Where to Stay in the Dolomites: Best Areas to Base Yourself – Pipin & Mire - Travel Guides

The Dolomites aren't one place, they're a bunch of valleys linked by mountain passes. That's why choosing where to sleep really shapes your trip: depending on your base, Seceda, Lago di Braies or the Tre Cime will be 20 minutes away or a two-hour drive. Here we walk you through the areas we recommend in our Dolomites travel guide, with their pros and cons and the hotels and mountain huts we include in it.

One base or several?

If you have 3 or 4 days, one well-located base is enough. If you have a week, our advice is to split the trip in two: one base in the west (Val Gardena, Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa) and another in the east (Cortina, Braies, Tre Cime). That way you don't spend hours in the car every day. It's exactly what we do in our 7-day Dolomites itinerary.

Val Gardena (Ortisei, Santa Cristina, Selva)

It's a gorgeous valley, home to the villages of Ortisei, Santa Cristina and Selva di Val Gardena. From here, Alpe di Siusi, Seceda and the Sella Ronda are all close at hand.

Pros: it's probably the most well-rounded base for a first trip. There are lots of lifts, trails for every level and lively villages. Ortisei is the most convenient for getting up to Seceda.
Cons: in July and August it's packed, and prices show it. It's far from Braies and the Tre Cime.

From the guide: Hotel Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei, focused on wellness and food, with a full spa and an indoor pool.

Alpe di Siusi

Sleeping right on Europe's largest alpine meadow is an experience in itself. In the early morning and late afternoon you'll have it almost to yourself.

Pros: the views, the peace and quiet, and heading out on a hike straight from the door. If you stay up top, your hotel arranges the permit to drive up (in season, during your stay you can drive as far as Compatsch before 10:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m.).
Cons: options are pricey and limited. Getting to other areas takes longer. And heads-up if you're in a camper van: on Alpe di Siusi and in the Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park, sleeping in your vehicle or a tent is banned and you will get fined. The only authorized campsite is the one in Fiè allo Sciliar.

From the guide: COMO Alpina Dolomites, modern and sustainable, with panoramic views and a top-notch spa.

Alta Badia (Corvara, Colfosco, La Villa, San Cassiano)

Alta Badia is known for its hospitality and its food. It's a Ladin-culture area, with the villages of Corvara, Colfosco, La Villa and San Cassiano. Nearby highlights: Piz Boè, Passo Gardena, the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park and, just a stone's throw away, the Lagazuoi area.

Pros: it's perfectly placed between west and east, the food is excellent and it's quieter than Val Gardena. It's a great base if you only want one.
Cons: it's one of the most expensive areas in the Dolomites, with fewer budget options.

From the guide:

Aman Rosa Alpina (San Cassiano): the historic Rosa Alpina, reopened as an Aman after a major renovation, with a big spa and several restaurants.
La Perla (Corvara in Badia): a hotel with a cozy atmosphere and excellent service, with a spa and several restaurants. Ideal for couples and families.
Hotel Ciasa Soleil (La Villa): our most affordable pick in the area. It's a warm, family-run hotel with an indoor pool and a restaurant, perfect for hikers and groups of friends.

Val di Fassa (Canazei, Campitello, Moena)

It's a beautiful valley, with villages like Canazei, Moena and Campitello di Fassa, at the foot of the Marmolada, Passo Sella and Passo Pordoi.

Pros: it usually offers better value than Val Gardena or Alta Badia. Canazei is a good distance from Lago di Carezza, the Sella Ronda and the Marmolada, and gives you access to the Catinaccio massif (Torri del Vajolet, Lago d'Antermoia).
Cons: it's a bit farther from Seceda and Alpe di Siusi, and very far from Braies and the Tre Cime.

Cortina d'Ampezzo

It's the "Queen of the Dolomites" and one of the most popular areas in summer. Highlights: Monte Cristallo, Lago di Sorapis, the Cinque Torri, the Tofane, Croda da Lago and Passo Giau.

Pros: it's the best base for the eastern Dolomites. Lago di Sorapis, the Cinque Torri, Passo Giau and Lago di Misurina are close by, and the Tre Cime are less than an hour away. It's a town with plenty of restaurants and services.
Cons: it's expensive, especially in August, and far from Val Gardena and Alpe di Siusi.

From the guide: Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, a Cortina classic with a luxury spa and an indoor pool. The guide also includes our list of restaurants in Cortina.

Braies, Dobbiaco and Alta Pusteria

This is the area around Lago di Braies and Lago di Dobbiaco, with the Tre Cime di Lavaredo and Lago di Misurina very close by.

Pros: if you want to see Braies at sunrise, sleeping here is your best bet. Keep in mind that from July 1 to September 15, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., you can only drive up with a reservation at prags.bz. The area also has good bus connections.
Cons: it's far from the western Dolomites (Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa).

Other areas: Val di Fiemme and Primiero

If you're after something quieter, Val di Fiemme (Cavalese, Predazzo) is famous for its forests and is close to Alpe Cermis and the Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Nature Park. The Primiero area, with San Martino di Castrozza and the Pale di San Martino, is less known but just as stunning. Neither is the best base for a first visit, but they're a great option if you've already seen the famous spots.

Sleeping in mountain huts

Spending at least one night in a rifugio is one of the things we recommend most. For a first time, our favorite is Rifugio Lagazuoi, where you can enjoy a traditional dinner and incredible views. In the guide we also have a list of more authentic huts and bivouacs for anyone looking for something more adventurous, like Bivacco Baracca degli Alpini or Bivacco Bedin.

Keep in mind that huts usually only open from June to mid-October, and in July and August you'll want to book well in advance. Bivouacs are unstaffed shelters with just the basics, so you need to bring everything.

Sleeping in a camper van or RV

It's our favorite way to explore the Dolomites, but these days you have to do it right. To sleep, head to paid campsites or authorized RV areas. More and more towns ban overnight stays outside them, especially in Alto Adige. Some useful info:

The RV parking at Lago di Carezza costs around €36 for 24 hours.
You can't sleep in your vehicle on Alpe di Siusi. The closest campsite is in Fiè allo Sciliar.
At the Tre Cime, the RV toll costs €60 with an online reservation, but the ticket only lasts 12 hours, so it doesn't work for an overnight stay.
Use Park4night to find RV areas and campsites, and always check each place's rules.

Our recommendation depending on your trip

First time and 3-4 days: Val Gardena (Ortisei) or Alta Badia.
One week: two bases, Val Gardena or Val di Fassa plus Cortina or Alta Pusteria.
Tight budget: Val di Fassa, Alta Pusteria or a camper van with campsites.
Special getaway: Alpe di Siusi or Alta Badia, with a night in a mountain hut.

To decide what to see from each base, check out our posts what to see in the Dolomites: 10 must-see places and the most beautiful villages in the Dolomites.

In our Dolomites PDF guide you'll find all the hotels (luxury and budget), the mountain huts, restaurants by area and our 7- and 14-day itineraries. And with our Dolomites map on Google Maps you can see at a glance where each place to stay sits in relation to the hikes.

We always recommend getting travel insurance. We always use IATI Seguros.