Hotel Grones

Drama from the mountains, deep peace from the lush plateaux – you have the best of everything here. Valley views climb to craggy peaks from every bedroom window and stars and silence wrap you up at night. The Grones family converted their B&B into an immaculate hotel in 2008 and the combination of Austrian efficiency and Italian bubbliness is unbeatable: personalised menus pop up at dinner, your waitress can guide you through the wine list, and if you think five courses a night will beat you – it won’t: every plate is light, fresh and totally irresistible. Take a digestif at the bar with other guests and you’ll be swapping tips on where to find the most powdery snow or magnificent view. Bedrooms are capacious, light and quiet; new bathrooms gleam. Walk downhill for five minutes and you’re in the centre of Ortisei, a sweet town famous for its wood carving, with shops for souvenirs and ski gear, and bars and cafés for excellent local wines and cream cakes. Above: a magical landscape, superb for skiing, cycling and hiking. Our inspector only heard one English voice on a whole week’s trip – and was enchanted.