We’re looking to stay in Cham early July, place we were going to book is full – anyone got any recommendations? We’re only staying one perhaps two Nights

We stayed at the hostel (auberge?) for a week.

It was probably the worst place I’ve ever stayed in.

HTH.

That’s narrowed it down 😉

Hôtel l’Héliopic Sweet & Spa
50, Place de l’Aiguille du Midi
74400 Chamonix Mont-Blanc

Stayed for a week skiing, very nice and didn’t break the bank.

That’s narrowed it down

I thought it would!

It was bloody awful (& not particularly cheap for a hostel either) The wing at HMP ******** where I work is a lot lot cleaner believe me. Even B wing’s cleaner & that’s a shithole!
Chamonix itself was nice though.

les frenes b+b

Les frenes is booked up 🙁

for one night i’d stay at a hotel

Any recommendations Tony?

Don’t stay at LeVert – looks great on paper (or page) but service is carp, rooms are rough and dirty and the pod bathrooms just don’t work very well. Oh and it’s a party hotel/bar so is dead noisy at night. Ok if you like that sort of thing but if you’re the first lifts type and the wrong side of 35 it’s a no.

Not much help but just in case you are considering it. . . . .

Stayed in Chamonix for two nights a few weeks ago on the way back from Italy. We found a very small ‘studio apartment’ for about £30 per night through Air B n B. It was very small, and felt claustrophibic, but for two nights at that price it was absolutely fine.

Can’t remember address so not very helpful.

hotel park swiss is nice

One night?

http://www.hameaualbert.fr/en

http://www.hotelmontblancchamonix.com/en/index.php

Best pack a fur coat rather than a paclite jacket though.

More affordable, I quite like the Alpina. Good views, decent location the roof top restaurant is nice for breakfast or the evening Pierre chaud meat buffet!

Airbnb is a good call

It was bloody awful (& not particularly cheap for a hostel either) The wing at HMP ******** where I work is a lot lot cleaner believe me. Even B wing’s cleaner & that’s a shithole!

ever tried a mountain hut? they’re OK until you need the loo and realize a. you can’t hold your breath that long and b. you accidentally looked into the jaws of hell <shudder>

have a look at Hôtel de L’Arve if it’s just for a couple of nights.

Agreed re: ‘Le Vert’ – it can get a tad noisy wiv bangin’ choons! but that might be your thing!

If you are looking for budget/don’t mind sharing – try either ‘Gite Le Vagabond’ just out of town or ‘Gite le Belvedere’ in Argentiere

1-2 nights?

As other have said hotel might be best option or AirBnB – there’s tonnes of AirBnB property in the Chamonix valley.

There’s a tonne of hotel options. Cheap n cheerful or luxe, or inbetween, what are you looking for?

For something in the middle L’Oustalet is not too expensive and does short break bookings.

If I look at somewhere what part of Cham is best for access to the trails and beer/food?

I stayed at Ferme du Cupelin which is 15 mins up the road in St Gervais Les Bains, but was absolutely stunning and fab inside too.

If I look at somewhere what part of Cham is best for access to the trails and beer/food?

That kindof depends what you are after … the ‘main’ designated bike trails are either up at Le Tour at one end of the valley or down at Les Houches at the other. Choice of beer & food is spread along the valley but obviously choice is greater the closer to town you are.

Have a look at the ‘Chamonix Bike Book’ by Tom Wilson-North [from Zero-G] for more ideas.

http://www.thechamonixbikebook.com/

Air B&B can be hit & miss. My parents weren’t at all impressed with their accommodation last year for the amount they paid.

This year they stayed in Hotel Le Louvre in the centre of town, even though they thought the prices were too good to be true when booking (I gave them a list of hotels and they checked prices for all of them, and thought Le Louvre’s price was per-person at first, not for 3 including my sister). Perfectly adequate room, fair breakfast, nice staff. Ask about bike storage before booking though.

Stay in Chamonix centre if you care at all about nightlife. Everywhere worth riding is a ride/drive/bus/train to access anyway but if staying in town at least you get an OK off-road route most of the way back to town from the top end of the valley and you’re central between Le Tour and Les Houches.