Even if the Majestic has to wait until December 2008 for a complete renovation, several of Chamonix’s hotels have not waited around to update their own establishments.

By the end of this year, business tourism specialists will be able to discover some of the new features for themselves, in particular at the Alpina and the Mercure Bossons. Part of the Best Mont-Blanc group, which also owns the Croix Blanche (3-star with 35 rooms), the Prieuré (3-star with 91 rooms) and the Mont-Blanc (4-star with 40 rooms), the Alpina (136 rooms) is well equipped for meetings. Together with a group of Swiss mountain enthusiasts, I took over the Best Mont-Blanc group in July 2001, recalls Blaise Angehrn, chief executive.

Our hotels are open 11 months out of 12, and we soon understood that by developing our business tourism market we could fill the hotels during the periods when the normal tourism market was quiet. With our 300 rooms we can offer accommodation for groups, especially at the Prieuré which also boasts a 325 m² room since 2003 with capacity for 300 people as well as eight break-out rooms offering space for between ten and 40 people. Furthermore, next December we’re going to open a new 450 m² meeting space on the seventh floor of the Alpina, which can hold conferences for 600 participants and also be transformed into a function room with capacity for 380 covers, all of which has cost 3 million euros, including the renovation of the outside. Of the other meeting rooms in the Alpina, the 250 m² room, which divides into three, and the four break-out room have all been renovated too. We also have use of another meeting room (60 m²),which can also be divided into three, at the ‘Hôtel Mont-Blanc ».

On average, the Best Mont-Blanc group handles 120 conferences and meetings every year, attracting a number of loyal companies such as Millet, Dynastar, Salomon, Coca Cola, Heineken as well as banks and pharmaceutical laboratories. 60% of our business clientele is French, 15% Swiss, 15% Belgian and Dutch and 10% from the Anglo-Saxon countries , continues Angehrn.   And business tourism represents 17% of our operations. We own the Brasserie de l’M as well, where we can hold dinners for up to 200 people and we’re also going to open a disco under the Alpina which can be booked out for private use.  Prices at Best Mont-Blanc for a residential meeting range from 135 to 204 € per person, inclusive of one night in a 3-star hotel, and from 167 to 253 € in a 4-star property. A whole range of activities can also be arranged in conjunction with the Compagnie des Guides.

The Accor group has also made huge investments in the valley over the last few months. On 1 July it opened the Mercure les Bossons (formerly the Novotel, destroyed in a fire in February 2005). It has been completely redesigned and now offers 89 rooms, an indoor swimming pool, a Jacuzzi bath and sauna, details Michel Aline, managing director of the Accor hotels in Chamonix. The Mercure Les Bossons also
has a 160 m² meeting room, which can be divided into two with capacity for up to 150 people, and three break-out rooms offering capacity for between 20 and 25. Furthermore, the Mercure Centre (125 rooms) offers ten meeting rooms and can handle groups of between 180 and 200 people. Business tourism is especially important for us as it provides 30% of our turnover as well as two months’ business in the winter season, mostly in January and March and with a little in early December, April, May, June and September .

Like their rivals, the two Mercure properties attract clients from pharmaceutical laboratories and companies in the sports and high-technology sectors. Depending on the time of year, the cost for a semi-residential meeting on half-board basis ranges from 131 to 161 €.

Finally, a tour of hotels in Chamonix is not complete without looking at one of the best known, more traditional establishments which is also a successful meetings venue: the Hôtel du Montenvers, located close to the Mer de Glace and only accessible by the Montenvers cog-train. The hotel belongs to the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, which runs the main ski lifts in the valley, and it was built in 1880. It can host up to 100 people in its main room. The whole hotel can be used exclusively for an evening function,  remarks Michel Royboz, sales & marketing director of the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc. And it’s also possible to use the train in the evening to transport participants, even to decorate it in company colours, at a rate of 30 € per passenger for a group of 30 or of 18 € for 100 .

The Hôtel du Montenvers offers menus ranging from 47.50 to 105 € including drinks. We look after the hosting of the group at the station and can even arrange for a band to provide music for the evening, adds Michel Royboz. The return trip takes place between 10 pm and 1 am, and even if the winter weather conditions mean that we cannot operate the train, it’s a product that seems to be really popular… .