This is a decent property for skiing in Val Thorens - conveniently located and good accommodation. However, despite the owners being friendly and helpful during the booking process, the way in which check in and check out was handled has left a bit of a sour taste in our mouths.
We did not receive any information about the property before we arrived - we were just told to pick up the key from the office in the block. When we did so, a very flustered lady just gave us a bunch of about 10 keys, without even telling us which floor the apartment was on. We were not given any information at all about the property or the arrangements for the end of the booking.
The property wasn’t particularly clean when we arrived - the dishwasher hadn’t been emptied, the bathroom hadn’t been cleaned and the shower was blocked and didn’t smell great. However, we were there to ski and so didn’t complain as none of it was particularly serious.
We enjoyed our week there (apart from the shower blockage, which continued to smell quite bad) and tried on a number of occasions to speak to the lady in the office but she was never there. We were therefore left not knowing what we should do on checkout and what was expected of us. We swept and cleaned the apartment, cleaned the surfaces and took the rubbish to the recycle bins. We left the dishwasher on with crockery in it, as it had been when we arrived. The lady in the office was still not around (this was 10am on the Saturday, the changeover da in VT) and so we eventually had to post the keys through the door of the office, texting the owner to tell us that this is what we had done. It didn’t feel particularly safe or professional, or give us an opportunity to show her the apartment to check it was all okay.
Since returning, we have received a message from the owner, complaining about the way in which we left the apartment, which we are addressing with him directly. He was pleasant when I had dealings with him during the booking process and I hope he will be reasonable now. However, it does appear, as a minimum, that he is being very let down by those representing him locally, who are not doing anything but the bare minimum to maintain the apartment and are then seeking to take money from renters’ deposits to cover up their shortcomings. This is a shame. I would suggest others thinking about booking the apartment think about this carefully before proceeding.