The Post Mountain Residence

We were very happy with our stay in the center of Dobbiaco, close to lots of attractions for children. They gave us a free pass for local public transport, so we could have left the car parked. In high season, free parking nearby was hard to find, though a little patience and walking a few extra meters did the trick. The apartment was new, clean, and practical. The kitchenette had everything we needed, and the bathroom was very spacious with a generous shower that drained quickly. There weren’t any closed closets, which is worth knowing. Having shared use of a vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and dryer on our floor was much appreciated. We stayed from August 16th to 24th, two adults and our 18-month-old. Our top-floor room was 408, with a double sofa bed we didn’t use because the baby slept with us. It would have felt a bit cramped with the sofa bed open. The main bed’s mattress was very comfortable. The pillows were too soft for me, though that’s personal preference. The crib and parking cost extra, both over €20 per day.

The residence is newly built, but the stay had a few drawbacks. Parking costs €24 a night, and the Wi-Fi was weak and kept disconnecting. There’s no refrigerator as stated in the booking.com description, just a small minibar with no freezer. In summer, you have to leave the windows open because there’s no air conditioning. That means early light from 5:00 AM, a Conad truck outside at 5:20 AM, and the church next door ringing from 7:00 AM.

The reception staff were wonderful and very helpful, and I appreciated having a portable fan. There’s also a laundry room on every floor. The hotel sits on an inner courtyard, with a supermarket below, a bakery across the street, and an excellent restaurant on the right-hand corner. I liked that a door separated the sleeping area from corridor noise. The soundproofing overall is a bit weak. If your room faces the church, the bells can be noisy, though they’re less noticeable on the other side. There’s no bathroom fan, so ventilation is needed, and no slippers for the cold floor. Parking at the hotel is expensive, so you may end up using the nearby church parking lot.

The location right on Dobbiaco’s main square is excellent, with amenities nearby and parking under the house. The apartment is new, comfortable, and impeccably clean. That’s what makes the €500 per night we paid, even in early January, so hard to accept. I understand the location and building costs, and I know there are businesses willing to charge what people will pay, but I think there should be some limit. At those prices, the offer should at least be worth it. We’d seen quotes of €2,000 for a four-star hotel with half board, and the same apartment was €4,000 for a week at the end of August. We were three children, two adults, and a medium-sized dog, and we eat at home. The kitchen wasn’t really a kitchen. It was a cabinet with four sections, one holding a mini office fridge, a camping induction hob, and a beautiful FRANKE sink. The hob worked well, but the fridge only held a few bottles of Campari. We used the balcony as a fridge, and things froze outside. There were just two frying pans, a saucepan, four dinner plates, and not enough pots, pans, or cutlery to cook properly for five. We couldn’t even make a plate of pasta for everyone until Super Teodora, who handles check-in, check-out, and cleaning, brought the missing things, including five soup plates. A few more outlets and lights that don’t all switch on at once would help too. The mattresses weren’t very comfortable, and the pillows didn’t suit me. I’m a ton, so maybe my back is more sensitive than other people’s. Be careful with the underground parking if you have a roof box. We couldn’t fit, but parked easily in the backyard and got a refund for the covered parking. That was fair. I know I’ve picked at a lot of things, but the apartment is beautiful and the location and cleanliness deserve five stars. I gave three because of the issues above. If you charge that much, you have to deliver. Thanks for the hospitality.