Tonzhaus Hotel

Life is a Dance. Here, in the Senales Valley, it’s a real dance between the joy of reaching the summit and the tranquillity of the valley below… a dance between adventures in the Alps and the beauty of the rural surroundings… between lovingly tended mountain pastures and nature at its wildest.

Here, the clouds dance high above the summit crosses, butterflies dance across the meadows, pine trees dance in the breeze and the people… well, they dance with joy!

You can’t help it! Coming up close and personal with nature and rediscovering yourself, spending the summer in the mountains just as you might have done as a child will do that to you.

Tasting nature when head chef Andreas conjures up magical culinary creations from all the ingredients the valley and the season provide. Let the essence of this wonderfully unique landscape work its magic on you during a holistic massage from our masseuse Waltraud.

Experience the power of plants during a herbal hike led by our herbal expert, Patrizia. Catch up on your sleep with the new nature suites’ outdoor aromas. In the Alpine Spa, experience the mountain with all your senses. Welcome to the mountains. Welcome to the TONZHAUS.

Love of nature
A step towards sustainability in South Tyrol, Italy
We have always been inspired by the uniquely beautiful natural paradise of the Alps and our valley, which are certainly worthy of protection.

But for months now, we have also been inspired by our three daughters and the millions of young people around the globe, who have given us pause for thought about nature, climate and sustainability.

We want to steer our TONZHAUS sustainably into the future. Enthusiastically and joyfully. We certainly don’t think we have reached our goal yet, but we are on our way, step by step, with our team and our guests.

House & facilities

• We generate our electricity from solar panels and a wood pellet heating system. We are pleased that we can supply the whole house with these and also heat our pool.
• The pool is chlorine-free and is purified through salt water.
• Our cleaning elves use degradable and environmentally-friendly cleaning agents in the rooms.
• Toilet paper, tissues, cotton pads and cotton buds are recycled and/or 100 biodegradable.*
• We no longer offer disposable slippers as a standard in our wellness basket, but only on demand.
• Our rooms boast a high-quality, refillable organic cosmetics line from South Tyrol, consisting of soap, shower & shampoo and a body lotion.*
• We do without plastic and packaging wherever possible, although there is certainly still room for improvement here.
• We also have an electronic key system in our house that switches off the electricity in the room when you leave it.

Food & drinks

• We consciously try to cook using regional, seasonal and quality products. This is in an area that we are gradually developing.
• We offer a vegetarian menu every day and, if you wish, we can also cook vegan meals.
• Our breakfast buffet offers more and more organic products. We also buy fresh bread from the village bakery every day. We offer a large selection of organic teas.
• Our coffee is organic and comes from fair trade.*
• The mini-bar in the room is only filled as required so that the products are fresh and do not go off.

Mobility

• Guests arriving by train can take advantage of the new South Tyrol Transfer and conveniently book their shuttle connection to the hotel in advance: https://www.suedtiroltransfer.com
• We are happy to pick up our guests, if requested, and use our hotel minibus whenever possible.
• The network of public transport and cable cars is excellent. A bus stop is just a few metres from our hotel. Buses take you into and out of the valley and are a great way to reach numerous destinations in the surrounding area.
• Many hiking trails start right in front of our house, so our guests do not need a car.

Experience nature

• As avid nature and mountain lovers, we take our guests through our valley, into the forest and up the mountains as part of a varied weekly programme.
• Special hikes and nature experiences, such as herb hikes, forest bathing or wildlife observations, are on the programme depending on the season.

Enjoy the mountain with all your senses
In our rooms and suites, it smells just like the great outdoors… like the forests and mountains… and that’s exactly what you see when you look through the window! Meadows, trees and mountaintops. A holiday spent at the TONZHAUS is a holiday spent at one with nature and the countryside.

The same is true for your hosts, Patrizia and Andreas Götsch. This isn’t just because our hotel is located on the edge of the small village of Madonna di Senales… Patrizia is an expert on herbs, whose lessons and instruction on the subject bring our guests closer to the wonders of the natural landscape.

Enter Andreas’ kitchen and you’ll also experience what the landscape has to offer each season. It’s also often not just home made, but also foraged and picked by us.

