Our breakfasts and dinners were good if not spectacular. The staff were friendly and helpful. People have grumbled about shabbiness and “tired” decor, but our room and the public spaces were well tended. Decor was what I’d expect in a mountain surrounding – heavy on the stone and dark timbers, old-fashioned but quite appropriate to the surroundings (if you want flashy accommodation, go to Las Vegas – don’t try to impose that style on every hotel in the world, I say).

I’ll echo the observation that if they are going to provide trail guides, better ones are in order. A minor complaint – written material, such as interpretive guides _must_ be translated by someone who speaks English. The French guides were okay, but the English ones were flowery nonsense (bad machine translation?). And a really serious complaint – is anyone there and in Cardona, equally guilty, listening? – seventies and eighties English-language pop is not appropriate anywhere but in down-at-heel seaside discos! It certainly does not belong in the reading lounge or the dining room! I’m not the only one to say this – the comment book is full of complaints about this. Occasionally, some very nice instrumental music was played (lightly jazzy, not so zingy as to get anyone upset). If they must play background music, that’s the ticket, and I hope they read and act on this comment before we go back, which we’d very much like to do.