Where to stay
An eco-resort reachable only by cable car, a Michelin-starred mountain chalet, an Italian castle hotel, and the finest design resort in the Dolomites. Trentino does not have ordinary hotels.
Set in the Val Rendena forest above Pinzolo, 400 metres from the ski gondola, Lefay is the benchmark luxury resort in the Trentino Dolomites. 90 rooms and suites, all with private terraces and mountain views. The spa is exceptional: heated indoor-outdoor pool, treatments based on the Lefay Method, panoramic relaxation areas that look directly onto the peaks. In winter, ski access is direct; in summer, the resort runs guided hiking and mountain activities. The Grual restaurant in the spa building holds a Michelin star — chef Fiorenzo Perremuto’s cuisine draws from the local forests and pastures.
The most conceptually interesting hotel in the Trentino — designed by Matteo Thun and reachable only by cable car from the village of Lana. No road access. No cars. 41 rooms in a building of larch wood and glass that sits at 1,500 metres in the Texelgruppe Nature Park, surrounded by orchards of apple trees in spring and alpine meadows in summer. The eco-credentials are genuine (geothermal heating, solar panels, wood from the surrounding forest). The spa and pool look directly across to the Dolomites. The Michelin-listed restaurant serves Tyrolean and Mediterranean cooking.
In Madonna di Campiglio — the ski resort where the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I hunted and where the aperitif bar in his former hunting lodge remains the most fashionable spot in the village. DV Chalet is an intimate boutique hotel a short walk from the lifts, with 21 rooms, a spa, and the Dolomieu restaurant. Chef Fiorenzo Perremuto holds a Michelin star for his cooking in a cosy reclaimed-wood stube. One of the finest dinner experiences in the Dolomites, in a setting so intimate that the chef is visible from every table.
A former hunting castle above Merano — just north of the Trentino border in South Tyrol, and worth including for its extraordinary position. Panoramic veranda views over the Merano valley and the surrounding peaks, a wellness centre, and gourmet cuisine in a building that has occupied this hillside since the 17th century. Merano itself — a spa town with a Belle Époque thermal bath and a lively Saturday market — is ten minutes below by car.
The finest hotel in Trento city centre — a 14th-century building a few steps from Piazza Duomo, with rooms that combine medieval stone with contemporary Italian design. Walking distance to Buonconsiglio Castle, the MUSE Science Museum, and the best restaurants in the city. The most practical base for those using Trento as a hub for the province rather than staying in the mountains. The rooftop terrace with mountain views is worth the room rate on its own.
Trento is the practical base for visiting the province. The mountain resorts (Madonna di Campiglio, Val di Fiemme, Pinzolo) are 45 minutes to 1 hour by car. If you are primarily here to ski or hike, stay in the mountains; if you want to combine city, wine, and mountains, base yourself in Trento.