Whether it’s in the Alpine spa or the mountain pool, whether you’re looking outwards or inwards, whether you’re soaking up the mountain sun or letting us spoil you with special treats from the TONZHAUS kitchen, one thing is certain… the mountain countryside is all around us in all its glory!

Rooms & prices
Where Dreams DANCE
Rest and Relaxation in our rooms. Nestled among high mountains, in the picturesque little pilgrimage spot that is Madonna di Senales in the Senales Valley, you’ll sleep especially well.

Plus, in the lobby, the rooms and the country suites, you can smell and feel everything you see from the windows and balconies of the TONZHAUS – the magical meadows, magnificent mountaintops and fantastic forests. The invigorating, healing and calming properties of the trees guarantee you sweet dreams!

Pinus Romantic

47 m². NEW for 2019! A “palace” for two. The PINUS romantic room is a suite with a modern decor, larch wood flooring and hand-crafted furniture made from local Swiss pine.

This private wellbeing suite features an attractive sleeping area, separated from the living room with sofa bed and open electric fireplace; as well as a scenic balcony with Jacuzzi, and loungers for relaxing and gazing at the mountains.

The bathroom is equipped with toilet, shower, bidet and set of toiletries, and guests are also provided with a wellness pack with bathing towels and bathrobe and a convenient hiker’s backpack.

TONZHAUS food, unadulterated pleasure,
like the Senales Valley itself!

Head chef Andreas truly brings the countryside to your plate. Herbs from wild meadows, meat from local animals, all the goodness the valley, the mountains and each season has to offer… the dishes he prepares are each a special treat for the eyes, nose, palate and, let’s not forget, the heart.

Andreas Götsch“Passionate cooking begins with the selection of the right ingredients,” says our head chef Andreas Götsch. “At one with nature” is the only way to describe the passionate manner in which he cooks.

Not only does this imply his respectful interaction with the countryside and the things that live in it – organic ingredients play a great role in his cooking – rather it also means the amount of time he spends outdoors finding them for our guests.

Luxurious TONZHAUS Cuisine

• Mountain breakfast with natural and organic products, tea corner, flourmill, freshly squeezed juices and more…
• Comprehensive afternoon buffet with fresh juices, home-made cakes, organic teas and fruit
• Four-course evening menu prepared by head chef Andreas using the finest local products
• As an alternative to the evening menu – your choice of pizza from our own pizzeria
• Salad buffet with cold cuts
• Grander water to drink
• Natural bar in the Alpine spa accessible all day

Plus,
it gets WILD too…
Andreas is a huntsman and, after a successful day hunting, the game he catches appears on our menu. His wife, Patrizia, and mother-in-law, Waltraud, really do love their herbs and collect the wild herbs he uses in his cooking from the forests and meadows themselves.

Carpaccio made from mountain beef or the Senales Valley bread soup – this is South Tyrolean Alpine food with an unmistakeable Mediterranean touch. Plus, those who wish to experience eating the way Ötzi, the 3,000-year old mummified man found in the local ice, did is definitely in the right place!

A plate of cold cuts, stinging nettle soup, lamb cooked in clay pots and pine needle cream for dessert – the Stone Age really was delicious!

Taste the mountains
in our TONZHAUS restaurant in the Senales Valley

Stinging nettle dumplings, carpaccio made from mountain beef. This is mountain food, fresh and hearty, with a pinch of la Dolce Vita thrown in!

Voilà! We bring typical South Tyrolean delicacies directly to your plate! Then, add herbs from the meadows, chanterelles from the forest or stinging nettles from the nearby field and the combination of sweet and savoury mountain flavours is simply delicious.

Traditional, yet open to new ideas. Down-to-earth, yet super light. Honest, authentic and somehow… pure. The food at the TONZHAUS restaurant in Madonna di Senales in the Senales Valley is second to none!

Head chef Andreas prefers to cook using ingredients that the countryside and the season provide. “We like using local products and cook under the motto ‘home-made tastes better’. This means freshness is always guaranteed.”

Eating with a view of the mountains?
Or cosy and comfortable in the lounge?

