The Place
Our idea of a perfect restaurant with rooms. True to formula, there is no sitting room; instead, several dining areas, some bistro style, some more formal. A table in a big central area seats up to 20 – singles can slot in here too. The atmosphere is lively and informal and the food is unpretentious, honest and delicious – we ate thick onion soup and green spatzle.
The Ospitale is a venerable local institution, for more than 600 years a stopover on the pilgrim route from the north to Rome. Its new incarnation, after hefty investment in 2012, has done it more than justice. The solid old building has a tasteful green and off-white exterior and copper rainwater gullies. Upstairs, corridors are light, with beautiful timberwork.
You’re in among the mountains here, a contrast to the bustle of Cortina (15 minutes’ drive). For skiing, we’d seriously consider staying here rather than in town. You can ski cross-country along a disused railway track into Cortina or north towards southern Tyrol. In summer it’s ideal for stepping straight out on to endless walks and mountain biking, all well maintained and signposted – the Cortina area is fabulous and sadly overlooked by northern Europeans. It’s on a road, which sometimes gets busy, but noise is within reason.