Val Gardena, Italy

Visitor reviews for Val Gardena

• March 13, 2008
  Mooler from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  What can I say...speechless! This was just the best ski resort I have been to for a ridiculously long time! The snow was just amazing and it complemented the magnificent runs, that in some cases just seemed to go on forever; 20km run, say no more! The Sellaronda was again just the most exciting series of ski runs I have done since leaving Canada! Exciting because we gave ourselves 1.5 hours to get half way round it, where we skied like Spartans. We didn't quite make it as lifts were shut due to avalanches, but it was still amazing, just like our fearless taxi driver who took us back to La Gardena along closed roads, hero!
  Brilliant days on the slopes, literally 9-4, and only skied the same runs twice out of choice, like the World Cup Black run, for example. In the evenings we had mega nights out in Goalies, where a big hello to Lucy is owed as well as the 'Shot Stick'....Grappa drinkers only!
  Great, great, great fun! I can't actually wait to go back, same time, same place! 1m of snow fall in 2 days...cheers!
  Dolomites, Dolomites, Dolomites, Super Ski, over the Milkyway everytime! This is for Ooh Jheffo, Marshenhoff, Boozenhiem, Goonz and Schnitezel, who all made it possible!

• November 30, 2007
  Ian M from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Wow, the Dolomites. Stunning part of Italy and normally blessed with good skiing weather. Think of Val Gardena or Selva as a base for ski exploring and you won't go far wrong. The Sella Ronda is an excellent Ski Circuit and we had two day trips out from Gardena to Cortina (where the pretty people of Italy ski, or top their tans up).

• December 21, 2006
  Ray Thain from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Response for Tina, We went last Christmas(to Canazei) with a 6 & 2 year old. The 6 year old came on really well in the local ski school. Shame it was only half days for him. The 2 year old was quite happy "bum boarding" Instructors spoke very good English and were excellent with the kids. We are heading over to Val Gardena this year but have opted to organise the tuition privately. For £200.00 he will get the whole package, equipment, ski pass, tuition ALL day and lunch too. Fantastic area I'm sure you and the kids will have a great time

• August 01, 2006
  alexander from NETHERLANDS
  

  We spent our holiday here last winter (2006) at the end of January. The weather was excellent,6 days of sunshine. The snow was more than enough, however the quality of the snow was below average. I don't know whether this was due to the amount of artificial snow or the lack of fresh snow. Skiing itself was very good although I have experienced better in the past in Zermatt and Val Thorens. We made long trips along different valleys with beautiful scenery but most pistes are only short distance. It is a pity that you always have to ski a part of the Sellaronda before you reach the next valley. The Sellaronda was very, very busy!!
  We stayed in an EXCELLENT hotel, I keep the name for myself. This is a reason for me to come back, as well as all the good food, the nice atmosphere and friendly people. Prices are more than reasonable!!
  

• February 10, 2006
  Keith Anderson from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  First time to this resort....
  HOTEL
  Went with Crystal to the Hotel Ingram, a small family run hotel. The welcome from the owners made us feel like family. The food and service were wonderful. Heated racks in the bootroom. Recommended
  LOCATION
  The nearest lift is about 70 metres from the front door of the hotel! Its a 10-15 minute walk down to the town in the evening but the bus stop is right outside the hotel(ski bus pass 3 euros for the week from hotel reception)
  PISTE
  It snowed the day before we arrived and then it was clear blue skies all week. Just the best! There are more runs than you can shake a stick at-with some of the nicest 'motorways' I've encountered. Skied the 40km 'Sella Ronda' circuit - easy even for a 'low' intermediate. Lunch half way 'round - just magnificent.
  SUMMARY
  The superb hotel, amazing ski conditions with the backdrop of some simply awesome scenery made this one of the best ski holidays I have ever been on.
  DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED!

• January 23, 2006
  robert binning from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just a quick comment in response to Tom Travis: the Dolomites may experience less snow, but a combination of cold, snow making and good piste management mean I've never been disappointed with the snow conditions.

• January 09, 2006
  neil kelly from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Just come back from Selva on Saturday (7th Jan 2006)and had a super week with a party of 12, staying at the hotel Flora via Neilsons.