On the sun terrace, with views of the mountains and meadows… or in the comfortable and rustic lounge which doesn’t just remind you of the olden days – it actually is from the olden days!

Or maybe at the glass façade with views of the infinity pool and the wider valley… as is the case with our menu, there’s something for everyone. Vegetarians and those with allergies are also catered for. At the TONZHAUS, everyone can find their niche!

Eat like Ötzi

With crunchy vegetables and fresh salad herbs are served on a clay plate, home-made pine needle juice bringing the aroma of the forest to the table and crusty bread made from freshly ground grain presented on a wooden platter… the farmer’s lounge at the TONZHAUS really does turn back time and transport you back millennia!

This is how Ötzi would have eaten. The finest and most genuine the Senales Valley has to offer… hand foraged, hand picked and hand prepared. This rustic dining experience must be booked in advance and is only available for a minimum of six people.

Wellness in the Senales Valley –
where the mountains become part of you
The mountains… natural sources of renewed strength, energy, and symbols of freedom, as well as places to retreat for peace, tranquillity and self-discovery… a chance to become one with nature.

First comes relaxation, then regeneration. Water flowing, feeling the quiet, experiencing the outdoors… becoming one with the mountains. This is wellness in the Senales Valley.

Alpine Spa – wellness with mountain views in Senales

The mountains are definitely the focus of our Alpine spa, with its wooden aromas, Grander water in the infinity mountain pool and panoramic views of the mountaintops, the reflection of which glimmers in the water.

Between the Finnish sauna, the natural sauna, a steamy whirlpool and cosy crannies, your getaway to our Alpine spa will be just what your body, mind and soul have been calling out for. Holistic massages from our masseuse, Waltraud, or a relaxing sheep’s wool bath round a diverse range of beneficial treatments off nicely.

Outdoors, on the other hand, you can top up on fresh air, take in the stunning scenery and sunbathe on the Swiss pine sun deck around the mountain pool.

Our Alpine Spa at a Glance

• Infinity mountain pool (heated all year round) filled with Grander water and boasting 360° mountain views
• Sun deck with Swiss pine decking and lawn
• Aroma salt steam bath
• Finnish sauna and natural sauna
• Infrared cabin and hot whirlpool
• Panorama quiet area
• Spa baskets with bath robes, flip-flops and hand towels in all rooms
• Natural bar with organic teas and Grander water
• Holistic massages from our masseuse, Waltraud
• Effective, lasting feel-good and cosmetic treatments
• The South Tyrolean sheep’s wool bath
• Natural beauty products from South Tyrol
• Wellness with views of the Senales Valley and its magnificent mountain backdrop

Dive into the magnificent mountain landscape
at the only hotel with an infinity swimming pool in the Senales Valley.
Blue sky above, blue sky below, but the backdrop surrounding the pool is ever changing. Green meadows, yellow larches, glistening white snow, colourful flowers… light and colour interplay beautifully! Boundaries are blurred when you swim in the mountain pool, and the horizon is closer than before.

In the smooth, 30°C waters, swim your lengths while gazing at the clouds and admiring how they glide and flow across the sky, interacting beautifully with the mountaintops.

The Swiss pine sun deck surrounds the mountain pool, offering mountain and valley views while you top up your tan and take in that fresh mountain air.

Massages that get under your skin

Hands… kneading, stroking and sliding over your entire body causing energy to flow. In the TONZHAUS Alpine spa, you’ll get a whole lot more than relaxation. The beneficial treatments and massages offered by Waltraud, our masseuse, go that bit deeper, meaning you feel their effects for longer.

Whether you choose a salt, oil or honey massage, a cosmetic wrap or mudpack, an alkaline herbal ball massage or – if you want something a little more exotic – a Lomi Lomi Nui massage – you’re in the right hands with Waltraud.

With her more than fifteen years of experience, she’s the embodiment of the fact that anyone can learn the techniques, study the human body in great detail or work with aromas, sounds and oils… but “only when your work comes from the heart will it have the greatest effect and relax someone completely.”

