Having been to Venice 4 years ago, with trips in the intervening years to Florence and Rome and environs, we wanted to return to Venice, and also see places nearby: Ravenna, Padua, and the Dolomites. Using TripAdvisor, I settled on Castelrotto or Kastelruth for the Dolomites and selected the Hotel Zum Wolf based on the few reviews, all positive, that were posted for this hotel. My wife & I were wondering if it were too ambitious to drive in the mountains, but we are so glad that we did! We learned that we were there towards the end of the "walking season." It had rained the night before, but we had two glorious days very close to heaven. Our room was as advertised, with a nice balcony overlooking the valley and very pleasantly furnished in Tyrolean pine. The bath was great, with a tub and shower combination and plenty of room. The breakfasts were fun: we boiled our own eggs and enjoyed cheeses, ham, yogurt and nice breads. The town is truly picturebook! The ski lifts to the Alpe Suisse (an 8 mile wide pasture where cows summer) were operating and there were lots of interesting trails to explore. The vistas were as if one were truly "flying like an eagle." The co-owner / wife of the innkeeper was very pleasant and offered us good suggestions for hikes and restaurants. I heartily recommend exploring this part of Italy and, if you are in the area, I would recommend that you stay at this lovely inn. If you are a fan of Donna Leon's novels, you may know that her detective Brunetti dreams in the hot summers of sleeping in the Dolomites under down coverlets. This inn, indeed, provided the plushest, nicest down coverlets and pillows that I have ever experience in any inn anywhere.
- Zum Wolf Hotel
