quite good with lots of choice (especially for the evening meal) and the buffet was continuously being replenished by the chef as the evening went on. The main evening noise problems come, not from people returning from nights out, but from the small bob-cat diggers clearing the snow. Throughout the evening, you can hear the beeping of the digger when it is reversing but this would be a problem anywhere in Pas and not just with the Cal Ruiz. - To avoid this, a room at the back of the hotel may be a good option. The biggest drawback with this hotel was the lack of hot water. If you return from the slopes later than 5pm, be prepared for a lukewarm shower/bath as most of the hot water will have been used up. The hotel bar is fine and there's a good family atmosphere to the place.

We Were a group of 4 adults an 4 teenagers and traveled with First Choice. We had low expectations as we had been told to expect an 18 to 30's type experience. In fact this was not the case. It may have been because it was half term but we found the resort very family friendly and welcoming. The accommodation at the Hotel Cal Ruiz was good with large clean rooms. The staff were very friendly and quick to respond to any queries. There was a shortage of hot water at peak times between 5.30 and 7pm but we found plenty of hot water when we avoided those times. The bar area was on the small side and often smokey so we often opted to remain in the dining room next door. A large variety of foods were offered at breakfast and evening buffet so everyone found something they wanted to eat and some ate far too much. It's a steep but short walk up to the slopes so the 20euro for a ski locker is well invested. The service at the ski lockers was friendly and well organised and what heaven slipping on those lovely warmed boots.The girls particularly loved the shopping and at the end of the ski day the walk back to the hotel through the town without ski boots gave them the perfect opportunity to browse. Unfortunately limited snow meant that many of the runs were closed including the link to Soldeu and the majority of the blue runs. Despite this the slopes and lifts were usually not crowded. We managed to get some great skiing. We did get to Soldeu by catching the infrequent bus. We had to return by taxi [at 23 euro per taxi of 4] to Grau Roig.Be careful of the top of the red coming back from Grau Roig it's a bit of a bottle neck and gets very wind blown and icy. We saw some very frightened adults and hysterical children trying to get down. All in all we loved Pas and would return

I've just come back from a skiing holiday with my parents and friends - 6 in our party I and one other 26, 4 others 50+ As this was a paid for holiday what more could i complain about!! but i'm writing this review for my parents sake and mine!!! they booked which they were led to believe was a 4* hotel then months later recieving a letter from Crystal saying that this hotel was now a 3* hotel and that there was no reduction in price - due to us going during half term you can imagine no other hotels to be free - so we stuck with it! First impressions - no way a 4* more boardering a 2/3* - the bar was very smoky the rooms were small - but i have to say clean with fresh linen everyday and towels but some had stains and holes in! No hot water between the hours of 5 and 8pm all we got told was to leave it running - half the time i had to hang my head over the bath to wash my hair there was no way i was getting in that shower... Food was basic in the evenings - usually just warm enough to eat - but they do provide a microwave which i find a little strange!! so we used that in the morning to warm the beans up!!! if you want cheese 3 times a day then stay here it tends to be there way to cover up the tastes!! It was lacking some nice comfortabel chairs to chill out after dinner in the evening - there seemed to be a lot of resturants and bars that you can eat in the evening but what is the point when you've spent all that money for half board!! as i was a beginner the resort itself was ok - but you ski pass does allow to you go to the other resorts on a free bus - bearing in mind these run every 2/3 hrs so once your there be prepared to wait ages to come back and don't gaurentee that your going to to get on the bus on the way back - this in which resulted us in paying taxi fairs - added expense!! all in all i had a good experience but that was due to me having good company! - but i wouldn't be staying in this hotel again unless i was desperate!!

I strongly urge anybody booked to stay in this hotel to make alternative arrangements. For over a year this hotel has not been able to supply hot water between 17:00 and 20:00 most nights of the week, and even when there is hot water it is hardly what you would call steaming. If there is one thing you need after a days skiing its a hot bath / shower and you are not going to get it at this hotel. The management, and the tour companies, have known about the problem for ages but do not seem to care enough about the situation to fix it. In addition the rooms are dingy and the corridors darker still. On the plus side the staff do their best but they are working with indifferent management. The Parma Hotel across the street is miles better.

This is an ideal hotel to stay at for a sking holiday. I was there over New Year and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The staff were friendly the hotel was very clean sheets were changed regularly and towels were changed every day. The food was not over fancy but was highly edible. Prices behind the bar were fair certainly not a rip of. Can highly recomend this hotel the walk to the slopes was no more than a 6-7min stroll. We paid to keep our skis and boots at the lifts 20euros for the week. Pas is fairly vibrant offers an extensive range of eateries and family friendly bars. Reasonable range of shops for those that way inclind. Thoroughly enjoyable holiday.

