Dolomiti

The food was my main issue during a week of skiing. The buffet often didn't seem fresh, and some dishes looked as if little care had gone into their quality or presentation. The rooms were very clean, the staff were great, and the location was excellent. The decor felt unusual at first, though I got used to it over the week.

The room wasn't the one we'd booked, and the owner said all the others were taken. But when I later tried booking online, plenty of options still appeared, though perhaps they hadn't been cleaned. That made me feel he'd lied. He also said he was originally from Sicily, while he's actually Romanian. There's nothing wrong with that, but why lie again? The place looked like an old-fashioned Transylvanian spot. Getting to our room was awkward: we had to go down to the cellar and back up on the other side, with no elevator, to reach a separate building. There was no air conditioning, just a thermostat that gave the impression there might be. My partner found hair in the bed and bathroom, and the cleaning seemed poor, if it had been done at all. Parking was on the street and paid, despite being shown as private. Breakfast was among the worst I've had, and the decor seemed fake rather than historic as they want guests to believe. Avoid.

The staff were really friendly, but the rooms were tiny and felt like what you'd expect at a two-star hotel. The food was bland and genuinely poor, well below standard.

I was glad to find the food excellent, with a reasonable amount of variety for a mountain resort. I tried both the buffet breakfast and evening meals, which you choose from a menu the day before. The staff are helpful and great, though there's some language confusion now and then. The hotel has charm and doesn't feel faded, and my bedroom was clean and laid out well. It's an old building, so finding your way around can mean exploring and changing levels, especially if you're in the modern rear annex. After seeing the Dolomiti from outside on an earlier ski trip to Canazei, I wanted to stay here next time. Some reviews had made me unsure, but I needn't have worried. I'm very happy to be here.