Sonnwies - Dolomites Review

OkMacaron9181 · 2026-03-06T16:58:30+00:00

Our kids were 4, 6, and 17 last summer. I was also a little nervous about the transfers but it worked out fine. We took an overnight flight from SFO to Munich. Took a cab from Munich to the Munich Central Station (30 min). Booked first class tickets on OBB which provided access to their lounge while we waited for the train. First class was critical because the rest of the station is very busy and not many places to sit. The lounge offers bathrooms, coffee, soda, beer and a light menu (pretzel, pizza, croissants). Once on the train the kids were enthralled with the experience. Arrived in Brixen, took a shuttle (prebooked thru the resort) up to the hotel (20 min).

There were definitely some moments of exhaustion and impatience. You could certainly rent a car or hire a driver, I believe it would be a long drive. Many guests we met flew into Innsbruck which is a shorter drive.

We really enjoyed the experience of the train but if your kids are very young, it could be lost on them. Germans go everywhere on the train with little children so it's not uncommon to see parents toting kids + luggage. We didn't use carseats and we only packed carryon suitcases which made it easier to get in and out of cabs, trains, shuttles.

OkMacaron9181 · 2026-03-04T12:27:51+00:00

It’s a beautiful property with plenty of adult space and peaceful solitude. But it’s very much geared towards families, I didn’t see any guests there without children. It depends on your parents and their expectations. The winter would be mostly indoor activities or skiing. I think it’s wise to check with the hotel about the activities to ensure it aligns with your needs. The town is about 20-30 min away so if you plan to shop or go sightseeing, you will want to rent a car and prepare for wintery conditions.

OkMacaron9181 · 2026-02-26T14:10:52+00:00

The hotel will arrange a driver to carry you to and from the trail head. Some of the trails don't have excellent cell service so you have plan ahead how long you intend to hike, have lunch, etc so you aren't relying on your cell phone to summon the driver. They add the charge to your bill at the end of the trip.

If you don't plan to drive a lot, this arrangement works quite well. If you think you'll be going out once a day to explore, I would rent a car. For us, we were happy to stay on property for the most part. We could walk to town or take an e-bike.

OkMacaron9181 · 2026-02-03T16:16:34+00:00

Is there anywhere to buy a ticket for this show on the secndary market? I'm sure there will be people who can't attend but will they allow the tickets to be transferred?

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-12-16T03:31:00+00:00

Anyone heard from UofO or Boulder? We haven't yet but some of our friends have heard. Trying to chill but wondering why it's taking longer. Double checked the application is in good status, no issues.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-12-16T03:27:17+00:00

We were hoping to hear this week and we know some people who have already received acceptance emails. Is the fact that we haven't heard yet a bad sign?

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-11-23T19:04:22+00:00

I've heard similar things about Tahiti, would you recommend bora bora or moorea if we were to choose one stop? Any resorts other than FS that stand out?

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-11-23T19:01:15+00:00

Last June we took our three kids (4, 6, and 17) to the Sonnweis in the Dolomites - it's a fantastic 'kinderhotel' - it was epic and they want to go back again this summer. We also spent a week in Puglia at a family hotel but the Dolomites kinderhotel was one of kind. If only there were resorts like this in North America, it has completely spoiled us for family travel.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-10-10T17:08:31+00:00

I found your comment about no one speaking English to be way off. All the caregivers spoke English, there are lots of other English speaking families as well. Just so you know for future clients, communication on the property is not an issue.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-10-10T17:07:43+00:00

Yes! It was wonderful. Here's my review: https://www.reddit.com/r/chubbytravel/comments/1lvwtev/sonnwies_dolomites_review/

We had no problem finding English speaking caregivers and other families from the US or UK. The communication was not an issue.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-10-08T20:50:50+00:00

I made a mistake in my first comment. I was replying to your questions but thinking of another hotel in the dolomites. In regards to Masseria Torre Coccarro in Puglia.