  HOTEL
  This is the first year Neilson have offered Selva and the first year the Flora has been open to the British. And the service from both was brilliant. The hotel served up 5 courses every night, (7 on NY's eve) the rooms, bar and restaurant are lovely Tyrolean design and warm. Heated racks in the bootroom. The hotel offers free entry to the weekly Ice Hockey games at the ring next door.

  LOCATION
  Note - Its a 10 -15 minute walk up to the Main gondola station in town, so get a ski bus pass (3 euros) from the Tabac or the Information Centre in town. Though we didn't as found the walk a good warm up for the days skiing.

  PISTE
  First two days, the weather was cloudy and the snow came down in bucket loads, this caused a few problems for the bashers as the snow mounded up into moguls on the busy runs and left the ice layer exposed in places, you had to have your wits about you. But once it stopped snowing and got well compacted, conditions were second to none.

  The pass covers a huge ski area, and a trip to the hidden valley is well worth it, if you get tired of the Val Gardena. (Which you wont). Also , the Sella Ronda is excellent.

  Amazing scenery everywhere, though not the most border friendly resort as the blues in places require poleing along as are very gentle. The Reds are better and the Blacks are only really crimson. Nothing too hard even for me, and intermediate. Steep runs are often very wide so cause only a few problems. I honestly found some of the Reds harder than the Blacks, as the mounds of snow grew from the numbers of people passing over them.

  APRES
  The only place we found that was lively was the Luis Keller, even for NY's week most places were quite. The Luis Keller is busy, and plays some terrible music, but you'll sing along to anything if theres enough of you and you've had the odd beer.

• January 07, 2006
  Tom Travis from UNITED STATES
  

  I spent an enjoyable week skiing Selva and the ski stations around it. The scenery is fantastic, with romantic, gorgeous views of the spires and cliffs of the Dolomites. The skiing is mainly easy, consisting of a multitude of cruisers, with little challenge for experts. The only ski stations with some challenge is Arabba. However, I liked the opportunity to explore the various valleys, each with distinctive, glorious scenery, via the Sella Ronda. It takes most of a day to complete this tour and I did it twice. Due to a foot of new snow the first two days of our stay, the snow conditions were very good, but ordinarily, the Dolomiti ski stations do not receive as much snow as the Alps in France, Switzerland or Austria.

• October 31, 2005
  robert binning from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Visited Selva in Feb 2004, one of my best ski holidays, good snow on piste (Limited off-piste) and a ski-pass that covers 1200 km of piste! Can't comment much on apres-ski, chalet holiday with 2 young children, but food on the hill was excellent. Ski school were great with my 4 year old's first lessons. Would go back if I could fly from Scotland (missed easyjet home from Gatwick due to delayed flight from Innsbruck).

• January 08, 2005
  Bob Small from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  Spent Xmas/New year 2004 in Selva.

  Pistes are very well groomed and definately on the intermediate side (reds are on the easy side IMO, blacks weren't overly steep) - although we had a dump before we arrived, the base of artificial snow meant that all pistes were open immediately after the first snowfall in a month!

  As mentioned above, the Luis Keller in Selva is a good laugh - but the apres ski is definately on the quiet side for someone used to St Anton! The Umbrella Bar in St Cristina is a good laugh - don't be put off by its smallish size (a good blast down the downhill course prepares you for the WeissBeir!)

  On the downside, we experienced the worst hostility to boarders that we've seen for a good few years.

• November 23, 2003
  bob from UNITED KINGDOM
  

  i traveled to this resort in 92 on my third ever week in the mountains and i was not dissapointed, the scenery is second to none and the pistes were perfect for an early intermediate. The sella ronda was the highlight of the week as it was easily within my ability and gave a sense of achievement when completed. We met some good people and shared some good laughs (one skier was unlucky and broke his hip on the first day) the bars are tremendous fun the best being Doug and Dagies and go to the Luis keller to watch mad dancing Austrians still in their ski boots at 11pm ! The only drawback of this resort is its snow reliability but the snow making and piste grooming are very good. It is worth a trip to enjoy the scenery as the dolomites are among the most stunning mountains you will ever see.