Minimalist apartment hotel with hard exterior and soft interior in the Italian Dolomites

Atto Suites / San Candido / South Tyrol / Italy

If you would do a proper analysis of this blog you will be able to see that one region really stands out. No, not a country, but a region in a country. I am talking about Trentino Alto Adige, or South Tyrol, which is the English name for this unbelievably scenic, culture-clashing region. It is located in the north of Italy and has very close historic ties with the next door neighbor, Austria. It is this mix of culture and heritage that makes this area so fascinating. That and the Dolomites. And it is here, actually a stone’s throw from the Austrian border where you’ll find ATTO Suites.

ATTO has been created by Pedevilla Architects, which is a company responsible for another one of my other favorite hotels in this region, Bühelwirt. There is a kinship between the two buildings, but while Bühelwirt was an add on to an already existing building, ATTO is a completely new structure. The exterior is dark concrete, which almost makes it look like it is made of stone. This monolithic structure almost seems a little harsh, or stern. But then you enter and the interior is completely different. Almost everything is blond wood, which makes the inside feel both warm and safe as well as soft and tactile.

There are 7 suites at ATTO and they are all facing the main event, the Dolomites. Our suite, or apartment, was (except for the walls which were rendered in dark grey) more or less all made out of wood. When building ATTO they used regional wood, spruce and stone-pine, which are both blond kinds. This made the space feel both light and open. The design is minimalist with a few pops of color, such as traditional hand woven carpets (we call them trasmatta in Swedish, not sure if there is a word for it in English. Rag rug?).

My favorite space was for sure the balcony. Or to be honest, it was not really a balcony since it was built into the building. However, this outdoor space was so beautifully done with hand made carvings in the wooden ceiling and the most beautiful view of the mountains. I loved to bring the extra fluffy duvets (and a glass of wine) out with me and create a cocoon in the sun bed. To lay there trying to shield myself from the cold mountain air as the day drew to an end, watching the dramatic mountain range change character and color in tune with the setting sun. Pure mountain magic!

The building looks like a monolith, sturdy and powerful but still elegant.

When you check in, you get a welcome box with all the information you might need during your stay.

One of the few pops of color, a traditional handwoven “rag rug”

Very clever sustainable solution for the bathroom products, with 0% plastic

Ok, so how could a perfect day look when staying at ATTO? Breakfast is delivered to your suite. You fill out a form the evening before, and like magic a trolly appears at your door in the morning.

After breakfast, time to hit the tracks. This is Anterselva which is a short drive away.

Skiing done, time for the reward. There is no sauna at the hotel but ATTO and Naturhotel Leitlhof share the same owner so you are free to use the facilities at Leitlhof where you’ll find this sauna with views of the mountains.

After the sauna, hurry back before the sun fully sets…

….in order to enjoy the magic golden light from the balcony.

…followed by dinner. The food at ATTO is great but we also wanted to venture out to try some classic local delicacies, like *Kaiserschmarren*, Emperor’s treat. This is from Restaurant Wiesthaler, which is located around the corner from the hotel.

Stomaches full, it is time to go to call it a day and wake up to enjoy yet another beautiful sunrise over the Dolomites, and then just do the same thing all over again. Not a problem in my book.

RG inside info

Date of RG stay:

January 2025

This place is perfect if you…

…want to experience the wonderful Dolomites but stay in a village that is a little off the beaten path. If you like minimalist, typical South Tyrolean design and prefer to stay in an apartment during your mountain holiday, ATTO Suites could be the right choice for you.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the view. The hotel is standing right in front of a dramatic section of the Dolomites, the Haunold Mountains. So to sit on your balcony in the evening when it looks like the last rays of sun is setting the mountains on fire is simply breath taking.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to spend a lot of time outdoors. This part of Italy offers an array of outdoor activities, regardless what season you come here. We stayed at ATTO during Winter and spent most of our time doing cross country skiing in nearby Dobbiaco and Anterselva. Beautiful and challenging tracks (not the list considering the high altitude), snaking through the pine forests with the Dolomites as a backdrop. And to then get to return to ATTO, kick-back on the balcony with something recharging to drink, right in time for sunset. Basically a perfect Winter’s day!

If you like this hotel you might also like:

Berge / Aschau im Chiemgau, Germany

Holzgauer Haus / Lechleiten, Austria

Quartier Lodges / Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany