Where to Stay in the Dolomites: Best Hotels and Areas in the Dolomites & South Tyrol

Where you stay in the Dolomites changes the whole trip. This guide covers the best areas and hotels in the Dolomites, along with three South Tyrol mountain resorts we’ve stayed at ourselves. Some hotels sit high on mountain roads with hiking trails outside the door, while others put you in the middle of a town where you can walk to restaurants and take a cable car up the mountain.

We cover the areas we would consider for a Dolomites trip, including Val Pusteria and Kronplatz, Alta Pusteria, Val Gardena, Alta Badia and Cortina. We also include several hotels we’ve researched in towns and villages across the region.

We’ve stayed at three hotels in this part of northern Italy, and we’ve gone back to one of them many times. Berghotel Zirm in Olang was our first, on a trip for Lisa’s birthday in August 2017. We’ve also stayed twice at the Alpenpalace in the Ahrntal, and once at Josef Mountain Resort above Merano. The last two aren’t technically in the Dolomites, but they’re in South Tyrol and they feel the same. Every hotel in this guide that we haven’t stayed in is marked as researched, and I’ll say what I could confirm about it. For the bigger picture, start with our Dolomites travel guide.

If you’re still working out how to divide your time between these areas, our Dolomites itinerary includes 3, 5 and 7 day plans using one or two bases.

Quick Picks: Where We’d Stay in the Dolomites

1. Kronplatz-Resort Berghotel Zirm, for families and travelers with a dog. We’ve stayed here multiple times.
2. Alpenpalace Luxury Hideaway & Spa Retreat, or a spa-focused splurge. We’ve stayed here twice.
3. Josef Mountain Resort, for a quieter mountain stay near Merano. We’ve stayed here.
4. Cavallino Bianco Family Spa Grand Hotel, for families who want to stay in Ortisei. Researched.
5. Hotel de la Poste, for a historic hotel in central Cortina. Researched.
6. Hotel La Perla, for a higher-end stay in Corvara with a strong food focus. Researched.
7. Kronplatz Hotel POST, for staying in Brunico with easy access to Kronplatz. Researched.

Best Areas to Stay in the Dolomites

The Dolomites cover three regions, so there’s no single “downtown.” Each valley has its own character, and a lot of them speak Ladin, a language descended from Latin that isn’t a dialect of Italian. Pick the valley first, then the hotel. Here are the areas I’d look at.

Val Pusteria and Kronplatz

This is where we’ve spent the most time. Val Pusteria runs east to west through northern South Tyrol and has a train line, which is unusual in the mountains. The main town is Bruneck, with a walkable old town, and Kronplatz rises above it with lifts that run in summer and winter. Our first hotel, Berghotel Zirm, sits above Olang on this side.

Best for: families, dog owners, first-timers who want a resort feel and travelers who’d like a train option.

Alta Pusteria (San Candido, Dobbiaco and Sesto)

The eastern end of Val Pusteria is the gateway to Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Lago di Braies, and it’s also on the train line. There’s a family-friendly bike path between Dobbiaco and San Candido. I haven’t stayed here, so this is research.

Best for: hikers who want the famous sights close by, cyclists and people who’d rather not drive every day.

Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi

Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva make up Val Gardena. Ortisei is the easiest place to base yourself without a car, because cable cars leave from the town for Seceda and Alpe di Siusi. This is a Ladin-speaking valley, and the woodcarving tradition goes back to the 17th century. Not visited yet.

Best for: first trips, no-car trips and travelers who want cable cars and a walkable town.

Alta Badia (Corvara, San Cassiano and La Villa)

Alta Badia has a reputation for food, big ski runs and a World Cup giant slalom each December. The villages are small, and the hotels lean toward five-star. Not visited yet.

Best for: food-focused trips, ski trips and travelers who don’t mind splurging.

