Where to Stay in Val Gardena: Hotel & Accommodation Guide

When planning a trip to the Italian Dolomites, you’ll quickly realize that Val Gardena is one of the best places to stay in the area. But where to stay in Val Gardena and which Val Gardena hotel to choose?

In this Val Gardena hotel and accommodation guide, we are covering only the best places to stay in Val Gardena, based on location, customer reviews, and price-quality ratio.

This guide features the best hotels in Selva, Ortisei, and Santa Cristina, but also the best Val Gardena hotels for families, ski-in-ski-out hotels in Val Gardena, 5-star luxury Val Gardena hotels and more.

We focused on Val Gardena accommodations in the three main towns, so not the whole of the Dolomites region. However, for the categories where Val Gardena hotel selection was limited, we also included a few nice properties nearby. Find out!

Good to know: It’s important to note that Val Gardena is one of the most popular places in the Dolomites and – in general – an extremely popular mountain destination in Italy. Summer or winter – the best and the most affordable hotels and accommodations are often booked months in advance. So my top tip is to book your Val Gardena hotel as soon as you have your travel dates fixed. 

READ ALSO: Best Places to Stay in the Dolomites

 

Good to know: Many Val Gardena hotels will show as unavailable if you stay just for a short period of time. Many Dolomites hotels and accommodations have a minimum stay requirement, so they will only be available for booking if you stay for a minimum 3 nights, often even 7 nights.

We included this information where it was available. However, often this varies depending on the time of the year (peak season vs. low season), so it’s impossible for me to find exact info for all accommodations and for every period.

You’ll just have to check availability for your travel dates and don’t get discouraged if it looks as if everything is fully booked, as in the screenshot below.

 

Without further ado, here is our complete guide to the best places to stay in Val Gardena. Find out!

In this selection of the best Val Gardena hotels, we only include hotels and accommodations that are available to book via Booking.com. It’s our #1 hotel booking website and the only one we look at when researching and booking accommodations for our own trips. We also only feature properties that have great customer reviews (at least 8,5+ rating on Booking.com at the time of writing).

   

Where to stay in Val Gardena – Selva, Ortisei, or Santa Cristina

You may already know that the term Val Gardena refers to three villages – Selva, Ortisei, and Santa Cristina. They are located relatively close to each other and connected by public transport (bus).

Depending on the purpose of your trip to Val Gardena, you may want to stay at one or the other village specifically. But in general, I don’t think there is that much difference which Val Gardena town you choose to stay in.

The road to get to each village from the highway is the same, the public bus stops in all three towns, and they all have amazing hiking and skiing possibilities.

In winter, you can ski between the three towns, and in summer you can take a cable car in one town, hike, and then take the cable car down in another village…

We visited the Dolomites in July and opted to stay in Selva di Val Gardena. Somehow it felt to me as if Selva and Ortisei had a better atmosphere than Santa Cristina, but we haven’t spent enough time in each village, so this might be subjective.

Selva and Ortisei also have more accommodation choices, more upscale accommodation, but also the least flexible bookings with many hotels requiring a minimum number of nights to be booked, especially in summer and in winter.

TIP: If you are traveling to Val Gardena for skiing, then I’d strongly recommend looking into booking accommodation with easy access to the slopes. In summer, location is a bit less important as villages are in general quite walkable. If you have no car or have mobility issues, make sure to double check on accessibility – some areas are a bit steep.

Compare Hotels & Short-term Rental Accommodations in Val Gardena

Further below, you can find our hand-picked recommendations for where to stay in Val Gardena. If you rather do your own research, using the map below, you can compare hotels, apartments, and short-term rental accommodations in Val Gardena.

Simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see the best deals for your stay. Just keep in mind that many accommodations have a minimum stay requirement and will only show up in the search if your stay is long enough.

TIP: You can use this map for any town. Simply insert the place name or zoom out the map to see what’s available in the area. Check it out!

