Where To Stay In The Dolomites For Hiking

Where To Stay In The Dolomites For Hiking | The Best Areas In The Dolomites

Planning a trip to the Dolomites can be more than a little overwhelming. The region encompasses over 15,000 square kilometers, so the decision of where to spend your time and focus your energy feels like a pretty important one. As someone who returns to the Dolomites every year and has stayed in accommodation all across the region, I feel confident in my recommendations of where to base yourself. In this guide you will find my personal favourite areas to stay in the Dolomites for hiking. I would suggest spending a shorter trip (like a long weekend) in one base, and a longer trip hopping between a few of them with a minimum of 3 nights in each. For pretty much all of these locations, I have a more detailed guide with plenty of information to help you plan your trip.

The Practicalities:

Getting There:

There are plenty of direct flights from the UK (and across the world!) into Innsbruck or Venice, from there you can rent a car and drive into the mountains.

Getting Around:

I highly recommend renting a car during your time in the Dolomites, to allow you to access more remote trailheads and easily explore the beautiful landscapes.

When To Visit:

I recommend visiting between late June to early October, September is ideal as it has more stable weather and slightly less crowds.

How Long to Stay:

I would recommend around 5 days in the Dolomites to a week minimum, but if you can only explore for a long weekend you will still get to enjoy some of the best hikes and scenery in the world. Just pick on base and focus your time there.

Prices:

The Dolomites in the height of summer aren’t cheap, but you can save money by buying food at the supermarket and taking your own packed meals instead of dining out.

The Best Areas In The Dolomites to Stay for Hiking

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Cortina is the heart of the Dolomites, and typically the location I recommend for first timers to base themselves. That being said, as a repeat visitor I have stayed there three times so it has something for everyone! Cortina has all the conveniences of a larger town like shops, cafes and plenty of hotels but at the same time it’s right in the heart of some of the most iconic landscapes in the region and gives you easy access to spots like:

Tre Cime & Cadini di Misurina
Lago Federa
Lago di Sorapis
Tofana di Rozes
Cinque Torri
Prato Piazza
Lagazuoi Tunnels
Giau and Falzarego Passes

One thing to bear in mind is that it is popular, and therefore more expensive and often pretty busy. But it is worth braving the crowds for the views! Just make sure you wake up early to secure parking for any of your hikes, and I mean really early.

You can read my full guide to Cortina d’Ampezzo here.

My Favourite Hotels in Cortina:

Hotel de Len – This is my kind of luxury hotel, it’s a smaller size with a personal touch, but has all the bells and whistles. Gorgeous interiors, great food and an incredible top floor spa with views of the mountains. Plus it’s right in the heart of Cortina so it’s a great location.

Ancora Cortina – If you’re looking for a boujie hotel in Cortina, they don’t get much better than this! It’s well located with a spa, sauna, pool and terrace. Don’t even get me started on the interiors, they are stunning!

The Cadore Valley

If you’re looking for a quieter and slightly more affordable alternative to Cortina, I can recommend driving about 15 minutes south into the Cadore Valley. There’s a series of villages here (such as San Vito di Cadore, Borca di Cadore and Vodo di Cadore) which are much smaller and less trafficked, but still have easy access to the same spots as the larger hub of Cortina. You might not have a big pedestrianised high street and lots of shops to browse or cafes to sit in, but you will be away from the crowds.

My favourite hotels in Cadore Valley:

Agriturismo Talamini de la Tela – This small and locally owned agriturismo is about a 20 minute drive south of Cortina, but well worth the journey. You stay in newly renovated rooms on the farm itself, and each morning there’s a fresh homemade breakfast spread available. It’s quaint, quiet and authentically Italian.

Fiori Dolomites Hotel – This mid-range hotel ticks all the boxes. It has modern interiors, delicious food and a lush spa you can take advantage of.

Alta Badia

In my opinion, Alta Badia is one of the best places to stay in the Dolomites for hiking, yet it is often overlooked for more famous spots like Cortina and Val Gardena. It takes a little more effort to get there, with a longer drive from the nearest airports, but it is worth it to be nestled right in the heart of some of the most iconic mountain groups – Fanes, Sella and Puez. Plus you can drive over to busier spots like Val Gardena and Val di Funes. There’s a few villages and towns in this area, such as Colfosco, Corvara ( my favourite!) and San Cassiano – any of them would be a solid base.

