Casa al Sole Ortisei

Room Type: Large Room

Hotel Amenities: Daily breakfast included, honesty bar, laundry service, ski storage, free parking and electric car charging

Average Cost per Night: €200 (incl. fees, for 6 nights)

Star Rating: Unrated

My Rating: 10/10

I first stayed at Casa al Sole in August 2020. We were roadtripping through the Alps at the time and I had my heart set on exploring the Dolomites. A bit of research suggested that the small town of Ortisei was a great base from which to do so and, quite by chance, I found this adorable boutique hotel while checking out the town on Google Maps.

Having just opened its doors in July 2020, the operation of the hotel had none of the kinks to be worked out that you'd expect as one of the first sets of guests. Despite the fact that it was still the relatively early days of travel during Covid and it being August (high season for Italians and other Europeans escaping to the mountains for a last taste of summer), the execution of all aspects of our stay was on par—dare I say, better?—than that of most five-star hotels we've been to. The credit must, of course, go to Casa al Sole's proprietors Manuel and Alexandra. Their hospitality experience and warm personalities shone through immediately, making us feel welcome and at home through the course of our time there. Indeed, the 4 nights we had booked felt too short and we ultimately extended our stay another few nights.

Our stay in 2020 made such an impression on us, that we knew we had to return again eventually. This time around I planned on taking my parents, knowing that, with my Dad's eye for architecture and design and my Mom's love of a generous cup of morning coffee and walking outdoors, they would love it. Unfortunately, some health complications back home kept my parents from being able to come with us. But, thankfully, things are on the mend and I'm already trying to figure out if we'll be able to come back again next summer.

Despite missing my family, our second stay at Casa al Sole was equally as charming as our first. Manuel and Alexandra welcomed us back like old friends, and we were once again treated to their amazing hospitality.

Just as with our first stay, Manuel took the lead on serving breakfast in the hotel's dining room, where clean lines, smooth wooden furniture, and plenty of natural light are the order of the day. The daily breakfast offering is more or less the same, but no less delicious for being so: coffee made to your liking, fresh bread served with homemade farm butter and preserves, eggs cooked to order, prosciutto and cheese, a yogurt parfait or muesli, seasonal fruit, and a tower of various pastries. This is perhaps a simplified way of describing the amount of thought that has clearly gone into creating a diverse and delectable breakfast presentation to satisfy even the most critical gastronome, but you'll have to trust me or, better yet, experience it for yourself.

If Manuel is King of F&B, then Alexandra surely is the Queen of Concierge. As she had done before, she helped us plan all of our daily hikes in the surrounding Val Gardena and beyond, suggested the best lift ticket options for our stay, told us about the best rifugios for our mid-hike refreshments, and recommended dinner options for the week. If you are an avid day hiker wanting to take in the best the Dolomites have to offer, you really can do no better than asking Alexandra for her trail recommendations. Though I'm not sure there's such thing as an unpicturesque trail in this area of the world, she knows all the best trails for your fitness level and (most importantly, in my opinion) where you're most likely to have the trail to yourselves.

Having now stayed in two different room categories at the hotel (small and large), if you have the budget I'd unequivocally say to go for the larger room category. There's much more space for two peoples' luggage in the large room, and the location of the corner room means you have a stunning balcony view of the top of the imposing Sassolungo peak, which towers over the valley where Ortisei sits. Thoughtful touches in the room really stand out, like charging ports on the nightstands and a motion sensor nightlight next to the toilet so you don't have to blind yourself in the event of a mid-night bathroom visit. Some people may find the lack of a solid bathroom door alarming if traveling with a partner—there's a thick curtain, instead—but several years of marriage means that Pawel and I weren't much chagrined.

The verdict on Casa al Sole boils down to this: I have been fortunate to have stayed in many hotels, including some of the best-ranked chains and individual hotels in the world, with their fancy decor, top-of-the-line amenities, and supposed five-star service. But I can count on one hand the number of hotels that have stayed with me enough that I dream of going back to them. There is a reason that, with all of the places we've stayed after two and half years of full-time travel, the only hotel we've ever returned to for a second time is Casa al Sole. It's understated elegance. It's peaceful coziness. And it's magical in its simplicity.