   

Best Selva di Val Gardena hotels

There are so many really nice hotels in Selva di Val Gardena that it’s almost impossible to make a small selection – they all look amazing and have fabulous reviews.

Nevertheless, here is a selection of some of the best Selva di Val Gardena hotels. It’s based on the quality of accommodation, location (close to the town center and the ski lifts), and customer reviews. Needless to say, facilities like free Wi-Fi, and parking are a must.

Since the choice of quality accommodations is really big in Selva, I only picked those hotels that have the most flexible booking system and the very best ratings on the Booking.com website. Further down in this article, you can find some more luxurious Selva di Val Gardena hotels as well, but many of them require a minimum 7-night stay.

• Hotel Laurin Small & Charming. With 9,7 guest rating, this is the best-rated hotel in Val Gardena that I came across. Great location, beautiful spa area, an indoor pool, free bike rental… This is one of the absolute best hotels in Selva di Val Gardena.

• Hotel Antares (minimum stay in some periods). Indoor pool, wellness area, and family suites make this one of the most popular quality hotels in Selva di Val Gardena. Located in the center of Selva and very close to one of the main ski lifts in town.

• Boutique Hotel Nives – Luxury & Design in Selva.  This highly-rated 4-star boutique hotel offers affordable luxury and is one of the top picks in Selva di Val Gardena. With a beautiful wellness center, an indoor pool, two restaurants (a-la-carte and half-board option), and large suites for 2, this is a great-value luxury Selva hotel for couples.

• Hotel Fanes. One of the top picks in Selva, this 4-star hotel has great facilities and excellent reviews and the location is ok for summer. In winter, you’ll need a shuttle to get to the ski lifts.

• Garni Bondi. This is the smallest, most simple, and the most budget-friendly highly-rated hotel in this selection. Direct access to the ski slopes makes it a very popular accommodation choice in Selva di Val Gardena in winter.

 

Best Santa Cristina hotels

Santa Cristina has fewer really good hotels than Selva or Ortisei ( it’s also a smaller town). Here is a small selection of the very best hotels in Santa Cristina:

• Alpenhotel Plaza. A stunning 4-star hotel in Santa Cristina. With indoor and outdoor pools, a wellness center, and a very good location for summer or winter travel.

• Hotel Touring Dolomites. This is one of the best price-quality 3* hotels in Santa Cristina. Great location, spacious rooms (also for bigger families), new wellness center, and a good restaurant.

• Diamant Spa Resort. 4-star Alpine hotel with a free wellness center with an indoor pool and many other facilities. 

• Smart Hotel Saslong. This 3-star hotel is one of the most popular choices in town. Facilities are limited, but prices are lower too.

 

Best Ortisei hotels

Together with Selva, Ortisei is one of the nicest towns to stay in Val Gardena. However, many Ortisei hotels require at least 3 nights minimum stay. In general, this shouldn’t be a problem as there is so much to see and do in the Val Gardena area. 

Same as with Selva hotels, I only selected Ortisei hotels and accommodations with the very best customer reviews. This selection doesn’t include 5* hotels. For that, check the ‘luxury hotels‘ section further below.

Here are some of the best price/quality hotels in Ortisei:

• Hotel Garni Snaltnerhof (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). This historic 3-star family-run hotel has the best location in the center of Ortisei and just a short walk from a ski lift – perfect for summer and winter stays. It’s very good and highly-rated accommodation for the price, but there aren’t any extra facilities, so no wellness or similar. Family rooms are available. This hotel is one of the best-sellers in Ortisei!

• Residence Villa Stella (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). This 3-star hotel with studios and apartments for all group sizes up to 7 people is one of the best price-quality hotels in Ortisei. Customer reviews are amazing. They don’t have a pool or wellness but offer free access to nearby outdoor and indoor swimming pools and a gym.

