When it’s hot in Paris, it’s always nice to go and get some fresh air where there is some left. A few weeks ago I escaped to the Alps for a weekend and I opted for the Heliopic in Chamonix,a recent 4 star hotel that has good press.
The reservation is done without any problem via their website. With a little surprise for those who are used to the sites of the big chains. L’hôtel prend un acompte à la réservation puis le reste lors du séjour (on en reparlera d’ailleurs plus tard), pratique qui surprend quand on est habitué aux pratiques des grandes chaînes qui soit ne prennent rien du tout à la réservation (tarif flex) soit encaissent tout (paiement anticipé). In short, it will also be an opportunity for me to rediscover the charms and specificities of the independent hotel industry.
A chaotic arrival
You can reach the hotel by car, train or plane. Considering the length of my stay I chose the 3rd option which seems to be the one favored by the customers of the Heliopic which is less than an hour from Geneva airport and accessible by a nice 2×2 lane road.
The hotel offers two types of transfers: individual and shared. We are in Europe and the individual is as usual charged at an exorbitant price (ah Asia …) so I fall back on the shared at 40 euros.
Arrived at the airport I go to the stand of the provider to whom this service is outsourced. In their defense my flight was more than an hour late, they put me back on another shuttle, which caused some changes in the schedule.
At the counter a young man who spends his life looking at his phone and the tip of his shoes (a clone of Richard Hendricks for the fans of the Silicon Valley series) tells me that we’re still waiting for 4 people and that we’ll leave in 30 minutes. We will leave more than one hour later. No communication, nothing but a “no problem, you’ll see” when I asked him how it was going to be, and always with his nose on his mobile or the tip of his shoes. No information on the route taken or the time of arrival. Nice if you are awaited. In short after many detours I end up arriving at the hotel almost 3 hours after my arrival at the airport.
Subcontracting transfers is a common practice, but care should be taken to ensure that the provider has a minimum level of communication with the client. There I felt more like a parcel in the hands of DHL.
Upfront payment at check-in
I finally arrive in front of the hotel.
The check-in counter is large and therefore can handle massive arrivals in a short period of time, which is a good point. On the other hand, given my arrival time, the problem does not arise.
I do the formalities of arrival and there, to my surprise,I am asked to pay for my two nights at the check-in. I had never seen this before. On the other hand I understand: these are “long stay” properties with, in winter, clients who come for a minimum of one week or more and I tell myself that in terms of cash flow this is the best practice for this type of client. I will learn later that there is also, and above all, another type of clientele capable of reserving for 7 or 14 days and leaving overnight if a cloud hides the sun in summer or if the snow is late in winter. Ok for the winter when these properties only work in long stay and by the week but the rest of the year a more flexible policy would be appropriate. And I don’t see what’s stopping you from taking a pre-authorization on a card for the amount of the stay, something I see practiced throughout the year in other properties.
Anyway, I haven’t set foot in my room yet and I’m almost in a bad mood. Two points of contact in terms of experience, two “fails”. They’ll have to make up for that.
A lobby designed as a living space
A lobby designed as a living space This clearly scores points. No country mountain style to look local (and not always with good taste), here it is what I call ” urban functional “. The lobby is a real living space, divided into several areas so that each type of customer can find what they are looking for depending on the time of day.
The meeting point, kitchen style, where guides and instructors can wait for the clients and start the day with a good coffee offered by the house.
The librarywith a giant chess set, free bottled water available all day and, in winter, a popcorn machine.
A business areawith computers and seats to settle in, make a phone call or get some privacy.
And a children’s areawith various games available in the storeroom. The icing on the cake is a fridge with fresh fruit juice andcandy dispensers. Both are free of charge. I didn’t see many kids but I can tell you that the candy is a hit with the adults.
And I will finish with the huge bar, very “lounge” and comfortable.
Standard room at the Heliopic Chamonix
I finally take possession of my room. A “basic” standard. I don’t expect miracles: in a ski resort, the client is looking for functionality, even in a superior 4 star hotel. In addition, the usual configuration of ski stays (with family or friends, little time in the room, much time on the slopes) means that hotels try to maximize the number of beds per room rather than offering a lot of space for a few people, unlike the summer hotel industry where, from the 4-star level onwards, they have to offer suites. And the transformation of mountain tourism from a seasonal activity to a year-round activity does not change this.
The impression is good.
Neither large nor small, the room is suitable for one or two people.
The style is sober and warm and as I often say, it is better to have a modern style than a “local” style that looks fake. No reminder of local codes but a set that gives, a bit like the lobby, the impression of being a bit at home.
The bathroom is just the minimum acceptable size but with a large tub that doubles as a shower and, most importantly, excellent Nuxe toiletries.
