Hotel Finkennest

The kids club was okay, and the staff there were pretty good. Food and views were good too, and housekeeping did a great job. Our room had a nice big breakfast table for four, and you can order any breakfast in the room. The three swimming pools were clean. But there were no fans or air conditioning, so we had to leave all the windows open and it stayed noisy late into the night. Some guests pay extra expecting to get in a 40-minute workout, only to find the gym’s one multi-gym machine out of order. I was told it had been that way for a while. There’s no mirror in the gym either, and only a few light dumbbells.

Breakfast was delicious and varied, and the room where it’s served has a lovely view over the valley. Kids had fun exploring the grounds, which felt very safe, and enjoyed the indoor kids’ pool and the outdoor Jacuzzi with the family. The outdoor pool was another highlight. It’s made with very high-quality materials, and from the water you can see the mountains and an old chapel. The view and the feeling there are unforgettable. For a view right from bed, choose a valley-facing room at Finkennest in Schenna. The valley lies ahead with majestic mountains around it, and the sunsets are really impressive. This is the best hotel we’ve found so far in Süd Tirol, and it’s affordable too.

For children, this is the best hotel I’ve ever seen. The staff are very tolerant and accepting of all kinds of behavior, and I’d call it one of the few five-star hotels for kids. Just keep in mind that it’s completely focused on children. The restaurant service, though, was horrible. We had five rooms for seven days, with ten adults and three children, and the restaurant couldn’t handle us. The waiters seemed overwhelmed, which I blame on the head waiter’s poor job. Matino, a waiter and bartender, was one of the best I’ve met in Italy and Germany. One chef was great, but when he was off, the food quality dropped drastically. When we raised the decline with the head waiter, he told us too bad and didn’t pass it on to the owner. He also threw away nearly $100 worth of special homemade schnapps brought as a birthday present, because he wanted us to pay for the drinks he sells. The small, skinny daycare lady did an amazing job and provided excellent care for both children and parents. The other woman was barely able to carry a bag upstairs and acted like a drill sergeant with the kids and parents. She was nowhere near as good. Housekeeping was great on all but one day, and we knew the staff were off that day. The floors were sticky and the bedding had just been put on the bed. The other days, the rooms were perfect, and even the beds were made into hearts. It was an okay stay. We usually return to places we like. We went to the same place in Turkey for about 15 years, two or three times a year, but we won’t return here. It’s a very low-standard 4-star hotel where the owner lets staff do whatever they want. We might consider coming back a few times a year if the owner made changes, especially about overcharging. Almost every guest we saw checking out needed their bill adjusted. There are good people here, but the bad ones can ruin your trip. If we ever return, I’ll change my rating.

Everyone was helpful and kind, and the hotel is close to Schenna’s center. They also give you a card for all forms of transportation. It’s a great family hotel, with indoor and outdoor playgrounds, a petting farm, indoor and outdoor pools, limited-hours daycare, and salon services like nails, massage, and tanning. There’s even a stroller-friendly entrance at the back, past the Tiefgarage entrance. The one drawback for us was that lunch starts late, at 13:30, unless you order à la carte.