Where to stay in the Dolomites comes down to three bases: Alta Badia for food and a central position, Val Gardena and the Alpe di Siusi for hikers and photographers, and Cortina d'Ampezzo for skiing and its scene. For a week, split your stay between two bases rather than driving daily from one.
Last updated: 4 November 2026. Hotel details below were checked on each hotel's own website on that date and can change, so confirm them before you book.
Where to stay in the Dolomites: the three bases at a glance
The Dolomites are a mountain range, not a town, so "where to stay" really means "which valley". Each base below suits a different trip. For a wider look at the region, see our Dolomites destination guide.
| Base | Best for | Distance logic |
|---|---|---|
| Alta Badia (Corvara, San Cassiano, La Villa) | Food, luxury, a ski-and-hike balance | Central, reaches the most of the range |
| Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi (Ortisei, Selva) | Hikers, photographers, families | Central-west, Seceda and the high meadow |
| Cortina d'Ampezzo | Skiing, the town scene, Tre Cime access | Eastern edge of the range |
Alta Badia: best for food and a central position
Alta Badia is a group of villages (Corvara, San Cassiano, La Villa) in the middle of the range, on the Sella Ronda ski circuit. It is the base we point food-minded travellers to, and it works for both summer hiking and winter skiing.
Hotel to know: Aman Rosa Alpina, San Cassiano. Aman's own website lists the address as Strada Micura de Rue, 20, 39036 San Cassiano in Badia, and gives the transfer from Venice, Bolzano or Innsbruck airports as 90 to 150 minutes by car (aman.com, read 4 November 2026). It was formerly known simply as Rosa Alpina.
Who it suits: couples and food-focused travellers who want one central base for a week.
Val Gardena and the Alpe di Siusi: best for hikers and photographers
Val Gardena (Ortisei, Selva) sits beneath the Sassolungo and the Seceda ridge, and the Alpe di Siusi, above it, is Europe's largest high meadow. It is a strong base for walkers, photographers and families.
Hotel to know: COMO Alpina Dolomites, Alpe di Siusi. COMO's own website gives the address as Via Compatsch, 62/3, Alpe di Siusi (Seiser Alm), 39040 Castelrotto, and describes the hotel as about 30 minutes from Bolzano and around two hours from Innsbruck or Verona airports. It operates seasonally: winter from December to March, and summer and autumn from June to October (comohotels.com, read 4 November 2026).
Who it suits: hikers who want to start walking from the door, and winter guests who want ski slopes on the doorstep. Because it is seasonal, check your dates against those windows.
Cortina d'Ampezzo: best for skiing and the scene
Cortina is the best-known Dolomites town: the Corso Italia evening stroll, the Tofane and Faloria lifts, and the closest base for the Tre Cime circuit. It is on the eastern edge of the range, so it reaches the middle valleys less easily than Alta Badia or Val Gardena.
Hotel to know: Rosapetra Spa Resort, Cortina d'Ampezzo. Its own website gives the address as Zuel di Sopra N° 1, 32043 Cortina d'Ampezzo, and lists a spa with an indoor pool, saunas and treatment cabins (rosapetracortina.it, read 4 November 2026). The site quotes different room counts on different pages, so we do not state one.
A note on Cristallo: the long-established Cristallo hotel in Cortina is being rebranded as Mandarin Oriental Cristallo, Cortina. Mandarin Oriental's own page currently says "Opening Early 2027" (mandarinoriental.com, read 4 November 2026), so it is not a stay you can plan for this season.
Who it suits: skiers and travellers who want the town's atmosphere and the Tre Cime close by.
How to choose between them
- Choose Alta Badia if you want the most central position and care about food.
- Choose Val Gardena and the Alpe di Siusi if your priority is hiking, the Seceda ridge and open meadow views.
- Choose Cortina if skiing, the town scene or the Tre Cime circuit come first.
- Splitting a week between Cortina and one central valley is a common way to see both sides of the range.
Plan on a car. Fly into Venice (VCE), then drive about two to two and a half hours north; Innsbruck, Verona and Milan are alternatives (see our Dolomites guide for the full logistics).
Plan your Dolomites stay with an advisor
Your advisor can help you pick the right valley for your dates and pace, and match hotels to it. Hotel perks may be available through the advisor network, never guaranteed.
