I rarely leave negative reviews, but our stay at Faern Crans-Montana in Crans-Montana was genuinely disappointing and well below what the pricing and positioning suggest.
To begin positively, the bar staff were excellent — friendly, professional, and attentive. Unfortunately, that was the only consistently good aspect of our stay.
Despite booking months in advance, our entire group was placed in a separate annex building away from the main hotel. This was not made clear at the time of booking. Access to the main facilities required walking through a cold, wet underground car park passage and then another cold corridor. The alternative was crossing the car park in the snow. With the spa located in the main building, this meant repeatedly walking back and forth in bathrobes and slippers through freezing areas — uncomfortable, inconvenient, and poorly thought through for a ski resort setting. When we raised this at reception and asked to be moved, we were simply told the hotel was fully booked. No alternative solution or gesture was offered.
The rooms themselves were acceptable but unremarkable. However, housekeeping standards were inconsistent. Water glasses were not replaced for four days. On day three, our bathrobes disappeared from the room and were never returned, despite the spa being in a separate building. These are basic operational standards that should not be overlooked at this level.
The most disappointing aspect of our stay was unquestionably the dinner offering. We paid a CHF 200 per night half-board supplement for a family of four — a price point that sets a clear expectation of quality, variety, and proper execution. What we received fell dramatically short.
Each evening offered a very limited choice of mains, with little creativity or care in presentation. The food was consistently poorly executed — often lukewarm, under-seasoned, and uninspiring. It felt more like mass catering than dining at a hotel charging premium alpine rates. Not one meal stood out positively across the entire stay.
The salad bar was basic and repetitive, with minimal variety and little effort to elevate it beyond the ordinary. It felt like an afterthought rather than part of a considered half-board experience.
Most concerning was the handling of dietary requirements. We were travelling with a child who has a severe nut allergy. We made this clear and requested suitable alternatives. On one evening, the kitchen refused to prepare anything different from the set options. That response was deeply troubling. In this day and age, particularly at this price point, accommodating a serious allergy should be handled professionally and without hesitation.
Breakfast was equally underwhelming. The selection was small and lacked variety. On one occasion, my wife asked for a banana just as breakfast service was finishing and was refused. A small, simple request was met with rigidity rather than hospitality.
Throughout the stay, there was a consistent pattern: requests were met with resistance rather than accommodation. For a hotel in a premium destination charging significant rates, the overall experience did not reflect value, quality, or genuine hospitality.
Regrettably, this is not a hotel we will return to.
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