Photo: © Hotel Chalet del Sogno

Careful now. Madonna di Campiglio is a long, narrow linear resort, and not every hotel is close to the lifts. Some are so good you probably won’t mind (as in the case of the Hermitage, below), but as a general rule you need to check how what access to the slopes is like when you book.

By the way, outside of Christmas and New Year, you’ll find you get a lot more for your money than in the likes of Courchevel, Val d’Isere or Meribel in the French Alps. Half-board in a superior four-star here, with pool, will cost about the same as a three-star in Meribel.

Oh yes, and don’t waste time looking for Brit-friendly catered chalets. There aren’t any here.

A mouthwatering choice of upmarket hotels

Pick of the pack when it comes to ski accommodation is the Hermitage Biohotel. It’s been in the Maffei family for over 100 years and is set down a little side-road, a mile from the resort. Recently refurbished, it has a lovely mountain atmosphere (they use beeswax and natural oils on the wood), highly-rated staff, a Michelin-starred restaurant and a good spa. The hotel operates a shuttle service to the lifts and shops (which takes about five minutes), and guests don’t seem to mind the hassle.

Another highly-rated spot is the five-star Hotel Chalet del Sogno, which has a restaurant and, like the Hermitage, it’s a bio-hotel and makes ravishing use of local wood, in both the panelling and the furniture. The Oasi di Sogno spa houses a swimming-pool with water-bikes and a current to swim against. There’s also a vapour-hay Biosauna, a Turkish bath, and a Finnish Sauna. The only drawback to the hotel is the rather cramped lobby downstairs, but given the spacious, airy rooms and the proximity of the Spinale gondola, you probably won’t mind. In fact, if being in the heart of a ski resort is important, pick this place over the Hermitage. The friendly owners are Domenico and Miriam Schiavon.

Also in the upmarket hotel scene in town is DV Chalet, which has the coolest, most contemporary interiors in town and offers a spa and just 20 rooms, some of which have their own fireplace. The other is the Design Hotel Oberosler which is just 10 metres from the Spinale gondola. There, the rooms have a real city-centre vibe and each one is different. Both hotels have their own pools and the Oberosler houses the Three Senses restaurant.

The upmarket Alpen Suite Hotel is also worth considering – it’s a little cheaper than the hotels above, and has less memorable interiors. All the rooms are suites and there’s a very nice sitting room with an open fire. The hotel operates a shuttle bus to the lifts.

Decent mid-market digs, too

Looking for something less high-falutin’? The four-star Hotel Lorenzetti is built in local Tyrollean style and is a fifteen-minute walk from the middle of town…and even further from the lifts. If you stay here you’ll be heavily reliant on the hotel’s shuttle bus. However, it’s cheaper than the other four-stars, and it’s had some glowing reviews on Tripadvisor, both for the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the food. The hotel has a hand-carved wooden interior, a piano bar, restaurant and a newly-built spa with swimming-pool.

We like the three-star hotel-garni Montana too. It’s essentially an upmarket B&B, and there’s a piste running behind it, so you can ski virtually to and from the back door. Its wellness centre has a whirlpool, sauna and steam bath.

1. 

   
   Guide to the Mountain
2. 

   
   Where to Stay
3. 

   
   Where to Eat
4. 

   
   Where to Learn
5. 

   
   Where to Party