In touch with nature

Waltraud only ever uses natural, South Tyrolean products in her treatments and massages. For an Val d’Ultimo sheep’s wool bath, the beneficial materials of the finest sheep’s wool are unprocessed, meaning they’re used in their purest form. It’s as if you’re nestled in the clouds and the soft touch of the wool is exquisite!

AROMATIC OILS RELAXATION MASSAGE
Enjoy a beneficial relaxation massage with warm sesame oil and other aromatic oils. They permeate the skin and have a positive effect on your circulation and limbic system.

HOT STONE MASSAGE
Harmony and energy created with warming basalt stones.
This wonderful massage technique involves lying warm lava rocks on specific energy centres on your body. The soft massage, combined with the warm stones, relaxes the muscles and increases your circulation. The focus is complete body and mind relaxation and the activation of your energy pathways.

ENERGY BRUSH MASSAGE WITH WRAP
A tingling sensation for your skin with the P. Jentschura energy brush. Soft, but intensive, strokes with the fine bronze brush work wonders, both revitalising and relaxing at the same time.

Dead skin cells are removed. An alkaline body pack to follow makes this experience all the more intensive and is great for your body, mind and soul.

Ayurvedic oil massages
The knowledge of how to live a long and healthy life is India’s original and natural healing system. It has been in existence for 5,000 years and is, therefore, one of the oldest in the world.

ABHYANGA
Abhyanga is the queen of Indian oil massages. She stimulates energy and lymph flows and serves to cleanse and detoxify. She regenerates, strengthens the skin and tissue, making the body loose and supple. She provides deep inner peace and balance.

The sheep’s wool bath – local, genuine, authentic
Pure sheep’s wool doesn’t just promote tranquillity, it also envelops the body with natural warmth which permeates into the deeper layers of the skin and relieves tension. During this ritual, local mountain herbs are burned, the resultant aroma clearing your mind.

Additional wild Alpine herbs are sprinkled throughout your fluffy sheep’s wool cocoon. They support the effects of the sheep’s wool bath, promoting even deeper relaxation and cleansing.

The combination of a special massage technique and the impressive cleansing effects of the special honey-salt mix truly is a treat for your back.

The honey massage destresses and detoxifies your body, as well as strengthening your immune system. The lanolin in the wool is suitable for every skin type and is especially good for sensitive skin.

Slow down and experience peace, nestled in a fluffy, woollen blanket while our masseuse massages your body with soft balls of wool. Special features: you may take your sheep’s wool bath home with you, where it can be reused up to seven times, after which it can be used in the garden as a protective mesh or for decoration.

Stimulating Grander water – rippling, bubbling, splashing

Water is life and water lives. This is why stimulating Grander water flows from every tap in the TONZHAUS. Grander water awaits paddlers and those in search of relaxation in the infinity mountain pool, bubbles away in our cooking pans, flows from our taps and is available to drink at all times.

Grander water revitalisation takes the water quality back to the source. Improving the structure means the water’s self-cleaning and resistance qualities are strengthened – and this occurs with no additives or electricity, purely due to natural energy.

So, if you bathe at the TONZHAUS, you can look forward to having soft skin and smooth hair. Eating and drinking at the TONZHAUS is also a great experience, as you experience the freshness and intense flavour of Grander water.

A mountain summer like never before
Summer in the Senales Valley

When you leave the Venosta Valley and turn into the Senales Valley, just roll down the window and absorb everything there is around you hay and the forest. The savoury scent of our local herbs and the moist aroma of tree bark permeates through the larch woodland.

Weather-beaten farms greet you from the slopes and, high above them, pretty much 3,000m above them, the mountaintops look down on you gracefully. It’ll make you want to be up there.

When you get out of the car, it’ll hit you… you’re finally here. It’s time to feel everything with your own hands – no – with your own feet, discovering what the hiking opportunities the Senales Valley has to offer in the summer.

Rural, peaceful, mystical and exciting landscape. This is where adventure awaits you.

Most are widely-known, but others are true insiders’ tips. Right from the offset, the right hand fork takes you into Val di Fosse, allowing you to experience open, high Alpine countryside.

From Santa Caterina, one side boasts views over the little church and the monastery, the mystically silent place that encapsulates visitors and takes them back centuries.

