Le Morgan Hotel

After reading another review (Feb 8th 09) on this site prior to going on holiday to Risoul I was a little worried to say the least, however we have had the best skiing holiday ever and would recommend it to all, especially families with children of any age. We were a party of two adults (intermediate skiers) and two children aged 9 and 13 (second time skiers). The resort Something for everyone. From the highest lift there is a choice of at least a blue and red run down sometimes a green or black as well. We skied for two days with a couple one of whom had been skiing for 21 years, she was on a second visit with her husband and would easily rate this resort in her top ten! Vars is another great resort and easy to ski to. It has a board park, this is worth a look just to watch the more adventurous perform some great stunts and jumps. We could have spent the whole holiday using just chair lifts if we had wanted to, the few button lifts are long and quite steep- if you dont like them don't use them! The Hotel This was the first season for Rocket Ski/ Equity and you would not have known it. The staff were helpful, polite and always happy to help, nothing was too much trouble. At dinner time water bottles were replenished several times without prompting. The staff were young and many on gap years and were obviously there for a good time but this in no way detracted from the service they were there to give. Most of them will not be back next year which is a great shame but hopefully the company will recruit similar natured staff. A school party of 45 12-15 year olds were staying at the same time, they were in a different dining room and had no real impact on the enjoyment of our holiday. The hotel is quite basic but again what do you expect for TWO STARS. Only staff that were off duty and chosing to relax with the guests were ever watching TV, staff on duty remained attentive. If you don't want to watch TV don't sit in the TV area! Rooms We had a quad room, the most spacious we have ever had. We were a little cold on the second night and asked for an extra duvet this was delivered to our room promptly and willingly. The rooms are basic but adequate, again what do you expect for two stars. We all had a HOT shower or bath every night. We took our own hair dryer and travel kettle as we expect neither on such holidays unles stated in the brochure. Meals The buffet continental breakfast was adequate and you could eat as much as you like. Staff were more than happy to refill tea and coffee on request and the children were offered hot chocolate as an alternative. Afternoon tea and cakes would be a lovely addition but there is a fantastic boulangerie/patisserie a few doors away , we bought a stodgy cake each day and took it to our room to enjoy with a cuppa. Many people relaxed in the bar area with an early beer or tea /coffee (free refills til 3- 6pm) Dinner was not nouvelle cuisine (thankfully) but tasty wholesome food, (better than any English two star establishment), the so called "Angel delight in a glass" was indeed a deliciously rich homemade chocolate mousse! We were all full to the brim every night. If you don't like the meat/fish dish you can have the veggie alternative. Noise There is a night club nearby (as it states in the write up), it only mildly disturbed us on two nights but as the week progressed we were all too exhausted after a good days skiing. You do hear people on the streets on occasion making their way home in the early hours but I'm afraid you get that in most holiday resorts where people are out drinking and having fun!!! Check out You have to vacate your room by 09.30 not a big deal as we spent a beautiful sunny morning relaxing at the foot of the pistes in a deckchair. The staff move the tables in the dining room to accomodate all the luggage. Ski hire We found the ski technician laid back and helpful. He stays up until every last person has been ski fitted so they can be on the slopes first thing. If you want to leave it til the morning thats up to you. The boots and skis were no better or worse than any others we have hired over the years. Matt happily changed my skis after the first day as I wanted narrower ones. Ski storage This room is locked over night and opened up first thing. It can get a bit busy and crowded especially when people are heading out to ski school, just time it right! On our last day skiing the ski technician was down stairs waiting to recieve our equipment back. Airport transfer Turin airport baggage reclaim took about half an hour. We dropped people off at Montegenevre on the way this added about 10 -15 mins to our overall journey, we took the same route back to the airport which took about 2 hours 40 mins taking the same route through Montegenevre but didn't pick anyone up. The trip back to the airport is in daylight so there is some stunning scenery to keep you ocupied en route. Turin airport was a bit chaotic at check-in, the 100ml liquid rule is enforced here too. It would be good to have a comfort stop on the way to and from the airport, it can test your bladder function!!! In summary if you are looking for Four star accomodation and facilities don't book a Two star hotel. If you want great skiing for all abilities in a predominantly French resort in basic but adequate accomodation with a friendly laid back atmosphere then this is for you.