• Hotel Luna Mondschein. This highly-rated 4-star hotel has a large wellness center and an indoor pool. The location is great in summer; in winter you’ll need to take a bus to the ski lifts. During the peak season, the hotel may only be bookable for at least 7 nights (arrival on Saturday or Sunday).

• Hotel Angelo Engel (minimum 7 nights in many periods). 4-star hotel in the center of town with a free wellness area and an outdoor pool. Great reviews.

• Hotel Grones (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). 4-star hotel with an indoor pool and a beautiful spa area. Most rooms are for 2 people and despite the fact that they say it’s a family-friendly hotel, it looks more like a place for couples looking for an affordable luxury stay in Val Gardena.

 

Best Val Gardena hotels for families

Val Gardena is known for its luxurious family resorts, but most of them are only bookable directly through their own websites, don’t display any prices, and require a minimum of 7-nights stay arriving on Saturday.

The booking process is so untransparent and cumbersome and the prices are often in excess of 4,000 – 5,000 EUR for a family for a week (yes, you read this right)… We quickly gave up on all those resorts when looking for a hotel in Val Gardena for our family and just used Booking.com to find a place to stay.

Here is a small selection of the best-rated family hotels in Val Gardena that you can easily book yourself. You know exactly what you are getting, how much it costs, and most of these properties don’t require a minimum stay (might vary depending on the period though).

• Hotel Jägerheim 3S between Selva and Santa Cristina. With big family rooms, connecting rooms, spa and a hot tub, and lots of kid-friendly facilities, this hotel is an excellent choice for a family stay in Val Gardena in any season. It’s located right on the ski slopes, so in winter you can just ski in and out – perfect with kids.

• Romantik & Family Hotel Gardenia***S in Selva. This highly-rated hotel has family rooms and great facilities including a swimming pool, wellness area, kids’ club, and more. 

• Hotel Scherlin – near Ortisei. A beautiful and well-priced hotel with a wellness center, indoor and outdoor pools, and kids play area. It’s located outside of Ortisei town and is perfect for a summer stay in Val Gardena, but in winter, you’ll need to drive to get to the ski slopes.

• Alpenhotel Plaza in Santa Cristina. Offering duplex family suites for up to 5 people, an indoor playroom for kids, indoor and outdoor pool, spa and hot tub, and a good location for skiing, this hotel is an excellent choice for families.

• Residence Villa Stella (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). This is a really nice hotel in Ortisei that offers studios and apartments for big groups and families (up to 7 people). They don’t have anything special for kids apart from some outdoor playing equipment, but if you are looking for a good price-quality Val Gardena accommodation for your family and don’t care about kids clubs and other extras, this hotel might be a good choice. They also offer free access to nearby outdoor and indoor swimming pools.

• Hotel Andes Family & Wellness in Vigo di Fassa. Beautiful 4-star hotel with lots of facilities tailored especially for families.

If you are looking for a very luxurious hotel in Val Gardena that also allows kids, check Alpenroyal Grand Hotel Gourmet & Spa in Selva. It’s simply incredible (and very expensive).

If you rather stay at a self-catering apartment, please check our selection below. Self-catering apartments are usually cheaper and they offer more space for your family – a perfect choice for a more affordable and relaxed family stay in Val Gardena. Read on!

 

Best self-catering accommodations in Val Gardena

Val Gardena hotels can be really expensive, especially if you are traveling with a bigger family or a group of friends in the busiest season.

Luckily, there are quite some really good self-catering accommodations in Val Gardena that are much more budget-friendly. Furthermore, you usually have more space at these apartments than in any hotel room.

Below is our selection of some of the best-rated quality self-catering accommodations in Val Gardena. Take a look!

• Panorama Apartments Gran Tublá in Ortisei. This is one of the nicest accommodations in Ortisei with incredible views and within walking distance to the town center and ski lifts. This accommodation offers all the advantages of staying at a hotel, but with big well-equipped apartments instead of small hotel rooms. With your own kitchen, but also a hotel restaurant, you have all the flexibility and the best of both worlds. Indoor and outdoor pools, playground and also babysitting services are available.

