Hotel Digon in Ortisei Review: Best Views or Bad Location?
Picking a hotel in or just outside the center of Ortisei feels like a gamble if you’ve never been to Val Gardena. It’s quite scary – will I regret not having the town right outside my door? How annoying is it to get around? Do I need to drive if I need to get to Ortisei?
We stayed at Hotel Digon in July with our daughter Emma – and quite honestly, it’s a great 4-star hotel to stay at for families with kids.
It’s well priced, has beautiful views, and despite not being in central Ortisei, getting around was much easier than we expected thanks to the bus stop right outside the hotel.
The one thing you need to make peace with first: you’ll most likely need a car or the bus to get around. That’s what we did during our trip, and that’s why Digon worked so well for us.
If you’re ok with driving, awesome! Let me tell you all that you need to know about hotel Digon – the rooms, the food, the pool with that view, and help you understand if this hotel is for you or if you should look elsewhere.
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Quick Answer: Is Hotel Digon Worth It?
Yes, completely and definitely. Honestly, I’d book it.
Pros:
- Overlooking Seceda and Val Gardena
- Lovely staff
- Great rooms
- Renovated
- Tasty and varied food – including caring for dietary needs
- Pool and wellness are incredible
- Quiet location
Cons
- Location is not good for walking into Ortisei
- No inside pool
It’s best for:
- Families with kids
- People doing hikes or other activities every day
- Travelers with a car
- Anyone wanting quieter surroundings
- People prioritizing scenery over nightlife
Stay elsewhere if…
- You’d like late nights in Ortisei
- You plan to have dinners in restaurants
- You want to walk everywhere
Hotel Digon – Quick overview
We looked at quite a few options before settling on Hotel Digon – and believe me, there are many amazing hotels in Val Gardena. I’ve fallen down many a rabbit hole comparing rooms, reviews, and prices.
What made us lean towards Digon the most was actually the pool and the view. As I said, you get panoramic views over the Val Gardena valley and Seceda, and yes – it actually looks like the photos, which is often, unfortunately, not the case.
The price was the deciding point for us. For a 4-star, it’s genuinely well priced – especially compared to some of the central Ortisei options we were considering. The reviews were consistently positive too, with only a couple of minor concerns flagged. We can confirm: they’re right, it really is a positive experience.
When we arrived at Digon, the parking lot felt surprisingly small. You’re not coming to a huge, cookie-cutter-looking hotel building, but to a smaller, private-home feeling house.
After we walked in, though, was a different story. The entrance connects to the dining area and feels wide, open, and airy – lots of wood, clean lines, and panoramic windows.
Check-in was quick and easy. The staff walked us through everything – how the buses work, what to see, where to go, and got us set up with the South Tyrol Guest Card. You could tell the man at the reception was knowledgeable and enthusiastic both about the hotel and the area.
Location
Hotel Digon is located just above Ortisei on a little hill – you see Seceda and Ortisei from above, and even better if you’re in the pool. The place feels like you’re in nature – there are meadows, and even cows.
The main thing to understand about this location is that although it is technically walkable into town from there, in reality, it’s not something that you’ll want to do too often. The walk takes approximately 30-40 minutes one way, and that’s if you’re going downhill – it’s longer when coming back uphill.
With the itinerary that we planned, we needed to drive most of the time anyways – and for that, the place where Digon is located is perfect. If you’re not depending on town access, it doesn’t really matter where you are.
For getting into Ortisei, we used the bus – there’s a stop right next to the hotel, and you’re in the town center in under 10 minutes. It makes visiting Alpe di Siusi, Rasciesa, and Seceda really easy, because the parking lots at the cable car stations that go to those places are its own headache.
And the best thing you get out of the location? It’s much quieter and greener compared to the other hotels in the town, without crowds, and perfect for kids. And of course, the view.
So, although you can’t really wander into Ortisei in 2 minutes, it doesn’t matter if you’re planning on driving or fine with the bus, or you really don’t need Ortisei.
Rooms
Rooms in Digon range from smaller economic ones to big family rooms.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to look through any other room categories, but I can tell you about ours.
Our room was huge – it seemed like it might have been two rooms that were now connected, as we could kind of see the place where the old wall was attached. That meant not having to worry about where to place our big suitcase (I’m still learning how much stuff to pack when travelling with Emma, haha).
