Bivona Beach

This is a good, basic hotel which is convenient for St Peter's and the Vatican. The city centre is also within easy reach via the metro. There is a buffet breakfast with a good selection available in the morning. Staff were very helpful, particularly the night manager who was very helpful when I had a minor accident - a fall in the room. See below. Likewise, the chambermaid was able to confirm that my hairdryer was not working and it wasn't my fault! (It was quickly repaired). The room was small but compact with enough space for me and my belongings. Wifi was patchy at best and the TV channels did not offer much entertainment, the exception being a Sean Connery film (in English, curiously) which I hadn't seen. The one problem: Aurum Hotels, please do NOT have a step between the bedroom and bathroom; a slope would be much safer.

The hotel has a very interesting layout. It was buiilt in 1937 and is similar to the Gugenheim museum in NY, in a sense that the rooms are arranged around a spiral corridor that goes up from the first floor all the way to the 8th. Advantages: the breakfast was very good, a lot to choose from. The hotel is very close to ski lifts - about five minutes drive and the hotel provides a shuttle bus. It is also a 2 minute walk to the center of the little town of Sauze d'Oulx where shops, restaurants and pubs are. There is a ski/snowboard rental on hotel premises (in the basement) with efficient with an efficient employee (thanks Randy). There are also lockers to keep the skiing equipment. Disadvantages: The hotel is really overpriced in the winter. I'm not sure why they call themselves VIP, as the hotel and the rooms are pretty basic. Furthermore, the hotel does not have its own swimming pool, but rather the spa complex is in a separate building next door, a short walk across the parking lot. We got two vouchers for free entrance, but we were there for five days. The entrance to the pool and spa are around 18 euros per person per day. The hotel does not have landline telephones between the rooms, nor do rooms have any kettle to make tea. The two elevators constantly malfunctioned. To summarize - not a VIP hotel, probably something like 3 stars, but the stay was still very enjoyable due to the hotel's location, nice staff, great skiing and the general athmosphere.

Lots of restaurants, easy walking, felt very safe