• Appartmenthotel Residence Elvis in Ortisei. This is one of the best Ortisei accommodations for families up to 5 people, but they also have self-catering studios and apartments for just 2 people. Excellent reviews and good facilities (including free access to nearby indoor- and outdoor swimming pools), in combination with very affordable prices – no wonder that this accommodation is one of the top picks in Ortisei.

• Residence Cesa Rives in Selva. This is one of the best-priced and well located Val Gardena accommodations for big families. However, there are no extra facilities like a spa or a swimming pool. If you are in Val Gardena for hiking and sightseeing and just come to your hotel to sleep, then this is just perfect. If, however, you want a real holiday feel and like to spend more time in your accommodation, then I suggest looking at a place like Panorama Apartments Gran Tubla mentioned below.

• Hotel Garnì Gardena. Self-catering apartments for families and groups of up to 12 people. Breakfast is available. Excellent reviews – one of the top picks in Santa Cristina (minimum stay in most periods).

• Residence Larciunei in Ortisei. A bit similar to Residence Cesa Rives mentioned above. If you are looking for good price-quality self-catering accommodation in Val Gardena and don’t care about any extra facilities, this is an excellent choice. Access to a swimming pool, located 2 km from the property, is included as well.

• Apartments Boè in Santa Cristina. Good value apartments for up to 6 people. Excellent reviews.

• Artefugium Atelier – Apartments in Selva (minimum stay in most periods). These are the most luxurious Val Gardena self-catering apartments (for up to 6 and 9 people) in this selection. Amazing accommodation with fantastic reviews.

 

Best-value hotels and accommodations in Val Gardena

Here is a small selection of Val Gardena hotels that have excellent reviews and are better priced than comparable accommodations in the same area.

Most of these hotels are cheaper simply because they don’t have all the fancy facilities like a spa or they are located a bit outside of town…

However, if you are looking for a good-quality affordable hotel in Val Gardena, then you can’t go wrong with these budget hotels and apartments. Check it out!

• Hotel Dolomiti Madonna. Nice and simple family-run hotel with Alpine-style rooms. It’s the type of hotel that is really typical to the Alps, and a place that reminds me of many Swiss accommodations. There is no spa or wellness and facilities are rather basic, but it also means that this is one of the great value hotels in Val Gardena.

• Residence Villa Stella (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). One of the best picks in Ortisei for any group size for up to 7 people.

• Smart Hotel Saslong in Santa Cristina. Very good price for a hotel of that type, especially if you take a family room for 4.

• Hotel Digon near Ortisei. Simple, good value hotel not far from Ortisei town. Excellent reviews and great value for the money.

• Hotel La Cort. Exceptional reviews, nice spa and wellness area, and beautiful views. This hotel is located a few kilometers outside Ortisei, so you’ll need a car to get around.

• Appartmenthotel Residence Elvis in Ortisei.

• Apartments Boè in Santa Cristina.

 

Best luxury hotels in Val Gardena (5-star hotels)

Here are the best, most luxurious 5-star hotels and resorts of Val Gardena. Each with excellent facilities and amazing customer reviews. If you have the budget and want a really special holiday in Val Gardena, don’t look any further.

• Alpenroyal Grand Hotel Gourmet & Spa in Selva. One of the most luxurious Val Gardena hotels with unbelievable facilities. This would be my top pick if I were to splurge on a luxury holiday in Val Gardena.

• Hotel Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei. This highly-rated 5-star hotel features an award-winning restaurant, an incredible spa area with an indoor pool, and an excellent location in the center of town and close to a ski lift. If you are looking for a luxury hotel in the Dolomites, you can’t go wrong with this Ortisei hotel.