With all its 700 years of history, the pilgrimage church in the picturesque village of Madonna di Senales stands proud. The Lago di Vernago shimmers in so many beautiful shades of blue and gives the larch trees – green in the summer and yellow in the autumn – an impressive contrast.

When you reach the head of the valley, the glaciers come into view. Here, you’ll find the Senales Valley glacier ski area, with lifts which run all year round making it possible to experience it as often as you’d like!

5 reasons to take a summer holiday in the Senales Valley:

• Hike to wherever your legs want to take you: The hiking paths range from altitudes of 500m and 3,200m and snake between impressive valley landscapes, the Gruppo di Tessa nature reserve and the Senales Valley glacier.
• The valley of pastures: What would these hiking paths, which range from wide and comfortable to wild and rocky, be without the rustic Alpine shacks to visit for a pit stop? Hiking through the Senales Valley in the summer doesn’t just mean enjoying the countryside…
• Transhumance: In June and September, sheep are driven spectacularly up and down the mountain. For centuries now, up to 4,000 sheep have been driven from the Venosta and Senales Valleys, over the snowy Hochjoch and Niederjoch, to the pastures in the Venter Valley in Austria.
• The glacier up close: Not only does the Ötzi Glacier Tour takes you to the site where Ötzi was found, it also transports you deep into a world of eternal ice and with the most impressive views of the glacier.
• An adventure at every turn: The climbing garden or the Archeoparc are just two of the adventures which await you and will become deeply entrenched in your hearts and minds. The beautiful Venosta Valley is just a stone’s throw away!

TONZHAUS hiking hotel in the Venosta Valley, South Tyrol
But what else do you need, apart from wearing the right clothing and a whistling a jaunty tune, in order to have the best hike ever? Of course! A rucksack with all the equipment in it. Sturdy shoes. This is what our professional hikers, Patrizia and Andreas, would recommend. Anything else? Of course!

Landscape which is brimming with diversity and wildness. A valley that promises adventure and which is just waiting to be explored.

Trails along the riverbank and tracks through the forest, routes for established climbers and those hungry for altitude. We have everything! Where? Right on our doorstep in the TONZHAUS hiking hotel in the Venosta and Senales Valleys.

The TONZHAUS has been a hiking hotel since 2012 and fulfils all necessary criteria. Three or four times per week, Patrizia and Andreas Götsch, your hosts and both qualified hiking guides, offer guided tours and take our guests over the loveliest floral meadows and to pristine spots in the Senales Valley.

Hiking – our included services:

• Guided hikes in the Senales Valley mountains, three or four times per week
• Guided herbal hikes led by hiking guide and herbal expert, Patrizia
• Game hikes with hiking guide and huntsman, Andreas
• SALEWA branded rucksacks in every room for you to use free of charge
• Hiking poles for hire
• Hiking maps and hiking information board with up-to-date hiking tips
• Early bird breakfast
• Real-time hiking tips (weather conditions, opening hours of mountain shacks etc.)
• Nature and hiking books in our library
• Hiking taxi service upon arrangement

Herbal hike with Patrizia
Interesting facts from nature’s herb garden:

Our certified herbal expert, Patrizia, transports you into another world, a world of Senales flowers and herbs. There is always something to discover at the side of the trail and, of course, there’s also an exciting story behind it.

Many inconspicuous plants have healing powers which have long been forgotten. Let Patrizia take you on an interesting journey into the world of herbs, or just bask in the beauty of the countryside. Flowers always work, even if it is only to combat boredom!

Maso Corto farm hike – Vernago

Our rustic mountain farms are something special… burned black by the sun, which has been beating down on them for centuries. Alpine hiking trail number 7 leads from Maso Corto, with lots of ups and downs, to the Finailhof, where the Gurschler family will be delighted to spoil you with typical Tyrolean delicacies.

Continuing on trail number 7, you’ll come to the Raffeinhof and the Tisenhof before, ultimately, reaching the last stretch of tarmacked road down to Lago di Vernago.

Hiking time: 2½ – 3hrs, return to the TONZHAUS using public transport.
Altitude difference: approx. 160m going up, approx. 450m coming down.