We had a totally different experience staying at Le Morgan Hotel. The skiing in Risoul is fantastic and the hotel could not be in a better postion, the slopes are less than a minute's walk away. We were lucky enough to have glorious weather whilst we were here- it was wonderful to be able sunbathe on the terrace but still have enough snow to ski the whole area. The hotel itself has a warm and friendly atmosphere with a "family run" feel. Yes the staff are young, but very professional and could not do enough to help us. They clearly work very hard as a team and were very attentive. I took a tumble on the first morning and the rep was very helpful in dealing with the medical centre. Having read the previous review we were slightly worrried about the extra hour coach journey- however the resort of Montgenevre is actually on the only route between Turin and Risoul so all coaches pass through anyway. There is no extra travel time whatsover. We also thought the food at the hotel was much better than expected. The restaurant is quite basic but well presented. As with most ski holiday packages, there is a set menu, though there is a choice of starter and the vegetarian options (my wife is a vegan) were varied and tasty. Breakfast was in a buffet style and there was always plenty of choice- we have previously stayed in french run hotels where the only option is bread and jam! croissants, eggs, porridge, cold meats, fruit, yoghurts and cereals were readily available. The staff serve tea and coffee to the tables. On eat out night the rep organises a mountain meal in a nearby restaurant which was a really enjoyable evening and brilliant value for money in comparison to other restaurants in resort. The hotel bar was also good value, as with all ski resorts prices are high but the hotel was by far the cheapest bar in resort and the apres ski entertainment throughout the week was popular. We made new friends on "quiz night" and are now planning our next trip to Risoul together! The rooms were actually quite spacious and comfortable. We didnt experience any problems with hot water , nor hear of anyone who did so that issue has obviously been resolved. Most of the rooms have balconies and it was nice to be able to have a soak in the bath after a tiring day on the mountain. Probably the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed in. All in all we had a fantastic week and will definitely be booking for next year.