• Alpin Garden Wellness Resort – Adults Only. A 5-star luxury hotel in Ortisei with panoramic mountain views, an indoor and outdoor pool, an Egyptian-style wellness area, and a very good restaurant. Located outside the town center, the hotel offers a free shuttle to Ortisei and the ski lifts.

• Adler Spa Resort Dolomiti in Ortisei. Set in a beautiful park and with excellent location and most luxurious facilities, this 5-star resort has amazing customer reviews.

• Hotel Montchalet in Ortisei. Fantastic 5-star hotel with a spa center, indoor pool, and an outdoor hot tub. Breakfast and dinner are included in the rate. This highly-rated Ortisei hotel is an excellent choice in summer. In winter, you’ll have to take a free shuttle to get to the ski lifts.

 

Best Val Gardena hotels with a pool

These highly-rated Val Gardena hotels all have swimming pools – some indoor, some outdoor, and some – both. Please note that some of these hotels will require a minimum stay.

A couple of Selva di Val Gardena hotels with a swimming pool:

• Boutique Hotel Nives – Luxury & Design in the Dolomites in Selva
• Hotel Tyrol in Selva
• Hotel Antares in Selva. Family rooms available.
• Hotel Portillo Dolomites 1966′
• Hotel Laurin Small & Charming is Selva. Family rooms available.
• Savoy Dolomites Luxury & Spa Hotel in Selva (minimum stay in some periods).

Santa Cristina hotels with a swimming pool:

• Alpenhotel Plaza in Santa Cristina
• Sporthotel Monte Pana in Santa Cristina
• Boutique & Fashion Hotel Maciaconi in Santa Cristina
• Vitalpina Hotel Dosses in Santa Cristina
• Hotel Interski in Santa Cristina
• Dorfhotel Beludei in Santa Cristina

Ortisei hotels with a swimming pool:

• Hotel Montchalet in Ortisei. Great for families.
• Alpenhotel Rainell in Ortisei
• Hotel Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei
• Alpin Garden Wellness Resort – Adults Only in Ortisei
• Hotel Grones in Ortisei
• Adler Spa Resort Dolomiti in Ortisei
• Hotel Scherlin – near Ortisei
• Dolomiti Mountain Resort at Passo Sella

 

Best Val Gardena hotels for skiing

If you are looking for the best place to stay in Val Gardena in winter, I recommend hotels and accommodations that are located right next to the ski lifts or on the ski slopes. 

Below, you can find a selection of the best ski-in ski-out hotels in Val Gardena. Selva has by far the easiest direct access to the slopes.

Best ski hotels in Selva di Val Gardena

• Hotel Acadia – Adults Mountain Home. If you are looking for a beautiful adults-only hotel, luxury, culinary experiences, and easy access to ski lifts, then look no further! This 4* Selva hotel is a perfect choice.

• Hotel Laurin Small & Charming. This exceptionally high rated 4* hotel in Selva is a great place for a relaxed ski vacation in Val Gardena. The location of the hotel is great with many ski lifts just nearby. They have a beautiful indoor pool, a really nice spa and wellness area, and an excellent restaurant.

• Savoy Dolomites Luxury & Spa Hotel (minimum stay in some periods). 4* ski-to-door hotel in Selva. Excellent reviews, fantastic location right at the ski slopes, and an indoor pool and wellness area.

• Hotel Antares (minimum stay in some periods). This 4* hotel close to ski lifts is one of the most popular mid-range hotels in Selva. Facilities include an indoor pool and a wellness area.

• Garni Hotel Bel Ver. This is a modern 3* Selva hotel with big rooms with ski-to-door access. It doesn’t have many extra facilities and is therefore more budget-friendly than the previous hotels on this list. If you’re just looking for a well-located hotel for skiing, it’s a very good choice.

• Hotel Sun Valley. 4* ski-to-door hotel in Selva. Amazing location next to ski lifts. All rooms have a mountain-view balcony. Featuring a free spa and also a games room for kids.