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Cortina is in Veneto, at 1,224 meters, and it hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 and again in 2026. It has some of the most dramatic peaks in the range around it. The nearest train station is about 35 kilometers away, so plan on a bus or a car. Not visited yet.

Best for: big scenery, classic Dolomites atmosphere and travelers who want a proper town with restaurants and shops.

The South Tyrol Valleys Outside the Dolomites: Ahrntal and Hafling

Two of our three stays are here. The Ahrntal is the northernmost valley in South Tyrol, and Hafling is a plateau above Merano. You get mountains, pools, snow in winter and hiking from the door, but you don’t get the Dolomites’ famous pale peaks. Both are quieter.

Best for: spa stays, families and anyone who wants the alpine feel with fewer crowds.

Mountain Hotels We’ve Stayed in With Half Board

These three are the kind of hotel we go back for: on a mountain road, spa included, dinner included and a trail within a few steps. They’re all places we’ve stayed, and I’ve been honest about the downsides. If you haven’t read about half board yet, here’s how it works.

Kronplatz-Resort Berghotel Zirm ($$$): Our first Dolomites hotel and the one we’ve returned to more than any other. It’s a four-star above Olang, about a quarter of the way up a mountain, and the drive up in August made me nervous. The dog wash station and the room in the dining room where you can eat with your dog made it easy for us with Cash. There’s a heated outdoor pool you can swim to from the indoor one, a massage hut (ours was surrounded by cows with bells), a gondola nearby and an outdoor fun center below the hotel. It was the most family-friendly place we’ve stayed in the region. Zirm’s own site now describes a breakfast buffet and à la carte dinner, so ask what’s included when you write. Recommended for families and anyone with a dog.

Alpenpalace Luxury Hideaway & Spa Retreat ($$$$): A five-star in the Ahrntal, and easily the fanciest of our stays. The rooms are enormous, and we had a separate sitting room that became Lisa’s bedroom. The spa has an indoor pool, a big outdoor pool, two hot tubs (one indoor with colored lights) and, on one trip, snow on the ground. There are events like a Sunday mixer with passed food. A lift nearby takes you up to a summer family area with a dinosaur garden, and a river runs through the valley. It gets hot in summer, and there were fans but no air conditioning when we stayed. Recommended for a splurge, and worth it for families with kids who love a pool.

Josef Mountain Resort ($$$): A four-star high above Merano in Hafling. We went during COVID, and almost nobody else was there. The rooms are big, the heated pool runs from inside to outside, the spa was excellent and you can start a hike from the front door. The hotel smells like a mountain when you walk in. It’s a good pick if you want quiet and don’t need to be in the Dolomites proper. Recommended for couples and dog owners who mostly want to hike.

Best Hotels in Dolomites Towns and Villages

The next five hotels are in the middle of a town or village, so you can walk to restaurants and use lifts and buses. We haven’t stayed at any of them. What follows is what I could confirm from each hotel’s own website, and I’ll flag what I couldn’t.

1. Cavallino Bianco Family Spa Grand Hotel ($$$$): A four-star superior on Via Rezia in the middle of Ortisei, overlooking the main street. It’s built around families, with daily programs, children’s entertainers, reserved kids’ areas and a family spa. Ortisei is the best no-car base in Val Gardena. I couldn’t confirm the dog policy, so ask before you book.
2. Hotel Gardena Grödnerhof ($$$$): A five-star in Ortisei, known for its gourmet restaurant and its spa. Half board is an optional add-on rather than the default. One important note: pets are not allowed, so skip it if you’re traveling with a dog.
3. Hotel de la Poste ($$$): A four-star on Piazza Roma in Cortina d’Ampezzo, and the town’s oldest hotel. It began in 1804 as a post station and has been run by the Manaigo family for a long time. The hotel is pet friendly, has its own bar and offers 11 room categories. Recommended for anyone who wants an old-school base in Cortina.
4. Hotel La Perla ($$$$): A five-star in Corvara, run by the same family since 1956. It has a Michelin-starred restaurant, La Stüa de Michil, and an indoor pool and spa. Dogs and cats are welcome in the rooms but not in the breakfast room or the main restaurant, and the hotel has babysitting. Children ten and over are welcome at the Michelin restaurant. Recommended for a splurge on food.
5. Kronplatz Hotel POST ($$$): A four-star in the old town of Bruneck, on Via Bastioni. It has a small wellness area with a sauna and pool, and a restaurant called Cosmo. Bruneck is on the train line and has a gondola up Kronplatz, so it works without a car. I couldn’t confirm the dog policy.