The Resort Risoul is a high altitude resort with good ski links to Vars. Snow conditions can be excellent and also offers plenty of off piste skiing. A great resort for skiing of all levels. Hotel Club Le Morgan was previously run by First Choice and Crystal. The ownership has now passed onto Equity Ski / Rocket Ski, with 2009 being their first season in control. The hotel is in an excellent location, very close to the lifts and right in the centre of town. The team running the hotel all appear to range in ages from 18 – 25. They are clearly inexperienced in the catering and hospitality industry and have limited skills when it comes to dealing with the public. We were all given the impression that the hotel duties are an inconvenience to them, because clearly their main priority is to spend as much of the day as possible skiing and boarding. Hotel Facilities The word hotel can be used very loosely to describe this facility. It is very basic, run on a very tight budget and feels more like a youth hostel. As you enter the hotel you are directly in the bar and reception area, which is the only common area to relax outside of your rooms. The bar contains 6 sets of tables and chairs and four bar stools, so seating is very limited. Sky TV is on most of the time with the staff either watching Coronation Street or Football. The dining room again is very basic and contains a table football unit and pool table (both chargeable). The pool table doubles as the buffet table for breakfast. Rooms The most basic rooms I have ever encountered, even on a ski holiday. Rooms either contained twin or double beds with duvet and one pillow each (no extra pillows available), one table, two wooden chairs and one stool acting as the bedside table. The room was lit by two tiny bulbs positioned over the bed, so very dim in the evenings. The only mirror was in the bathroom. Some rooms also contain bunk beds in the hallway. The bathroom and toilet were separate and very dated. Hot water was an issue – so please be aware, many guests were complaining that they could not get hot water - on the last day, we were told a plumber was being called. One of the rooms in our party did not receive any hot water all week. Don’t expect any luxuries such as TV, hair dryers or kettles, because you will be disappointed. Room Keys You are asked to leave your room keys as reception when you leave the hotel, these are also the keys that the staff use to enter the rooms to do a daily quick clean. Be aware, the keys are easily reachable from the front of the desk and there is little security. On three occasions the room door was left unlocked and open after the staff had been in to clean! Despite complaints, there was little concern. Meals The board basis was advertised as chalet board. Having stayed in Chalets previously, this description was ambitious. The board actually includes breakfast and dinner only. You pay for all drinks and there is no afternoon tea or cakes provided. Breakfast served from 7am – 9am presented on the pool table; bread, Croissants, ham, cheese, cereals and juice. Hard boiled eggs in the shell are also provided on alternative days to stodgy porridge. They don’t provide eggs and porridge on the same day! You are offered tea or coffee, but only one cup as they don’t bother checking if you’d like another! Dinner served 7pm – 8pm 3 small courses. Typically, soup or pate, followed by sausage and mash or pork chop and vegetables or chicken or salmon steaks. Desserts included small portions of apple flan, lemon tart, one night we were even given chocolate angel delight in a glass! Again we were given the impression that once the dinner was served the staff wanted to clear up as quickly as possible so they could go out on the town. You are expected to eat out one evening per week as the staff all have the same night off. Not a problem as there is plenty of restaurants nearby. Noise Be aware, there is a night club next door, despite reports of sound proofing; thumping noise could be heard all night. Every night we were also woken by many people screaming and shouting in the street up to around 4am. Don’t expect a peaceful night sleep, because it will not happen, even if you ask for a quiet room – there isn’t one! Check out time On departure day, you have to vacate your rooms by 9am! Many signs are plastered up all around reception and the stairs telling people they MUST leave their rooms by 9am. Having asked for a late checkout, we were told it was impossible and nobody was allowed a late checkout. I understand there is a lot to do on changeover day, but some flexibility would have been nice. We were still in the hotel at midday, and by this time, our room had not been cleaned or entered by the staff! Ski Hire/ Lift Passes The ski hire is managed on site by a ski technician. The process to get hold of your skis and boots is very slow, especially on arrival night as the technician was on his own. We spent over an hour queuing in the basement to get hold of the equipment. The boots available for hire are very old and dated with limited adjustment. Some people in our party that hired the boots upgraded to silver boots (from the hire shop next door) just to get the fitting flexibility required. Note we were told by the ski technician that the hotel was in direct competition with the ski shop next door, and so silver upgrades were not encouraged. Ski Storage There is a storage room for skis and boots outside and underneath the hotel building. The door is never locked despite combination keypad being present. We heard that some people had ski and boots go missing, so please be aware and do not leave anything valuable here. On the last day, a notice is displayed telling you what time skis and boots must be returned. The usual procedure involves having returned equipment against your name signed back in as returned. On this occasion, the technician was unhappy about being called down from the bar and watching football to receive our equipment. We were told that we should have just left the skis and boots anywhere!! We paid the following for a weeks hire and pass Standard Ski & Boot Hire: £58 Silver Ski Hire: £54 Lift Pass: £127 (You need a passport photo) Arrival Airport Transfer (Turin to Risoul) The baggage reclaim in Turin was a slow process; it took almost 2 hours for everybody on the flight to receive their bags and cases. We were met by equity/ rocket ski reps and directed to the coaches. Transfer time is approximately 2.5 hours depending on the road conditions. Once on board we were informed that our coach would be calling at Montgenèvre on route. Disappointing as this added an additional hour or so to the journey, just to drop of 4 people in the resort. We did not arrive in Risoul until after 10.30pm. Return Airport Transfer (Risoul to Turin) The hotel is split into two coaches the rep displays a notice the day before departure telling you which coach and rep your party will travel with for the return journey. It is worth noting that the rep that dropped guests off in Montgenèvre on arrival day, does not take the detour on the return journey to Turin. Good for the rep, but disappointing if you are on the other coach and have to suffer an additional hour or so, on the cramped coach.

Risoul is a real hidden gem, loads of sun & some great skiing for most abilities. Plenty of off piste for the more adventurous. Brilliant Staff, pretty good food, large rooms. Bring some ear plugs, as there is some noise from the street below, people returning to their chalets in the early hours.