Having read previous reviews about this hotel, there appears to be mixed reactions as to the quality and standard and we didnt quite know what to expect on arrival. Having flown to Toulouse we had a 3 hour bus jouney ahead of us to the Hotel and the last thing you would want is a bad hotel to arrive at. However this definately wasnt the case! Friendly and helpful staff were there to greet you on arrival, and we were checked into our rooms within 5 minutes of being there. There was a party of 10 of us ranging from 20 - 26yrs, and we were allocated 4 rooms, which gave us all more than enough space, the rooms were spacious and although could have been lit a little better were of a good standard. Maids would visit the rooms daily and change bed linen, towels, soaps and give it a thorough clean. Breakfast and dinner were served daily in an all you can eat buffet style banquet and the standard of food was superb. We didnt expect to be eating three course dinners each night and having the choice of hot and cold breakfasts each morning. The family run ambiance of the hotel is superb, and every member of staff were friendsly and helpful without exception. The hotel facilitates a sauna and jaccuzie downstairs which is a god send after a days skiing, and although each only sits four at a time, they are open from 5-7pm daily giving everyone the oportunity to relax in these facilities. We had hot water whenever we needed it and the rooms are so well heated that we found ourselves turning the radiators off as it became too hot. Overall all of our party commented on how good the hotel was and anyone that finds bad points with this hotel are either nit picking or used to staying at the Ritz. If you're looking for a cheap and chearful hotel with a chilled, relaxed atmosphere then this is the one for you, they even went to the lengths of providing every guest with a sandwich and drink to take with them for the 3 hour journey back to the airport. We have already planned to go back to Pas next year and would have no issues at all with staying in this hotel again. The only fault we could find is that it is a small walk away from the slopes, but litterally only a few minutes, and my advise would be to spend 20 euros each and get a slope side locker, it turned out to be the best 20 euros we all spent....ask for Gary, you'll know why when you meet him.

This hotel is supposed to be a 3 star but I would say more like a 2 star. We stayed in double room on 4th floor - the room was very dark, dull, and incredibly small. But we were 2 floors above the bar which meant it was quiet, but the walls are paper thin so you can hear every conversation next door. This hotel has very little hot water. The hotel is family run and prices for drinks at the bar vairy depending on whom is serving you. They also have no hairdriers. The jacuzzi and sauna are only open from 5pm to 7pm mon to fri. The food was to much of the same and certain foods ran out early. I would not stay here again and nor would I recommend this hotel. It is a shame as it does have potential to be a good small hotel if the owners did something about the hot water, opening the jacuzzi and sauna from morning to eve, extended the happy hour to spirts other than draught beer (not everyone likes beer!) and brighting up the rooms. Oh and the bed was very uncomfortable.

Having stayed in many ski hotels around France, Italy and Austria I have to say that this hotel exceeded my expectations, in all areas. It's only 3 star so we did not expect much. However from the moment we arrived the staff were all friendly and ready to help. Rooms were snug but comfortably set up and were kept spotless, being cleaned daily with fresh linen and towels. The meals were better than we could possbily have expected, with a wide range of choices over four courses and we all (7 in the party) had enough to eat, loads of good fish dishes. Wine was drinkable and well priced. Most nights there was extra free booze given to us! We were there over Xmas, the evening meal was oustanding and included wine and fizz that just kept coming! It is a walk to the slopes, so get a locker, but the walk takes you out of the busy centre and even though our rooms were at the front of the hotel sleep was no problem. We all agreed we would be more than happy to stay there again! Remember this is not America, unless you are prepared to pay 30% more than this hotel charges I think this is as good as you can hope for!

I stayed at the Cal Ruiz Hotel in early March 2006 on my first-ever skiing holiday, which I managed to enjoy in spite of this hotel. The rooms are cramped, with a bathroom big enough for one person (just) and lit with one small, dim light. The hot water generally ran out about 5pm, so any later showers were at best lukewarm - not recommended after a cold day's skiing. The corridors are small and dark, the walls paper-thin, so not waking up when your neighbours arrive home from the apres-ski is impossible. Even the sheets did not fit properly and the towels had holes in them. We had paid for half-board and after the second night we refused to continue to eat there such was the poor quality of the food. There is very little to recommend this hotel - even the spa and sauna had a maximum 4-person rule which was enforced by an hotel employee!

We stayed at the Hotel Cal Ruiz for a week in mid January 2006 - a group of friends, three guys and two girls all late twenties/early thirties. The hotel was perfect for what we needed, best bits were: Large comfortable rooms huge, well-equiped bathrooms sauna and jacuzzi in the basement (fab after a day on the slopes) Good choice of food/all you can eat buffet style Friendly staff Nice, well-used bar area The Cal Ruiz was newly-decorated and well-looked-after. The only very slight downside is that the hotel is the furthest one away from the slopes/ski lifts. However it's only a four minute walk and we found this helped clear our head after a night on the beer, plus it was nice to go 'home' at the end of the day away from the slopes. We would definitely recommend you get a ski locker next to the slopes though to save treking back and forth with skis and boots. The only other hotel we saw the inside of was the Palma Hotel and the Cal Ruiz was defitiely nicer.