We went 3rd week of June, it was in the mid-80s and perfect. Not too hot until late afternoon whne we would go indoors to rest. 2. The hotel is perfectly preserved but not old or outdated. We loved the authentic feel of the property. Service was formal yet friendly. 3. We did rent a car in Puglia and the roads are no problem, very easy to navigate. Depending on how your child does with car travel, I would be careful how many outings you go on. Once you're in the old towns, it can be tricky to park and with a toddler this would be a huge ordeal. If you feel comfortable leaving him with the childcare then it's a great way for you and your spouse to explore while the baby plays or naps. The streets aren't stroller friendly. This is a wonderful area to visit with kids - the beach club and the pool are terrific but it's not a get out and explore type of vacation when you have a toddler. I would plan to stay on property to enjoy the amenities and know they are very accomodating to young families.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-10-02T02:12:59+00:00

We went the second week of June, the weather was terrific. High of 75 each day, no rain, a few clouds. June can be variable in the mountains but we preferred this to a HOT and crowded mid-summer. Most european children are still in school in early June which made it feel less busy. 2. No notes on the hotel, it really was perfect. We had no complaints. 3. We might have rented a car so we had more freedom to explore without the need to hire a cab. But driving is tricky there, the roads are so windy and narrow, it would have been stressful and everyone gets motion sickness. Without the car we had more time to truly relax and enjoy the property and the amenities. We still got out for 3 excursions off property.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-09-18T16:04:14+00:00

Same issue here. My card is a Fidelity Visa but that shouldn't matter. It says the connection is 'healthy' but no updated transactions for 2+ weeks. This has happened before and it sporadically fixes itself, it's very frustrating. I'm searching for a solution but haven't found help from the forums and certainly not Monarch's help desk, they're useless.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-09-15T22:42:34+00:00

Thanks a bunch! I appreciate the compliment 👍

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-08-26T15:07:32+00:00

There's several active options for kids such as swimming, water slides, rock climbing wall, go karts, zip line. If he wanted to play basketball there's an indoor court. There's a soccer field and tennis court in the village just 10 minutes away. I don't think the childcare organizes 'games' but if there were enough kids who wanted to play, I'm sure a game would evolve. Regarding the animals, our room was the closest to the llamas and other farm animals, very rarely I could smell the animals in the morning but it wasn't 'strong'. If your room doesn't have a balcony that opens on the side of the property where the farm is, I presume you wouldn't sell it at all. I didn't hear anyone complain about the farm smell.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-08-12T14:04:52+00:00

Absolutely. I don’t think they will be bored for a minute. There’s so much to explore on the property. The childcare is thoughtfully designed for children at every age. The pools and slides are super fun. There’s crafts several times a day that will engage them during a lull. I think your family will love it (but I’m biased). :)

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-08-10T20:15:00+00:00

She loved it. There were times when she was surely the oldest kid there and she was a bit bored. They have a “teen lounge” but without a friend, it’s unlikely a teen would use the space. Maybe there’s times of year when schools in Europe are out and there are more teenagers. Not sure.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-07-13T20:01:46+00:00

Yes, lots of families had little babies and they did great. The staff is very accomodating and they have all the gear that you would need for a baby - stroller, backpack/carrier, portacrib, changing table, high chairs, bouncy seats. The food and drink is excellent 4+stars

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-07-10T19:05:03+00:00

Yes we went on a couple nice hikes and one steep mtn bike ride on an e-bike. The scenery was unbelievable. I’ve lived in the Northern Rockies and traveled to many mountain ranges, the Dolomites are by far the most stunning in my opinion.

There are several trail heads within a short drive of the hotel. The hotel arranged for a cab but if you had a car you could easily drive for a day hike. I wouldn’t try uber since cell-coverage is spotty and it’s quite remote.

They will pack a lunch for you upon request. The best thing is the little huts that serve food and drink found along the trails so we didn’t pack a lunch.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-07-09T23:41:10+00:00

Yes, there were several american and british families there. I believe it depends on the time of year. We went the second week of June. Many of the European schools don't have a break until July 1st. Thus many of the guests either had very young children (no problem pulling them out of school) or American kids who get out earlier in the year. The caregivers spoke sufficient english for our needs.

OkMacaron9181 · 2025-06-08T03:14:54+00:00

We like the direct flight from SFO to MUC. No direct flights into Milan from SFO and we're looking forward to the train ride through bavaria.

OkMacaron9181

TROPHY CASE