The Morgan is superbly located in the heart of Risoul literally meters from the lifts, shops and ski schools. The ethos in the hotel is fantastic the staff couldn't do enough to help and the chef is brillant (cant see him being in Risoul very long mind!)Unfortunately, it seemed the place is made of paper and the noise from the street below is incredible - and not so much the nightclub music (as one can eventually fall sleep to a dim thud thud) but you can literally hear conversations from the street on the third floor! - not good if like me you are a light sleeper. Some of the rooms are nicer than others, all quite small but if its all about the skiing and you sleep well despite noise - The Morgan is the place to stay. JT

Hotel was in a good location and very close to the slopes. Staff were polite and helpful and the food was good. It was clean, but it does look a bit tired and dated in places, but I guess that is part of the price. Terrace at the front was a good place for afternoon tea when the sun was out. The resort itself was a good and I enjoyed the skiing. Its not a 'mega-resort', but has a certain charm about it. Lift system is a bit old, there's a lot of drag lifts (but I've now lost any remaining fear of them) and a few slow motion chairs. But once up the hill there are some nice runs and the trip over to Vars can gives a focus to the day. I'd definitely go back, maybe not immediately as there are still lots of other places to go to, but its a resort and hotel that I would be happy to return to at some stage in a few years time.

Great Location, Rooms clean but basic. Staff really friendly and helpful. Food okay. (chalet girl/boy style cooking..some meals good, some not so nice but edible.) There is a nightclub next door, and whilst well soundproofed,people coming out late at night tend to be very loud whilst passing hotel. Risoul is a pretty, tree lined resort, with some excellent runs. The town itself is very small, but it has everything you need. I would definately return for another holiday.

Stayed at Risoul in the first week of the season 16/12/07 with my wife and our 5yr old son.Good dump of snow before we went ,but only 50% open for the first few days.The skiing is excellent for begginers, intermediates and young children.The hotel was in an excellent location and the food was good.The childcare was very good and we would recomend this hotel to people with children.The only small gripe is the hotel bar is fairly small and a little expensive but we loved Risoul and would go back

Stayed here for ski holiday in March 2007. Staff helped carry bags up the short hill from carpark (100m). Food for adults was good though very little choice.For kids it was slightly bizarre ,bread and butter pudding for desert! although staff were willing to respond to specific requests. Rooms are reasonable size for ski accommodation but basic. Lots of hot water available. Location is superb , 50-75m from bottom of piste.20 -50m from both ski schools and the ski hire shop is under the hotel. Can be a bit noisy outside at times when club next door empties but not too bad. There is an early kids meal option 17:30 and adults eat at 19:30hrs. Breakfast is buffet and generally pretty ok. Ski storage is under hotel next to hire shop.Can get crowded so recommend bringing all the gear out and sort yourselves out on the pavement by the front door to hotel. Bring photo for ski pass!

I stayed at this hotel in January for a weeks ski holiday and although the resort is great the hotel is diabolical. I arrived with my group (4 adults & 4 kids) after a delayed coach journey of about 5 hours to a hotel that could not be driven up to. We were met by the "rep" who took one bag and walked ahead. That left us with 5 other cases, 2 buggies and 4 very tired children. The sign outside shows quite clearly 2 *, although Crystal claim it is 3*. I would put it down as a 1*. We were told at reception that there were no kids meals and they would have to wait until 7.30 (which became 8pm) to eat. You would think that they would have atleast sorted out something for the children after being stuck all afternoon on a coach. The family rooms have a bunk bed which is the first thing that hits you as you walk in to the room. There is one wardrobe for 4 people, all with ski gear! The bathroom is something out of the 1960s, but the best!! part is the main bedroom. The total furniture is as follows: 1 Bed (not quite a double), 1 table and 2 stools which are acting as bedside tables. There are only 6 tables in the lounge/bar area, so no chance of getting seated during afternoon tea, if you can call it that! The hotel is basically run by teenagers on their gap year who want to ski/snowboard. The staff double up as waiters, bar staff and cleaners. They have no interest in what they are doing other than the next time they can hit the piste. The first breakfast brought us burnt croissants. Every single one had been burnt, but the clever staff still served them, even though there was a patisserie next door. They really had no clue. The food was so bad that we ended up eating out 4 out of 7 nights. Although one of these was because they give 95% of the staff the same day off and the kitchen is closed!! The key to the boot room was lost and the manager arranged for it to be kept open with a block of ice. Henced various skis went missing. When the block of ice was not put back in place, the reception gave us a screwdriver to open the door!! I cannot stress enough how much like Faulty Towers this hotel is. Please save your money and stay elsewhere.