• Hotel Jägerheim 3S. This 3* hotel is located right on the ski slopes between Selva and Santa Cristina. Ski-to-door access. This is a good ski hotel for families because they have some big family rooms and also connecting rooms.

 

Best ski hotels in other areas of Val Gardena

Even though Selva offers the biggest choice of hotels close to the ski lifts, there are several good choices in other areas nearby as well.

Here are some good hotels for ski vacation in Val Gardena:

• Sporthotel Monte Pana. This 4-star hotel with a pool is perfect for sports enthusiasts. Direct access to ski slopes in winter, tennis, and mini-golf in summer.

• Residence Villa Stella in Ortisei (minimum 3-night stay in most periods). Great value for your money, a short walk from ski lifts.

• Dolomiti Mountain Resort at Passo Sella. Superb hotel at an amazing location, ski-to-door access, and great facilities. Just a short drive from Val Gardena.

• Hotel Icaro***S. 3-star hotel in Alpe de Siusi, directly on the slopes.

• Tirler – Dolomites Living Hotel. This 4-star hotel is located in Alpe de Siusi and has an amazing location right on the ski slopes.

 

Where to stay in Val Gardena – our experience

We stayed in Selva and I can say with confidence that it’s an amazing place to stay in Val Gardena. The town has everything you need and the location is perfect for hiking, sightseeing, or a skiing holiday in the Dolomite mountains.

We loved its cozy atmosphere, a good choice of restaurants, and also a big supermarket right in the center. The best thing was that everything was within an easily walkable distance.

Since many hotels require a minimum stay of 7 nights and arrival on Saturday, many of the choices weren’t available for us when we were looking to book our Val Gardena accommodation.

In the end, we opted for a self-catering apartment at Residence Cesa Rives. It’s located in the center of Selva di Val Gardena and offers spacious family apartments at a very good price. This accommodation doesn’t have any extra facilities (no wellness or swimming pool), which was fine for us because we were out sightseeing and hiking all day.

However, if I were to go back again, I’d try to book more in advance, so that we have more choices and would choose a place with a swimming pool or at least a hot tub.

 

So, this is our guide to the best Val Gardena hotels. It took me several days to research and compile this list, so I hope that it will save you time and help you find the best place to stay for your trip.

TIP: There are so many amazing hotels in Val Gardena, so if you are there on vacation, pick one that will truly give you that holiday feel. I hope this guide will help you find the perfect accommodation for your stay in the Dolomites.

READ ALSO our guide to hiking in the Dolomites & the most beautiful lakes in the Dolomites

Guides to some of our favorite places in the Dolomites:

• Pragser Wildsee (Lago di Braies)
• Lago di Sorapis
• Tre Cime di Lavaredo
• Marmolada
• Toblacher See (Lago di Dobbiaco)
• Cinque Torri
• Lago di Limides

If you found this Val Gardena hotel and accommodation guide useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin this image!

 

More tips for your trip to Northern Italy:

• Lake Como:
  • Best Things to Do in Lake Como
  • Lake Como Travel Tips
  • Lake Como Best Towns
  • Best Gardens & Villas to Visit in Lake Como
  • What to See & Do in Bellagio
  • What to See & Do in Varenna
• Milan:
  • How to See the Best of Milan in 1 Day
• Venice:
  • Best Things to Do in Venice
  • Tips for Venice Gondola
  • Venice 1-day Itinerary
  • Venice 3 days itinerary
  • How to Visit Venice by Car
  • Doge’s Palace, Venice
• Lake Garda:
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  • Suggested Lake Garda Itinerary
• Verona:
  • Best things to do in Verona
• Bologna:
  • Best Things to Do in Bologna
  • How to Visit Bologna from Florence
• Trentino:
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  • Trentino with Kids
• For many more destinations all over the country, see our Italy travel page.