This is not low season - it is dead season
I head up
the mountain going for a small town called Platres. This area got the high
season during the summer when people go up here to get away from the heat down
at the coast. It is also famous for activity based tourism like hiking and
mountain biking. A bit further down the road is another small town which is
also famous for being the best (only) ski area of
Platres had
its heyday back when the rich and famous wanted to get away from the summer
heat in the pre air condition times. Royalty came to visit - like the king of
So I get to
town and given it is low season I expect to be facing rock bottom prices for
the hotels. I go in to the first hotel - and it is closed hmm must have gone
out of business. I just try the next one instead - also closed - next one
closed. Forth hotel - closed reopening March. Oops this is not looking too good
all hotels seem to be closed for the season. There goes my bargain price
accommodation - now it is a question of getting accommodation and not the price
of it. I have to go ask at a local minimarket if there is any hotels open - and
the man tells me yes there is one just two minutes down the road up the hill.
Ok got to get up the hill then - and I finally got a room for the night.
One of the very few hotels open of season is the Edelweiss Hotel. The hotel is pretty empty hence you are unlike to run into a full hotel. The hotel is a bit uphill hence there is a nice view from the balcony - not that you really wanna sit on the balcony in December in 3 decrees temperature.
One of the finer qualities is the fact that the heat is already on in the rooms before you check in - hence you do not have to go through a prolonged period of time before you get a decent temperature - the room is already warm. During the summer there is a restaurant at the hotel but it appears to be closed in the off season except during breakfast hours.
