Grand Hôtel & Kurhaus, Arolla

The place is located beautifully in a Larch Forest with impressive mountain vistas and the dining and common rooms exhibit a sense of a past glory when tourism to this region was still young with a library and a cosy setting. Overall we had a good stay here. Still, I don't think that the Grand Hotel offers good value for money overall. The rooms are very basic with no TVs or minibars, the beds were decidedly short (if you are taller than 1.8 you will notice) and the heating in our room didn't work properly while we were there. The breakfast is also quite simple considering the price of this establishment. In summary you can have a pleasant stay here in a beautiful setting but don't expect too much in terms of infrastructure.

A Huge Disappointment – Not Worth the Name “Grand” Since the change of management, the service at the Grand Hotel Kurhaus has been reduced to the bare minimum. The restaurant food is on par with a school cafeteria — bland, uninspired, and poorly presented. The rooms are small, oppressive, and far from comfortable. We were given a so-called “forest view” room, which in reality looked out directly onto a staircase. The large recreation hall could have been a nice feature, but it’s completely neglected: the pool cues are all broken, the balls are dented, and the foosball table is literally falling apart. Overall, it was a disastrous experience for a place that dares call itself a “Grand Hotel.” It would be more fitting to describe it as an overpriced mountain shelter — but even mountain refuges usually offer more warmth and hospitality. If you’re visiting the area, do yourself a favor and stay in Evolène at Hôtel des Mélèzes, where genuine Swiss hospitality still exists.

We had another wonderful stay at the Kurhaus. Magnificent setting, very friendly and helpful staff — especially calling out the terrific Julia at the front desk — clean rooms. Don’t expect luxury — this is a rustic hotel — but that adds to its charms. The breakfast is good. We were disappointed with the dinner offerings and would have preferred heartier food oriented toward hikers, but that’s a separate review.