Villars Palace — Hotel in Ollon

A Disappointing Stay with Serious Issues

Our recent stay at Villars Palace, while punctuated by several positive aspects, unfortunately proved to be a bad experience marred by very serious issues.

Positive Aspects: Friendly Staff: The majority of the staff, including Zoe at Concierge, Daniil who helped us with check-in, the receptionists, and the luggage assistance team, were kind and greeted us with smiles. Breathtaking Views: The views from the reception, the Bar, and the 1913 restaurant were truly breathtaking, contributing to a pleasant ambiance within the hotel. Modern Renovation: The hotel has undergone a commendable renovation, presenting a modern and updated feel in most areas. Spacious Junior Suite: Our Junior Suite was generously spacious, featuring two separate bathrooms for added convenience. Quality Amenities: The towels, bathrobes, and slippers provided were of high quality, contributing positively to our overall comfort. Excellent Spa Treatment: The spa treatment my wife received was excellent, showcasing a commendable aspect of the hotel's services. Good Breakfast: The breakfast was satisfying and at 5-star standards, providing a positive start to our days. Convenient Origins Bar: The Origins Bar, offering free soft drinks and a coffee machine, was conveniently located near our room, proving to be a practical amenity.

Issues Encountered: Hygiene: We found several pieces of hair in our bed upon entering the room, an issue that should never be overlooked in a reputable hotel. Security Concerns: When we returned to the hotel on the second day, we found our door wide open, and the room card missing, posing a serious security risk to our belongings. Technical Issues: Both heaters in our room didn't work, leading to multiple calls to the reception and a prolonged visit from a technician. Miserable Christmas Eve Dinner: The Christmas Eve dinner lacked festive elements, including decoration, appropriate lighting, and suitable music. The buffet lacked essential options like beef, pork, and vegetables. Poor Food Quality at the Bar: Overpriced food with subpar quality at the Bar, exemplified by my wife's untouched Caesar's salad due to dry and overcooked chicken. Lack of Apology Gesture: Despite bringing these issues to the attention of the reception, we only received reassurances that future occurrences would be prevented. 2-hour Delay for Room Service: On our last day and after receiving the aforementioned reassurances, our room service order experienced a huge delay, taking exactly 2 hours to arrive.

In conclusion, while we appreciate the positive aspects of our stay, the serious issues we encountered, coupled with the lack of acknowledgment from the hotel, overshadow everything. Spending almost 3,000 Euros for a 3-day stay, we expected a premium experience but were met with a very problematic stay. Any promises of a better experience in the future hold little value, as a trip to Switzerland is not so easy for us, and our next visit would likely involve exploring other interesting regions of this beautiful country.

We wish only the best to all the staff and the management of the hotel and hope that no one else will have the same experience we had.

Response to Hotel's Reply:

Thank you for your prompt and considerate response.

Indeed, Zoe at Concierge was extremely helpful and this is why we mentioned her first in our positive comment about the staff.

However, it appears there might have been a miscommunication, as we did not receive the apologies letter and/or a bottle of Champagne in our room. Such gestures, had they been extended, would have been valued.

In conclusion, we know that our rating seems very harsh but it reflects our overall experience, and we believe it's essential to provide honest feedback for the improvement of...

Disappointing Experience – Far from a 5-Star Standard

Stay Duration: December 29, 2024 – January 2, 2025 (4 nights) Average Price per Night: 1,950 CHF Room Type: Panorama Suite (1st Floor)

We had high expectations for Villars Palace, marketed as a luxurious 5-star establishment. Unfortunately, it fell far short of that standard, and we left feeling deeply disappointed. Based on our experience, this hotel is closer to a 3 or 4-star level. Issues During Our Stay:

Room Quality and Amenities: No temperature control in the rooms, making it difficult to adjust for comfort. Cheap finishes such as plastic light switches and toilet flushers detract from the supposed luxury. Bathrooms lacked underfloor heating, a basic feature for high-end accommodations. Visible remnants of poor workmanship in the bathrooms (e.g., silicone residue in the shower, pencil markings). Odd design choices: both bathrooms had showers but no bathtub, which feels mismatched for a "palace." Overall, the rooms failed to meet 5-star expectations, with minimal attention to detail.