It ends with a nice balcony overlooking the departure point of the Aiguille du Midi cable car. Some rooms are facing the Aiguille du Midi and the Mont Blanc, others on the other side of the valley, so I will have a “city” view.
The bedding will prove to be very pleasant, firm just the way I like it and very nice sheets and blankets.
The only drawback in this summer when high temperatures do not spare the mountains: the room has a heater but no air conditioning. This remark might have seemed incongruous 10 or 15 years ago, but with stations now running all year round and temperatures continuing to rise, I think it will soon become essential. Fortunately, the glass doors, set back from the balcony and protected by the roof overhang, hardly get any sunlight and that’s good.
This room makes a very good impression on me, something that was not expected as I have to admit that winter sports resorts and their specific accommodation are not usually my cup of tea.
And the visit in video to finish…
The Heliopic also offers larger rooms and even apartments…but be sure to book in advance because the property has a very high occupancy rate in summer and winter.
It’s getting late and it’s time to try the restaurant. But before that a little clarification. It just so happens that the newly appointed hotel manager is a childhood friend whom I had not seen in at least 25 years. This allowed me to gather a lot of information, to have access to certain people and places in a privileged setting,but all in compliance with the TravelGuys ethical charter. In other words, I was not invited and the entire stay was paid for out of my own pocket, which is the least I can do to give an objective opinion on a property. I would like to thank Thomas Barbier for having informed me, opened some doors, listened to my opinion and my criticisms, without any right of control on what I was going to write.
So, before going further in the discovery of Heliopic, here is an interview with its general managerwho presents the property and its DNA.
Akashon: the excellent table of Heliopic
Akashon. This is not the name of a famous seaside resort in the Bordeaux region pronounced by a guide who forgot his dentures but the name of the Heliopic restaurant. This would be a Savoyard adverb which means “on the sly, incognito”. Well, I don’t think this table will remain incognito for long. It is no coincidence that the hotel’s restaurant is fully booked while Chamonix is full of more affordable local restaurants.
No local specialties here, as Thomas Barbier explained in his interview. The city is full of this type of restaurants that logically do at least as well as a hotel and with a more competitive cost structure.The chef has therefore turned to a much more creative and refined cuisine without offering minimalist doses. Winter or summer, Heliopic has a clientele that is very active during the day, so it must be satiated.
Here is the menu.
On the first evening, I will opt for the mirror egg with grated homemade foie gras.
Followed by a piece of lacquered monkfish.
And finally a raspberry cake.
Nothing to say about the dishes. The service is attentive and fast, the setting very pleasant (but I’ ll come back to that later).
I let the staff choose wines by the glass to accompany my dishes: wise choice and without trying to make the bill explode.
Again the next day with :
Salmon Gravelax.
Beef with foie gras a la plancha
The Savoyard cookie.
Once again, a faultless job.
As for the setting, it is also very pleasant. The restaurant is composed of a first room which is pretty but finally not too much in the style of the hotel, I think. Too much wood when there is none in the hotel.
Then a second part more consistent with the rest, under a pergola. More sophisticated and lounge-like atmosphere.
Then abeautiful terrace.
If you are looking for a really creative cocktail bar…there is the Heliobar
I was surprised, at the restaurant, to be offered a whole range of Spritz, with recipes of a certain creativity. I opted for the Japanese version, with sake.
So I was wondering if I would find this creativity on the hotel’s bar menu. At TravelGuys we are often hard on hotel bars and rightly so: apart from a few palaces and the St Regis which play the card of the local variation of the famous bloody mary, we are often disappointed in terms of creativity.
To be honest, the Heliobar’s menu could be the envy of many trendy Parisian bars that surf on the cocktail wave. Take a look.
For my part I will try theHaka-Tonka (fine and fresh, very well balanced),
theRed Hot Chili Pepper, spiced to perfection and surprising with its egg white,
and the Negroni smocked plum and its Macha ice cream incorporated in the ice cube.
I still regret not having tried theFoie Gras Old Fashionedas a digestive. That’s for another time.
A grocery store for lunch
It’s useless to expect to have a restaurant like Akashon full at lunchtime. Instead, Heliopic offers a “grocery store” where you can find burgers, sandwiches and lunch boxes at adapted prices. Food discipline forced me to pass but it looked very nice and appetizing…at least on paper and visually.
And if there was only one reason to go to Heliopic…it would be its Spa.
In the interview Thomas Barbier told us that the hotel was practically built around the Spa. At Travelguys we are very into Spas…so I was looking forward to test it.
The swimming pool, visible from the lobby, was already very appealing…
I spoke earlier about the few little helpings that Thomas had given me during my stay. The first was an exhaustive tour, with details and comments, of the property. The second wasa private tour of the Spa outside of business hours with the Spa Manager, Vanessa, so I could take photos and videos in peace.
