If there were a casting competition for the greatest super mountain hut, the “Chalet Rich” in the South Tyrolean Dolomites would have a good chance of being one of the top places. Honestly, you just have to rave about it: even the approach over the serpentines determines the pace of deceleration. The chalet is enthroned like a bird’s nest at 1450 meters above St. Martin in Thurn, all around: panorama. It offers two apartments with separate entrances, freshly renovated in 2020 in a modern alpine style, plus infrared and bio sauna and whirlpool. It’s very practical that the operators are organic farmers, namely Ilaria and Alex Rungger, 34 and 37, who run the farm next door – if you send a cell phone message, they put organic eggs, milk, bread and jam in front of the door.
Photo: Alex Moling
The Kronplatz hiking and skiing area with its World Cup routes is not far, with a high plateau where you can marvel at fabulously futuristic buildings, designed by Zaha Hadid, among others: there is the Messner Mountain Museum, the Museum of Mountain Photography, a Michelin restaurant . But you can also eat well in the nearby pizzeria »Cristlá«, which is run by Alex Rungger’s brother, or let five-year-olds let you down on the slopes of the nearby local mountain Antermoia. With so much fairy tale quality, it is hardly surprising that there is also a snow-white family of cats romping around the chalet, which our blissful son can drag around for hours without complaining.
Chalet Rich
27 Mirì Street
39030 St. Martin in Thurn
South Tyrol/Italy
phone 0039/328/3 76 85 43,
Apartment for 1 to 4 people
from 160 euros/day