The Credentials
Nestled in the captivating Dolomite Mountains, in the quaint Ladin village of La Villa, is Hotel La Majun, a family-run hotel, dating all the way back to the 1930s. The Rinna family, who owns the hotel, used to live in the same very spot, renting out rooms to travellers in order to make ends meet – even if it meant all five children sleeping in the garage. Over the decades, La Majun has grown into a superior 4-star hotel, and the tight bond between the family continues to make it a very special place – or as senior manager, Roberta Rinna says: “This isn’t a hotel – it’s a home. For us and for our guests.” I couldn’t have put it better myself. We were greeted with such warmth from the moment we walked through the door. Daughter of Roberta, Natalie, was a bundle of joy, showing us around the hotel, including the incredible wellness spa and outside sauna.
Sleep
There are a variety of rooms available at the hotel, ranging from ‘Standard’ to ‘Comfort’ as well as a family room and suites. Each room has a balcony, offering views of the majestic mountains, so wherever you’re placed, you won’t be disappointed. We stayed in the Loft Suite, a spacious top-floor room with two balconies, a lounge area, a shower room and one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in. Surrounded by mountains on either side, it was like our own little escape from the world, so peaceful and tranquil, especially waking up to the snowy peaks.
Rooms are equipped with a mini fridge with snacks and drinks, wifi, TV, bathrobe and slippers, a hair dryer, and – one of my favourite things – a small black ‘makeup towel’ for your face (the rest are white).
Dine
The hotel has a main dining restaurant on the ground floor, where breakfast and dinner are served. The furnishings are typical of winter in the Dolomites, rather than summer, with red velvet-backed banquettes, dark marble counters, wooden furnishings, and table clothes which change each day, from typical Ladin patterns to fresh white linen. Wherever you sit, you can still catch a glimpse of the mountains.
Breakfast is served until 10am, and guests can enjoy a selection of classic cold meats, cheese, fruit, pastries and bread, as well as a cooked breakfast, with anything from pancakes to classic poached eggs on toast. The service was always warm and friendly, teapots always full and espressos on repeat. At breakfast, they also leave a copy of the evening’s set menu on the table, so guests can see what’s to come.
There are two bars at La Majun, too, where guests can enjoy apéritifs and digestifs. We would often sit at the hotel’s bar, mesmerised by the creativity of the mixologist as he made our afternoon negronis or post-dinner drinks.
There’s also a secret wine cave on the lower floor. Many of the locals meet here each evening, and each one has their preferred seat at the bar. There are no windows, just walls and walls of amazing wine. Sommelier, Davide, talked us through some of the local wines, including an organic, unfiltered, bone-dry Prosecco, which I much preferred to the general fizz you often get. It was such a wonderful atmosphere, we could have stayed there all night.
During the summer months, the hotel has started setting up a small wine bar outside, so guests don’t feel they have to hide away in the cave. Though when we visited there was a lot of summer rain, so we were very happy in said cave!
Dinner is served back in the main restaurant as a four-course set menu, with two to three options for each course. Davide also recommends a white and a red wine, to compliment the meal each day. Deer carpaccio, lasagna with a redfish ragu, guinea fowl with chanterelles, and octopus stew were just a few of the delicious dishes we enjoyed while we were there. All plated beautifully and tasted phenomenal.
Out & About
When you’re in the Dolomites, you’re never short of things to do, whether it’s summer or winter. We were taking it easy on our two-day visit to the hotel, as it was just after completing a 57 km ultra in a nearby town; to eat, drink and relax was our main objective, and to spend a lot of time in the wellness area. Set over two floors, with a large glass-fronted sauna (more mountain views), an outside hot tub, (even more mountain views) where I sat in the afternoons reading my book, and a variety of pools and wellness rooms. Guests can also book a massage if they like. I chose one where they used local herbs with healing properties, which caused me to instantly fall into a peaceful slumber. It was so incredibly relaxing and just what my post-ultra legs needed.
That said, we did make it out for a hike on top of one of the nearby mountain ranges. Just a few minute’s walk away is a cable car, which takes you to the Alta Badia mountain range. I love the mountains in summer and I’ve never felt more content than I do in the Alps. The view from the top of the cable car up is just mesmerising, offering 360° panoramic views across the Dolomites. We went on a lovely hike there and were surprised to find a restaurant open, so we stopped in for lunch, enjoying a charcuterie and cheese platter, with a draft of local beer (local seems to be German in the Dolomites!).
During winter, the mountain range becomes a playground for families, skiing and snowboarding between the snowy peaks. Naturally, it’s much busier during winter.
Hotel La Majun can also arrange mountain bike tours and sunrise hikes for hotel guests, via Ferrata and more. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side, so our sunrise hike was cancelled.
The hotel also hosts cooking classes for guests, with traditional Ladin food. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learnt so much about the history of the town. Sommelier Davide was also there to pair some wonderful wines with each course we created. Taking place outside in the hotel’s courtyard, with the mountains as the backdrop, I almost had to pinch myself – it was too good to be true.
The Crowd
There was a mixture of hotel guests, from groups of adults to younger couples. There were also a few backpackers, who had clearly decided to treat themselves to a few nights of luxury – I don’t blame them.
The Worst Thing
Leaving. After two nights at La Majun, we weren’t ready to leave our little bubble. We wanted to continue to soak up the comforting atmosphere, and amazing food and wine.
The Best Thing
The cooking class. As someone who loves cooking, mountains and works in the wine industry, I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome to Hotel La Majun. We took our time, soaking up every second of the experience and getting to know the hotel management team. Every single person we met during our stay was full of warmth.
The Details
Hotel La Majun offers rooms from €240 per night, based on two adults sharing a Standard double room, on a B&B basis during the summer season.
lamajun.it
Via Colz, 59 39036 La Villa Alta Badia (BZ) Südtirol, Italien
CF e P. IVA: 01207830215
Tel. (+39) 0471 847030
Fax (+39) 0471 847074
reception@lamajun.it
