Traubenheim

Hotel Traubenheim (and Hotel Sonnbichl) For 5 days last week, my wife and I had a wonderful stay at Hotel Traubenheim in beautiful Dorf Tirol, located just above the attractive town of Merano. Hotel Traubenheim, and its adjacent sister hotel, Hotel Sonnbichl, have a fantastic location, with most rooms looking out to the mountains and down upon Merano. My review relates to both hotels as guests are encouraged to use the facilities at both. By way of credibility, I should mention that I have traveled extensively in over 65 countries and have visited most parts of Europe countless times. We had a wonderful experience at Hotel Traubenheim and I am confident in saying that both of these hotels are as nice as you’re going to find anywhere. The rooms are spacious and clean and the well-designed bathrooms are at least twice the size you’ll find at most other hotels. Parking is ample, with most of it located in a secure, underground garage. It is a very enjoyable walk from the hotel up to the center of Dorf Tirol From there, one can enjoy interesting, short strolls through the town or engage in hours-long hikes along well-marked trails to castles, through apple orchards and vineyards and, of course, into the incredible, surrounding mountains. There are even chairlifts available to enable you to start your hiking at higher elevations if you prefer. While we used our hotel as a base from which to explore the surrounding area and even a trip to the Dolomites, we had the impression that a number of visitors were content to stay put at the hotels themselves given their many health-oriented amenities. The hotels offer all kinds of resources to make one’s stay a real treat – ranging from various pools, hot tubs, spa and sauna facilities, a tennis court and ping pong table, etc. The hotel offers an extensive and delicious breakfast buffet. In the evening, you have the choice of having a simple dinner at Traubenheim’s restaurant or a 5-course feast at Hotel Sonnbichl. We sampled both and were extremely pleased. The 5-course meal was outstanding and the wine selection excellent. While all of the above are important attributes, what makes these hotels truly great is the welcoming attitude offered by the staff. As family-owned hotels, the owners take pride in making sure that guests are treated in a very caring fashion. One night, for instance, Gertraud, one of the owners, kindly had us driven to a restaurant because we were running a little late. Anita, Christine and Hannes also went out of their way to befriend us. In just a short time, one gets to know the family and staff so that one experiences a much more personal stay. I will offer just one criticism that I know these hotels are working on. While we could always access our emails and other internet-related sites, the hotel interfaces are not in keeping with their 5-star ratings in all other respects. The log-in process is a bit of a hassle (e.g., having to reenter log-in info every 45 minutes or so) and the connections are not always the best. Hopefully, management can make some significant headway in addressing these concerns by the 2014 season. In sum, I highly recommend that others experience these hotels firsthand. They are wonderfully situated and beautifully designed and, when combined with the many available pool/spa resources, delicious meals and very friendly staff and family, make guests feel that they have just experienced an ideal hotel stay – which indeed they have! Submitted by: Jay Luby, Carlisle, MA USA