From the start, the Spa disclaims its ambition:the partner is Nuxe, a guarantee of a top-of-the-range service.
I have rarely seen such complete facilities, even in 5 stars. So imagine in an independent 4 star what was my surprise. Everything is there to build a customized course, varying temperatures and experiences.
At 36° you have the Jacuzzi.
At 7° the ice cave for Nordic culture lovers
At 18° you have a cold bath (very cold for me 😉 )
At 37° a relaxation in a humid environment in the tepidarium…
..ideal to make the connection with the sauna at 80°.
A hammam at 45°
Before diving into the heated pool…
Not only is the pool long, but with its 1.5m depth along the entire length it is really made for swimming.
To be honest, I found the pool a little cold at first, which slowed me down a bit. It’s something I often complain about… It must be me who’s sensitive to cold. But when instead of going in gradually by the stairs I went in all at once by the other side of the pool it went smoothly.
Thomas introduced me the pool as the largest indoor pool in Chamonix. I believe it. To my recollection, in terms of indoor pools I can only remember a few hotels that can compete: the Sheraton Oman, the Westin Jakarta, and perhaps the Great Britain in Athens….which puts the Heliopic in good company.
In any case, the pictures speak for themselves.
In the rest area, the plants are replaced by a fireplace in winter.
But it is Vanessa, the Spa Manager, who presents the place best.
It’s time to go home, but before returning to Parisian life, a relaxing treatment is a must.
Again, I think that the Heliopic Spa is, qualitatively speaking, one of the best that I have tried in terms of treatments. Professionalism and training of the practitioner, quality of the products, cleanliness and design of the treatment room, general atmosphere of the place: it is a perfect service. And at affordable prices.
If we exclude the palaces, especially in Paris, and their prices which are anyway unaffordable for most of us, the Heliopic is in my opinion at least at the level of theIntercontinental Bordeauxas far as the spa is concerned. I really didn’t expect it.
On the other hand I find thatit really lacks a nice gym. Ok people come to hike or ski…but still. Today I think it is a “must-have” for a hotel of this category.
The transfers, always the transfers
Having to leave Geneva on Sunday at 2:40 pm I go to the reception to organize my transfer on Saturday in the middle of the afternoon. And then guess what…I feel like my stay is going to end as it started.
- Ah a shared transfer…well we’ll see if there’s room. Yes..at 10:00 am….
- Well no…at 10am I have Spa
- That’s how it is, we can’ t do anything about it
- Well then an “individual” transfer
- Yes…well, we’ll see if it’s possible…we’ll confirm that later.
For lack of confirmation, back to the desk on Sunday at 9am…
– What about my transfer?
– Uh I’m looking into it…. yes it’s good…11:40.
There is really a bug on the management of the transfers to the airport. That the hotel only has one or two cars for individual transfers and that you have to do accordingly, so be it. But obviously the service providers used for shared transfers impose their own constraints on the hotels in a “that’s how it is and that’s it” mode, so the customer orientation disappears insofar as the service provider’s constraint is taken for granted and it is therefore the customer who must adapt. The staff, having no control over anything, unconsciously forgets that they must first and foremost serve the customer and their posture changes in an instant. A good example, for a hotelier, of a service to be redesigned from the customer’s needs and constraints by putting the constraint back on the service provider… the basis of the service business.
Well, if you come by car or by train you will find this anecdotal.
So is the Heliopic worth it?
What to remember about all this? The Heliopic is a very good ” superior 4 stars hotel “. The staff is very attentive, the property is pleasant to live in, the Spa, the Bar and the restaurant are of a very good level, even more.
After that,there are still a few points of friction that make all the difference between a “superior” and “luxury” signature, from which it is not far. The payment and the airport transfers are part of it because they are part of a very successful and coherent whole. It is also a sign that times are changing and that customers are now asking as much from independents as from large chains that have streamlined processes and more means.
But I have no doubt that these teething problems will eventually be solved and in any case this is an address I really want to return to…by securing my transfers well in advance.
Let’s be honest:it is because the overall performance is of a very good level that the few irritants are so amplified.
A very nice property, but from my point of view,a huge potential to do even better.
In any case, this year we dared two properties off our usual beaten track, the Heliopic and the Chapelle Saint Martin. Two radically different styles but two truly beautiful experiences.
On the notes below you will see that if everything is globally good the hotel loses “stupidly” points on the check-in, the service (the airport transfers come to blacken a very attentive service), and the absence of a gym which prevents the maximum note on the facilities. And in the end, the obligation to spend 188 euros for an individual transfer brings down a previously very good experience for money.
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