Service Challenges: Repeated issues with staff attention and responsiveness. Waiters often had to be flagged down just to order food or receive menus. My wife's simple request for avocado on toast at breakfast was met with the excuse that avocados weren’t “regional,” despite the menu including non-local items like pineapple and lychees. Later, a salmon bagel ordered at lunch included avocado, exposing the inconsistency. Housekeeping was below par, with repeated failures to clean or make up the baby cot. The room safe was locked upon arrival and not checked beforehand. Additionally, the keyhole was installed backward, allowing a view into the room. We had to call a technician to replace it, which was a frustrating and unnecessary hassle.

Dining Oversights: Meals were often served with missing components, indicating a lack of care and attention from the kitchen staff.

The list goes on..

Some Positive Aspects:

Location: Excellent, with stunning views, proximity to ski slopes, and a central position in town. Friendly Staff: While the service was inconsistent, individual staff members were polite and welcoming. A special thanks to Carla at reception, who genuinely tried her best to address our concerns. Bell Boys: The bellhops were fantastic—motivated, friendly, and professional. Lobby Bar: A cozy and pleasant space to relax.

Final Thoughts: For the steep price of 1,950 CHF per night, we expected a seamless, luxurious experience. Unfortunately, the hotel fell far short of these expectations. The service was inconsistent, the rooms poorly designed, and the overall experience felt unworthy of the premium cost. While the location and a few standout staff members were positives, they were not enough to redeem our stay.

We will not be returning to Villars Palace and recommend seeking better value for your...

THE BEST LUXURY TRIP …long lost & forgotten 5star service finally found at Villars Palace

Arrival to a magnificent castle/royal like vibe. Entering the grande door and instantly… you are mesmerized by all the luxurious and classic chic around you….chateau tall walls, natural materials, an out of this world David Kracov piece right in the middle of this majestic reception, classic large windows that offer a view that just takes your breath away….

Absolutely stunning reception hall

BAR EXPERIENCE Bar atmosphere had subtle luxurious touches with digital fireplace, soft leather chairs with large comfortable couches. The bar menu is quite full, and has the original classics (club sandwich, burger, soups). The staff was a delight and showed true 5 star service quality… with their attention to detail, initiative to always propose a better solution and a professionalism i thought was long lost & forgotten.

SPA EXPERIENCE Spa treatments were good…facial is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it. However, the Massaage was not as good as I was expecting, the massus did her best in terms of applying pressure but still seemed light…but was very relaxing despite. The spa itself was absolutely to die for… the relaxing lounge with a view and max sunlight and amenities (especially love the samovar… such a wow effect), the hammam and saunas were exceptionally great, perfect temperature, cool design and all with natural elements and super mega clean everywhere.

ROOM SERVICE “New Concept” Room service was quite an original concept and i thought was a great way to insert sustainable ideas: every floor has a mini bar lounge where you can go 24/7… a bit like an extension of your room… there you have all the necessities: ice cube machine, tea/coffee, sodas. ‼️negative point is that the machine had no ice and next day there was no more milk… if concepts are put in place, especially such innovative and new approach style ones… THEY MUST BE TAKEN EXTRA CARE OF for customers to truly adhere to it.

CLASSIC ROOM SERVICE: true 5 star experience (in terms of quality of service on call, in person, waiting time and presentation), large menu and very nice in-room table.

ROOM WOW… what a view … what a room size! Everything worked perfectly, the sheets were heaven on earth… everything was spotless…and the welcome basket was a great touch. ‼️ATTENTION: as hotel is centrally positioned, you are just above the village main square and the train station final stop… if you like to sleep the window open, get your earplugs ready. ‼️if cloudy day your view will be a wall of grey as the station is lower than others, some heavy clouds may interfere with the...