Booking Tips for the Dolomites

If you’ve booked hotels in Europe, some of this will feel familiar, but the Dolomites have a few quirks of their own.

Expect to email. When we booked our first hotel here, we couldn’t do it online at all. A lot of small and mid-size places in South Tyrol still ask you to write for a quote, so give yourself extra time.

Book early for July and August. Summer is one of the busiest periods in the Dolomites, particularly in popular bases such as Ortisei and Cortina. If you have a particular hotel in mind, we’d book as soon as your dates are set.

Check what half board includes. It normally means breakfast and dinner, with drinks extra and lunch on your own. Ask whether it’s the default or an add-on, since some hotels sell it separately.

Check air conditioning and dog rules. The Alpenpalace was warm for me in summer, and pet policies vary a lot, from welcoming to a flat no.

Ask about the Guest Pass. If you stay overnight in South Tyrol, your hotel usually gives you the Südtirol Guest Pass, which covers regional trains and buses. It doesn’t cover seasonal shuttles like Lago di Braies or the Auronzo hut.

FAQ About Hotels in the Dolomites

Where is the best place to stay in the Dolomites for a first trip?

Ortisei in Val Gardena is the easiest if you don’t want a car. If you’d rather have a hotel with a spa and a trailhead outside, look at Val Pusteria.

Do you need a car if you stay in the Dolomites?

For the resorts we love, yes. For Ortisei, Cortina or Bruneck, not really. See How to Get to the Dolomites.

Is half board worth it?

For us it was. You only need to figure out lunch, and the hotels are far enough from restaurants that it’s convenient. Read our full explainer on half board.

Are Dolomites hotels dog friendly?

Some are and some aren’t. Zirm was very dog friendly when we went, Hotel de la Poste and La Perla accept dogs, and the Gardena Grödnerhof doesn’t. See Dolomites With a Dog.

Are hotels in the Dolomites good for kids?

Yes. In our experience, hotels here welcome children, with pools, hot tubs and activities. More in Dolomites With Kids.

How much does a Dolomites hotel cost?

Prices vary enormously depending on the valley, season and type of hotel. On some of our earlier trips, we paid around $500 per person for three nights at a mountain hotel with half board and spa access. We wouldn’t use that as a current price guide, though. Check rates for your exact dates, particularly for July, August and ski season.

If you’re planning a slower trip, our Dolomites Without Hiking guide explains why the hotel matters even more.

Our Dolomites Hotel Takeaway

The hotel you choose in the Dolomites decides your trip, because the region is big and slow to drive. A resort on a mountain gives you a trailhead, a pool and dinner without ever getting in the car. A hotel in a town gives you restaurants and lifts you can reach on foot. Neither is better, but they’re different trips.

If you’re traveling with kids or a dog, start with Berghotel Zirm. For a splurge, the Alpenpalace is the one we keep talking about. For a first trip without a car, look at Ortisei or Bruneck. And if you want the full picture of the region, our Dolomites travel guide walks through every valley.

More From the getAwayZ on the Dolomites and Italy

The Dolomites: Dolomites Travel Guide, How to Get to the Dolomites, Best Time to Visit the Dolomites and Dolomites With a Dog.

More Italy hotel guides: Where to Stay in Venice, Where to Stay in Milan and Where to Stay in Turin.