Nearby hikes and sights include:

Piz Boe
Sassolungo
Val di Funes
Val Gardena
Alpe di Siusi
Seceda
Crespeina Lake
Passo Gardena
Brigata Tridentina Via Ferrata

If you want to avoid the hectic crowds of Val Gardena and Ortisei but have access to similar mountain groups, this would be the area I recommend staying in.

You can read my full guide to Alta Badia here.

My favourite hotels in Alta Badia:

Hotel Cristallo – If you want a little peace, this more luxurious spa hotel is a short drive from Corvara and has incredible views from its stunning spa and outdoor pool.

Hotel Pradat – This well located but more affordable hotel is in Corvara itself. It has modern interiors, spa facilities and a fitness centre – again with stunning views.

San Martino di Castrozza

Often overlooked by visitors to the Dolomites, this picturesque little town is one of my personal favourites. If you want to venture far away from the well trodden paths of Cortina and Val Gardena, then you need to explore San Martino di Castrozza. It is surrounded by the Pale di San Martino mountains in the lesser known southern dolomites, which are covered in stunning trails and via ferrata routes, as well as more secluded mountain huts. You’ll love it!

In this area you can explore beautiful spots such as:

The Pale Di San Martino Loop
Val Venegia
Baita Segantini
Via Ferrata Bolver Lugli
The Palaronda Trek
Val Canali

If you’re going to do multiple stops within your Dolomites trip, I recommend adding this onto the beginning or end, as it is nearer to Venice than most other regions.

You can read my full guide to San Martino di Castrozza here.

My favourite hotels in San Martino di Castrozza:

Sayonara Nature & Wellness Hotel – A mid range hotel which has great spa facilities, a fitness centre and a swimming pool with a view. Perfect for recovery after your hikes.

Residence Lastei – This a great self-catering option as they have apartments available with their own kitchens. The building itself also has a pool, sauna and gym you can access.

Madonna di Campiglio

Madonna di Campiglio is a bit of a hidden gem in the western Dolomites and the perfect base to explore the lesser known Brenta region. This Dolomites mountain group is the only one located to the west of the Adige river, and as a result is often overlooked by travellers… but I will let you in on this little secret! It has all the classic gorgeous alpine landscapes you’re looking for, but with less crowds and slightly cheaper prices. Double win!

In this area you can explore hikes and sights including:

The 5 Lakes Hike
Lago di Tovel
Vallesinella Waterfalls
Lago Nero (incredible!)
Lago San Giuliano
Via delle Bocchette via ferrata

You can read my full guide to The Brenta Dolomites here.

My Favourite Hotels in Madonna di Campiglio:

Hotel Dahu – If you fancy having creature comforts at your accommodation, this hotel has them all! There’s modern rooms, an outdoor pool and multiple saunas so you can relax after long days in the mountains. Plus it’s super close to the village centre too which is convenient.

Hotel Rosengarten – Another well located hotel which is a little more budget friendly but doesn’t cut corners. The rooms are spacious and there’s a spa, sauna, swimming pool and fitness centre available.

Val Gardena

Val Gardena is one of the most popular and iconic locations to stay in the Dolomites, with Ortisei being the main hub in the region. It is a gorgeous valley which is nestled between the Odle, Sassolungo and Sella groups with easy access to gorgeous spots including:

Seceda
Alpe di Siusi
Sassolungo
Passo Sella and Gardena
Val di Funes
Lago di Carezza

Val Gardena can get very busy in the high season, but it is a good location if you are travelling without a car due to its solid public transport links.

If you want a quieter alternative and don’t mind driving a little more, I recommend nearby Alta Badia. You can read my full guide to Alta Badia here.

My favourite hotels in Val Gardena:

Kolfuschgerhof Mountain Resort – A truly stunning hotel located just outside of Colfosco which is perfect for couples. It has top tier wellness facilities including a pool with absolutely gorgeous views. One of my personal favourites.

Boutique Hotel Pradell – Located just outside Ortisei, this slightly more budget friendly hotel still has plenty of frills including a spa, sauna and sun terrace as well as modern interiors and great food.