Sporthotel Steffisalp

Could this hotel be excellent? Absolutely. Does it sabotage itself? Also yes. Exhibit A: the audacity of charging €5 per refill for tap water at dinner - not Evian, not even Perrier, but tap water - during what they have the nerve to call a "pampering half board" experience. By the final dinner, my table had consumed tap water totalling over €100. We came for half board, we left financing their plumbing infrastructure. But wait - breakfast tells a completely different story. Coffees? Free. Juices? Free. Unlimited Prosecco before 9:30am? Absolutely, help yourself, have two. The same establishment that held tap water hostage at dinner was essentially running a free bar at sunrise. So to summarise the commercial logic of this establishment: fermented Italian wine at 8am? Gratis. The water required to sustain basic human life at dinner? That'll be €5 a carafe, thank you very much. The mysteries of this hotel's hospitality philosophy continued beyond the dining room. Exhibit B: in a bold reimagining of the 4-star experience, management had thoughtfully removed all tea and coffee facilities from the bedrooms. Should you wake at 7am craving a hot drink, the answer was simple: wait. The restaurant opens at 7:30. Thirty minutes is nothing. Use the time to reflect on your life choices, or perhaps draft a strongly-worded review. Exhibit C: as for the minibar - that other tired cliché of premium hospitality - don't be ridiculous. Why provide a fridge when guests can simply balance their yoghurt on a window ledge and pray for a northerly wind? This hotel charges €5 for tap water and apparently invested the proceeds into providing no bedroom amenities whatsoever. For the discerning dance music enthusiast, however, this hotel truly delivers. On Friday and Saturday nights, the thumping beat of an EDM DJ was thoughtfully transmitted at full frequency through the walls, the mattress, the very fillings in your teeth. At 3am, lying wide-eyed in the dark, I briefly considered getting up to make a calming cup of tea. Then I remembered. There was no kettle. I lay back down and let the drop take me. But here, finally, is where the hotel redeems itself - partially but genuinely. The bedrooms, stripped of all appliances as they were, turned out to be spacious and lovely, with mountain views from every window so spectacular they almost made you forget the window was also doubling as your refrigerator. The bathroom featured double sinks - a delightful touch for the couples among us who enjoy simultaneous tooth brushing. The shower, meanwhile, delivered endless hot water at a pressure that could strip paint - I emerged from it daily feeling both cleansed and slightly abraded. Magnificent. The spa was a genuine triumph. Its centrepiece - a plunge pool of such vigorous aquatic ambition it functioned as a full-body sports massage - left guests emerging pink, pummelled, and profoundly relaxed. Twenty minutes in that pool and you'd forgive almost anything. Almost. And then there is the chairlift. Right there. Outside the door. The time between deciding to ski and actually skiing is approximately the duration of putting your boots on. When they say ski in, ski out - they mean it. This could be a truly great hotel. Instead it is a 4-star property coasting on 3-star thinking, charging 5-star prices for tap water. The potential is real. The execution is a work in progress. My rating reflects exactly that.

Rating: ⭐ (1/5) We stayed at the Steffisalp Sporthotel again for sentimental reasons as our past stays were absolutely perfect. But what we were offered this time for 600 € per night (double room incl. HP) borders on rip-off. Rooms & quality of sleep Although a room to the mountain was ordered, we received without prior notice a room to the street. The result: Holiday without sleep. Early in the morning, delivery trucks buzzing, loud conversations at night and music from the pub below. The room itself was great, but what good is that without recreation value? Gastronomy (A sharp step backwards) As a trained cook, my heart is bleeding here. The food was completely bland throughout. Compared to the past, massive savings were made: * No more sparkling wine for breakfast, hardly any sausage selection. * The lunch snack (cheese/coffee) was deleted without replacement. * With the 4-course menu you now have to choose between dessert or cheese – 5 years ago there was a cheese buffet. * Atmosphere: During the “exclusive” dinner, the staff talked loudly about private films and holiday plans. As of 7:20 p.m., around us was already stocked up for breakfast, although guests were still eating. Cosiness at this price? Misrepresentation. Service & personnel There are hardly any local staff left. From the reception to the spa to the service, you are only looked after by insecure hardly German-speaking staff. That would not be a problem at a reasonable price. Conclusion We feel betrayed. A fair price for this service (including lift access) would be a maximum of 200–300 €. Charging €600 seems like trying to cross-subsidise closing times in the summer. We're not coming back. Next year, we're going to the hotel across the street: There we pay 800 € less for the regular time (4 nights) and get a 6-course meal as well as the service you expect as a paying guest. Too bad about the tradition of this house.

The hotel offers an all-round package: the location directly at the lift is perfect, the rooms are spacious and offer plenty of space to store the ski equipment. The breakfast buffet offers a wide selection and the evening menus are extremely delicious and varied. The spa area is also welcoming with a swimming pool, 2 saunas, a steam bath and plenty of loungers. Overall, the hotel is highly recommended!