Expert guide to Cortina d’Ampezzo
Cortina is a town not a village and choosing a convenient place to stay is important. The best place is near the car-free Corsa Italia, within walking distance of the cable car into the Faloria ski area and the central bus station – or at a hotel with its own shuttle bus. Reaching the other ski areas, Tofana-Socrepes and Cinque Torri-Lagazuoi, entails a longer walk or bus ride.
That said, there’s a huge range of accommodation from guest houses to five-star hotels, plus apartments. Many hotels offer only B&B rather than half-board, leaving guests free to explore Cortina’s many restaurants.
Olimpia
This three-star B&B, just 50m from Corsa Italia, was built for the 1956 Winter Olympics. Cosy and welcoming, Olimpia’s bedrooms vary in size and style, some with parquet floors, some with carpets, some with floral painted wardrobes and bedheads. There’s a bar and a smart spa area with sauna and hot tub.
Price: £
Villa Neve
A basic three-star B&B just 50m from Corsa Italia and near a bus stop to the Faloria cable car, Villa Neve has simple bedrooms and friendly staff. Beer and other drinks are available, but there is no bar.
Price: £
Montana
The small, modern, friendly Montana B&B has just 30 rooms and is ideally located, centrally placed on Corsa Italia. It’s on the site of a hotel built in 1927 but has been completely rebuilt and modernised and has simple but clean and comfortable bedrooms and wifi throughout.
Price: £
Parc Victoria
Right at one end of Corsa Italia, this former four-star hotel is now a chalet-hotel and has 37 rooms spread over five floors. It was built in 1892 and both the public areas and the bedrooms feature lovely old wood. The small spa area has a sauna and steam room and there’s a free mini-bus service to and from the lifts six days a week.
Price: ££
Hotel de la Poste
A charming old place right on the Corsa Italia, the four-star Hotel de la Poste building dates from 1804. Each bedroom and suite is individually designed and decorated, combining ancient with modern. The public rooms are comfortable and traditional, with old wooden floors, ceilings and beams. You can use an indoor pool, steam room and saunas in a nearby affiliated hotel.
Price: ££
Menardi
A traditional roadside inn, the three-star Menardi is around a mile from the centre of town and the lifts and has a bus stop right outside. The views from the public rooms and many of the 49 mostly wood-clad rooms are simply stunning. There’s an elegant dining room, bar and reading room, plus a sauna, steam room and hot tub.
Price:££
Columbia
The comfortable three-star Columbia B&B is 700m from the centre of Cortina and close to the gondola towards the Tofana ski area. Most of the wood-clad rooms have balconies with splendid mountain views. A buffet breakfast is served in a cosy room. The spa area opened in 2018, with a sauna, steam room, hot tub and a relaxing area with spectacular Dolomite views. Massages are available.
Price: ££
Cristallo
A grand five-star superior hotel opened in 1901, the Cristallo is set in an elevated position fairly close to the Faloria cable car, and there’s a free hotel shuttle to and from the lifts and town centre. The hotel has long been popular with international high society and has a captivating setting and elegant atmosphere. There’s a splendid indoor pool with fine views, sauna, steam room, outdoor hot tub, gym, and a choice of three different restaurants. For a special occasion there’s the Chef’s Private Table private dining room, with a surprise menu prepared by executive chef Marco Pinelli.
Price: £££
Grand Hotel Savoia
This wonderful five-star is 100m from the Corsa Italia. Renovated in recent years, there’s a modern and exclusive feel to the Savoia’s public rooms, and most private rooms too, with lots of polished wood floors. A 750sqm spa area includes an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, gym and herbal tea room. There’s also a fine-dining restaurant, bar and cigar room – and a terrace with views of the Dolomites.
Price: £££
Rifugio Lagazuoi
For something different, try a night at Cortina’s largest mountain hut, Rifugio Lagazuoi, with spectacular views, at 2,752m at the top of the cable car from Passo Falzerego. There are double and triple rooms as well as dormitories. Bathrooms and showers are communal. Breakfast (watching the sunrise) and dinner are available plus a sauna. And you can be first down the fabulously beautiful ‘Hidden Valley’ run in the morning.
Price: £
Book it: From €58, booked direct.
Booking.com rates above are guide prices per person per night, please note that packages can differ across accommodation. Owing to the current coronavirus pandemic, these rates may change. Please check the properties’ websites for further information on what’s included.