Total duration: approx. 2hrs, exclusively available to TONZHAUS guests.

The perfect hiking holiday
in the Senales Valley, South Tyrol

Gonz obn, wo die Wolkn TONZN. (Up where the clouds dance) The countryside beneath your feet. Your woes will fade away with each step. Across the meadows, through the forests… scaling up to where nature becomes harsher and the views become wider.

Hiking in the Senales Valley, South Tyrol, means hiking in the Gruppo di Tessa nature reserve, on more than 300km of beautiful hiking trails for walks of every kind.

Climbing or hiking? Distance or altitude? Are you a thrill-seeker, or just looking for the perfect photo? Both are really easy to find here, and both are just a stone’s throw away from the TONZHAUS.

At the end of the Senales Valley, the Senales Valley glacier hiking area, with the Ötztal Alps stretching up to the sky, awaits you. Fans of icy adventures can follow in Ötzi’s footsteps and more comfortable walks can be had round Lago di Vernago… destinations such as Santa Caterina or Certosa.

Patrizia will take you to where the herbs are blossoming, while Andreas will take you further into Val di Fosse, where the white giants on the horizon light up and where cows and goats bid you goodnight.

The TONZHAUS is a certified hiking hotel which fulfils all quality criteria. Patrizia and Andreas are qualified guides and will take TONZHAUS guests to the most beautiful areas of the valley. Services included for hikers…

Hikers staying with us can look forward to comfort and a diverse hiking programme in the heart of the Senales Valley hiking area, all year round! Walking through the quiet mountain paradise in the deep of winter is as idyllic as it sounds. The perfect hiking holiday in the Senales Valley, South Tyrol!

The Love of Trees and Herbs
Forest Bath and Meadow Treatment
Bathe among the greenery, in the open air, relaxing to the gentle rustle of the leaves on the breeze. An aromatic forest bath touches the soul and rejuvenates the senses.

Get to know the forest like this and you shall truly know the forest. Led by our trained forest bath coach Patrizia Götsch, TONZHAUS guests can dive deep into the Senales valley countryside in quite a special way.

“Forest baths – dive into a ‘sea of green’, swim in peace and quiet, let the sweet aromas encapsulate you and penetrate deep into your soul, allow your body and spirit run wild, cleansing your psyche.

The forest is our original home, a place of incomparable natural beauty and a stimulating haven for the senses, tailor made for your relaxation and well-being.”

Meadow Treatment – discover the power of plants

One meadow closer. Closer still! You’re getting there! Discover miracles on the side of the road as the smallest things often contain the most purely concentrated natural power. We shouldn’t just know these herbs by name and marvel at their beauty… we should find out what they’re made of.

Led by trained herbal specialist Patrizia Götsch, TONZHAUS guests can look forward to visiting a nearby meadow, where they collect and examine herbs and flowers, rediscovering some snippets of knowledge that have been lost over time along the way.

“Enabling positive natural experiences, protecting the wealth of knowledge in traditional herbalism, linking modern scientific fact with sustainable action and making this accessible to others, helping to teach and enthuse – this is what a herbalist does.”

Forest baths and hikes in the meadows with Patrizia Götsch take place at numerous times throughout the year, according to the season, the weather and the demand. For more information, feel free to contact us at the TONZHAUS at any time.

Holidays in the Senales Valley
Summer Outdoors
On holiday in the Senales Valley, it’s as original as it sounds. Endless hiking opportunities, topping up on fresh air, counting the summits and spending longer than planned in the shacks on the pastures.

When spending time in our beautiful landscape, which has been shaped by the farmers and by history, time often becomes unimportant, and that summer mountain feeling goes much deeper, touching your heart and staying with you long afterwards.

Get those hiking boots on!

The Senales Valley is best experienced on foot. Hiking here is a purely impressive experience! Forest paths and meadow trails, steep slopes and time on the mountain pastures – there’s a tour for every taste, featuring views of the mountain, valley or both.

The glacier railway and chair lift makes your day in the Senales Valley glacier hiking area even more comfortable!

