Neat as a pin, perfect grooming, a lovely mountain village with agriculture still at its heart, wonderful facilities and a relaxed vibe makes Reinswald an absolute delight near Bolzano. More Austrian than Italian, Reinswald may be on the smaller side of the ski resort size equation, but on a sunny midweek day it feels like a private mountain where you can go as fast or slow as you like. And its oozes quality wherever one looks.
Visiting in early March 2024 during a warm, dry spell, driving up a very green valley from an uncomfortably warm Bolzano. , Reinswald’s pistes were sheer perfection, and the upper mountain off-piste like skiing cream. The snow obviously sits well here, plus the grooming & snowmaking staff are clearer first rate.
The quality at Reinswald extends to the little things. I loved how the start of the hefty sledding trail went through a tunnel under a major piste rather than interfere with the skiers humming down. That’s the sort of thing that a mega-resort like Sölden has done, so to see it here emphasises the quality of the facilities.
For skiers of the off-piste variety (like me), there is a bit of interest here and not too many others looking at it either. Some lovely mellow terrain & untracked snow in the treeless alpine, as well as lower down in the larch woods. But like much of the surrounding mountains (i.e. the Dolomites), hunting powder relies on chasing storms. From the top of the chairlift, wandering about will reveal loads of sidecountry options on all aspects. Make sure to ski via the off-piste down to the Getrumalm restaurant. You can use the extensive groomed winter walking & sledding trail network to ease your way back into the ski area.
At the top of the gondola, the Pichlberg restaurant has a beautiful, inviting timber interior, with panoramic views through floor to ceiling glass, perfectly complimenting the excellent service & superb food. I had my best ski resort pasta meal of my entire season at Pichlberg.
For day-trippers with their own car, ample car parking is adjacent to the gondola base. It does have a fee, so if staying in the region (Sarntal), it is probably best to take the free local bus that drops right at the gondola.
In the village of Reinswald (or San Martino to any southerners!), whilst there is not much going on after dark, the several hotels present are beyond expectations. The most obvious of the hotels is the Panoramic Lodge. It is ski-in to just across the road and despite its flash exterior, has some local working farms either side of it, with horses, cows & chickens likely to be spotted (and smelt) nearby. We love that about the Alps. The traditional agriculture & modern tourism co-existence is something special here.
Down in the very green valley, I stayed in Astfeld at the incredibly affordable Gasthof Zum Weissen Rössl. It was exactly what I was after. My room was spacious and quiet. The restaurant next door was closed for the night (midweek), so getting a feed required a journey down the road.
Further down the valley the region’s main town of Sarnthein (Sarentino) has a beautiful old centre, overlooked by a castle on the hill and several excellent places to dine. I ate a superb meal of venison medallions at the Gasthof Post. Without a booking on a busy night, they looked after me well. The service is unassuming, but exactly what you want. Driving into the town centre is interesting and I may have broken some laws in the narrow streets before emerging out the other end! Good fun and all part of the game. If there is no accommodation on the hill, then this town would make a great alternative.
I drove to Reinswald from Passo Tonale. which was simple enough. Getting through the outskirts of Bolzano in the afternoon peak hour was a little bit more traumatic than I expected. A busy city indeed. My previous experiences in Bolzano have all been via the train and straight into the old town. The suburbs certainly are a ‘different kettle of fish’ and best avoided. Exiting the city toward the Sarntal includes some great sights of castles & the river, and then up through a narrow defile into Val Sarentino, and seemingly another world. The air is cooler, the architecture is different, and the language changes. With the forecast of a big storm over the other side of the Alps, at the end of my brief visit I drove over to the Austrian Stubaital near Schlick 2000in a few hours, highlighting that despite Reinswald off grid location, it can be easily reached from anywhere in short order.
Reinswald is all about quality & perfection in a small package. Whether it’s the top to bottom groomed pistes, mountain restaurants, cheeky untracked sidecountry, views, sled trail, winter walking, bars, or hotels, it is just so nice to visit here. If you are in the region, come up for a look.
You can see our thoughts on the pros & cons of the ski resort via the Reinswald overview page.