Chamonix lodging Hotel l'Oustalet or Hotel de l'Arve?

We splurged a little and had one of the larger rooms with balcony looking up at Mount Blanc at Hotel L'Arve, have not stayed at other Hotel. Be sure and do Mt. Blanc, quite spectacular. This may sound cheesy, but if the Luge rides are available, consider doing them to put the "kid" back into you.(Les Planards) One of our regrets is not exploring the village of Chamonix more and exploring Mer de Glacé glacier. As I look back on our stay, I kept thinking I would like to try another Hotel......but we reserved a room for this July, we like to stay at a place we are sure of.

We also stayed at Hotel de l'Arve in Chamonix and liked it-wonderful view of Mont Blanc and the beautiful river. Would stay there again-breakfast prices seemed a bit steep so we shopped at COOP for supplies. The glacier experience is not to be missed and of course the Aguille is the highlight. The IT has great maps and info. There was a good laundry (self serve) if you need to use one. We were in Chamonix in early June and found that many things were closed until mid June.

Another endorsement for Hotel de l'Arve. We have been to Chamonix three times and stayed there twice. The third time they were booked and we went to another hotel. We paid more money and did not like it nearly as much. The other one looks very nice but seems a lot more expensive. However, I have not stayed there and can't comment on it from personal experience. For our last visit in 2008, I scoured the town and area looking for the best value for the money. Nothing beat Hotel de l"Arve. Have a great trip.

Jeanine ,we stayed at l'oustalet october of 2011 . It was great . It's a small chalet style place , I think 15 rooms run by two sisters , Agnes and Veronique . Very welcoming and lovely people . The hotel is absolutely immaculate and just around the corner from the Aiguille du midi lift . The rooms have lovely views of the mountains in the Mont Blanc range and are very cozy. I can't say enough about this place . Actually , we are returning there this coming October for a few days en route to Paris towards the end of our trip to central Europe . For what it's worth , it's a Rick pick and gets great reviews on tripadvisor . But from first hand experience , I strongly recommend it . You can also locate it on google sreet view !!

We were in Chamonix-Mt Blanc in early October 2011 as well. We also stayed at the Hotel l'Oustalet. Wonderful hotel and a wonderful stay. The price for breakfast was a bit steep but other than that, it was great. Wonderful views. The hotel is 2 blocks from the gondola station. Definitely do not miss the trip to Aiguille du Midi. On a clear day, one of the best views on the planet. If you have a rental car, the hotel has free parking. Two restaurants that I would recommend are Le Caleche (a bit noisy but great food and tons of knick knacks throughout and Atmosphere on the river. More formal, quiet and great food. A bit more expensive as well. Plan on spending some time walking the numerous shops and restaurants along the mostly pedestrian streets. Here's a link to a picture of the city center. http://gyazo.com/a7084ccd9f0f5a5f3afe4b1fb09caa2d Here's a link to a picture of l'Oustalet http://gyazo.com/3b53fc1cc20ca65d7edb1d615ffe9911