Treetops and mountaintops

Want to see mountain views from the treetops? You don’t need to be a squirrel to do that! In the Ötzi Rope Park high rope climbing garden, fun is guaranteed, an adrenaline rush comes as standard and a small strength and stamina workout is thrown in for good measure.

Climbing fans will also be at home in the Senales Valley climbing gardens in Marchegg and Mastaun. Holidays in the Senales Valley… high altitude fun, every time!

On the hunt for Ötzi

Yes, Ötzi, the world-renowned ice man, was found in the glacial wonderland that is the Senales Valley. Yet, this isn’t the only reason a hike (LINK: guided tours TV) to the place where he was found is worthwhile!

The views of the glacier from here are second to none. Plus, for those who want to experience Ötzi’s world without the challenging hike, the ArcheoParc, right next to the TONZHAUS, is the place to be.

Hiking in the Senales Valley
What would a hike be if there were no pit stop on the agenda? No dumplings or pancakes to keep you going while you walk further and climb higher? I know, right?

A rustic Alpine shack belongs to a hike, just like bacon belongs to eggs, a glass belongs to wine and apple belongs to strudel… so many mountain and hunting shacks await tired and thirsty hikers on holiday in the Senales Valley with open doors, cosy lounges and sunny terraces!

Mediterranean mountain world or the mountainous south?

The mountain valley is so diverse – if you fancy a trip into the charismatic Venosta Valley or to beautiful Merano, you’re in for a special treat!

Both are a stone’s throw away and provide a contrast to the rustic atmosphere in the Senales Valley with flower-lined walks, expansive orchards, pergolas and the town walls, dating back to the Middle Ages, of the tiny villages in the area.

Where snowflakes last forever…
The Senales Valley in Winter

Shhhhh. Can you hear that? No? No. Of course you can’t. The Senales Valley is so quiet in the winter. The snow covers the farmsteads, mountain meadows, forests and mountaintops like a soft, cotton blanket.

A fairy-tale countryside where winter isn’t the same without hot tea from a Thermos flask, mittens made from real sheep’s wool, being able to see your breath, red noses and the magnificent mountain views of the high Alpine landscape.

Wintery forests and snowy pastures. Yet, deep in the valley, the glacier awaits skiers, snowboarders and all those who want to experience the most exciting side of winter. At altitudes of over 3,200m, you don’t need to worry about whether there’ll be enough snow… it’s just there. Always.

The Senales Valley glacier ski area has guaranteed, year-round snow and stretches from 2,000m to 3,200m in altitude. This means that ski season in the Senales Valley begins in autumn and doesn’t end until late spring.

5 reasons for choosing a winter holiday in the Senales Valley:

• Walking winter wonderland: Walking and hiking in the Senales Valley in winter, with or without snowshoes. Many of the hiking trails in the Senales Valley are specially prepared, leading you through the snow-covered countryside.
• On-piste fun off the beaten track: The Senales Valley glacier ski area contains 35km of sunny pistes, ranging from 2,000m to 3,200m in altitude. This means there’s something for everyone, without the mass hype, but with the best views!
• The best ski tours: Ski tourers can look forward to some of the most beautiful tours in South Tyrol on the Senales Valley glacier, as well as the most reasonably priced holidays in the snow right up until late spring. Winter sports fanatics use the glacier railway or ascend to the summits from Maso Corto. A particular highlight for ski mountaineers is the Ötzi Glacier Tour.
• High altitude Cross-country ski training: the Lazaun cross-country ski track is a great start, brilliant for beginners. On the other hand, the glacier track on the Hochjoch is more suited to experienced skiers.
• A thrilling toboggan ride: On the 3½km toboggan run from the Lazaun shack to Maso Corto, it’s not just the kids who’ll be having a whale of a time!

Skiing on eternal ice with guaranteed snow
on a skiing holiday in the Senales Valley
More than 185 hectares of wild ice and dazzling, white snow. Mountaintops, wide flat areas. Stretching into the clouds towards the sun, to a height of more than 3000m, the ice of the Hochjochferner has been shaped over millions of years.