We had two queen sized beds, so ideal when Emma wanted me to sleep next to her. No worrying about how to switch so that everyone has good sleep. And the pillows were amazing, which, let me tell you, doesn’t happen too often in a hotel. Like, almost never happens.
Our room also had doors to a little terrace that connected to the garden and the pool area. On the one hand, we loved it – what can be nicer than going directly to the pool? On the other hand, you couldn’t lock the doors from outside (logical, I know) which meant that we didn’t feel 100% safe to leave like that.
But Emma could just go outside to run around, so that was amazing. And we could run and take pictures with the pool and alpenglow when we noticed it.
Food at Hotel Digon
We had half-board in Digon, and we were really happy about it. We were actually looking forward to dinner each day – after coming back from the (rainy) mountains and enjoying the (also rainy) pool, a substantial and beautiful meal that you don’t have to hunt for is priceless.
One thing I loved – and that’s actually kind of standard in the Dolomites – was that tables were assigned to your room, and they almost never change during your stay. You walk in and don’t have to search awkwardly for a free table.
The food itself was also good – beautifully served, and quite a nice choice. It’s traditional Tyrolean cuisine – regional, seasonal, and made with ingredients from their own farm. Italian and international dishes are also on the menu, so there’s always something for everyone.
And a very important thing – they cater to dietary needs, including vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free options.
One moment, though, still makes us laugh a bit. One of the days, we asked the staff if they could do a mix for Emma’s dinner – part kid’s menu, part the secondo from the main dinner menu, because we wanted her to try something new and get a proper meal. They didn’t have a problem with it at all. And at the dinner time they brought out… both. A full portion of the kid’s food, and the adult dinner.
The plate was enormous. We’re talking a full dinner plate – that huge one – for one small child. Easily almost 2 grown-up portions, haha.
Dagmar Stuflesser – one of the family who’s been running Digon for over 40 years – came over, looked at Emma, looked at the plate, and laughed. She wondered out loud whether this tiny kid was actually going to eat all of that.
Emma ate almost all of it – and at the time, she was quite a picky eater. So, that says quite a lot about how good the food tastes.
This is what I mean it felt like staying with family – Dagmar was exactly like a grandma who will get the kiddo to eat.
Pool, wellness, and other facilities
If you’ve read this far, you “might” have noticed that there is an amazing panoramic pool at Digon that offers a lovely overview of the area below and above.
There’s also a little sauna and wellness area for adults (age 16+), with a healthy snack buffet. That generally means some tea and some nuts or dried fruit – but it’s nice to have while you’re relaxing.
If you’re travelling with kids like us, there are also loungers inside with a view of the pool – and everything behind it. The “wall” is just plain glass so you can see outside no problems. I loved sitting on the comfy chairs, cuddling Emma, and watching Michal swim laps in the pool.
Since the weather when we visited was cold (I will never stop talking about the SNOW IN JULY), we also loved the hottub outside, although it is on the small side and theoretically only for adults.
For kids, there’s a small playground with a climbing structure, slide, and a trampoline. And hidden on the side, there’s table tennis – we loved trying that out, since it was under a roof. I already mentioned, I think, that it rained a lot.
And of course, the biggest benefit of all – the huge meadow where kids can run and get their energy out, and adults can walk and try to find the cows hidden in the trees.
I wish there was an inside pool, though. No matter how warm the outside pool is – if the weather is cold, it feels cold.
One of the most unique things about Digon is the fact that they’re a certified bike hotel. That means they have an actual person who is able to help you with figuring out bike trails, fixing the bike, or washing it. If you’re looking into a biking holiday, this is one of the best spots for you!
Would I stay in Digon again?
I would say yes, I would stay in Digon again.
It’s not an easy reply for me, as we generally try and stay in a different hotel for each of our trips, haha.
If I rephrase the question to – would I recommend a friend or a client to stay there? The answer is a direct “Yes”. As long as they understand the location. For us, Digon ended up being exactly what we needed in the Dolomites — quiet, scenic, family-friendly, and overall a great hotel.
So if you’re like me and love the looks of the pool, the food, and the feeling of calm that comes with Digon, see if it’s available for your dates.
I wouldn’t recommend it if you want nightlife or walkability. But if you want peaceful mountain views, great food, and a calmer stay after busy hiking days, I genuinely think Hotel Digon is one of the best-value stays near Ortisei.