This majestic mountain forms the head of the valley and the guaranteed snow draws all manner of winter sport enthusiasts to the Senales Valley glacier ski area.
From September to May, winter sports enthusiasts, skiers and snowboarders on holiday in Senales gather at altitudes of between 2,000m and 3,200m.

Here, they find several kilometres of pistes and descents for all skill and ability levels. From the mountain station, visitors have views of the more than 3,000m high Palla Bianca, Wildspitze and Similaun, where Ötzi lay for centuries, preserved in the ice.

At the TONZHAUS, we offer winter sport enthusiasts the following for their skiing holiday in the Senales Valley:

• Free ski bus which leaves every hour for the ski area (travel time: approx. 12 minutes)
• Ski room and ski boot drier
• Daily, real-time information about snow conditions, ski hire and ski schools
• Ticket advice and ticket service

Sun, snow and skiing comfort!

On your skiing holiday on the Senales Valley glacier, skiers, snowboarders and cross-country ski fans won’t be put off by the eternal cold as there are plenty of Alpine shacks and mountain inns which serve steamy dumplings, beautifully golden pancakes and cups of tea to warm your soul.

Besides, you’ll have everything you need to make your skiing holiday a comfortable one… somewhere to leave your skis, ski hire, ski schools. The ski resort is a member of the large Ortler Skiarena skiing federation.

Winter holiday in the Venosta Valley –
from deep snow and wide views

Winter in the mountains. In the Senales Valley, it’s as idyllic as it sounds. The whisper of the larch trees, the snow crystals. Here, you can explore the area wonderfully on snow-covered hiking trails and wide, open areas. The peace and tranquillity you’ll experience is just magical!

Of course, in the Senales Valley, there is a ski area with all the comfort you would expect and several kilometres of pristinely prepared pistes.

Yet, visitors are greeted by the mountain views and not the hustle and bustle of being on-piste you often see at other ski areas. If you want to get closer to the winter, you’re in the right place!

One board or two?

The closer you get to the Senales Valley glacier ski area in the far corner of the valley, the more the winter tranquillity of meadows and forests morphs into pure fun on the pistes.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re on skis or a snowboard, from September to May, snow sport fans of all abilities can whizz down the valley towards the valley station.

The glacier railway is 3,212m above sea level and never fails to impress with its stunning views of Palla Rossa, Wildspitze and Similaun. This is without doubt the best way to discover our magnificent mountain world on your skis, no matter how good you are!

Where winter hikes work wonders

If you’re looking for a snow-filled, peaceful winter holiday in the Venosta Valley, you’ve struck gold here! Gliding over our white carpet in your snowshoes or leaving deep footprints behind you in your hiking boots.

Look over the shimmering white meadows and let the tranquillity of the forests in the winter envelop you. In the Senales Valley, there are so many wonderful trails for winter hikes or snowshoeing trips.

In Ötzi’s stomping ground

The Senales ArcheoParc’s Ötzi Glacier Tour, available as a skiing trip or a hike, will take you to the site where Ötzi was found. Ski tours to the site, 3,210m above sea level on the Tisenjoch, run between November and May.

If your health will allow and you’re at least twelve years old, a mountain guide will take you up to the historic site, in the middle of a metre-high ice sheet and surrounded by the summits of a few of our majestic three-thousanders.

Ski tours in the glacier area

If you love ski tours, you’re in the right place as, in the Senales Valley, they run up until late spring. Due to our region’s most favourable snow conditions, we are able to offer the most beautiful ski tours in the country… you’ll be taken to the summit of numerous three-thousanders, yet the tour to the start of the slope isn’t steep at all!

Standing at 3,738m high, Palla Rossa is a true highlight for any ski mountaineer. A winter holiday in the Venosta Valley… there’s no beating it!

Skate round the curves!

Gliding or sliding… with its natural ice rink and a toboggan run, the Senales Valley boasts pure winter fun for the entire family! From December to February, Madonna di Senales’ floodlit natural ice rink never fails to impress.

Starting above Maso Corto, the 3.3km Lazaun toboggan run will whoosh you down from an altitude of 2,430m, through glistening forests, to the valley station – what a rush!

Website: www.tonzhaus.com

Rooms: 22

Price: from 224 EUR per night