Watles: the mountain right at the hotel

The Watles, Italian Monte Vàtles, belongs to the Sesvenna group in the Upper Vinschgau and lies in the municipality of Mals. Its summit is about 2,555 m high, and the summit cross was erected in August 1970. Depending on the source, the heights differ by a few metres. South below the summit lies the Schlinig valley, and south-east below it the Large and Small Pfaffensee.

Prämajur, the hamlet at the foot of the mountain, belongs to the district of Schlinig. Near Prämajur stands the ruined castle of Kastellatz, from the 12th century. As a ski mountain the Watles has been known since the 1970s: skiing at the Tschunggai began in 1973. In summer it is a hiking mountain with well-marked trails and, according to the operator, a wide view over the Upper Vinschgau basin.

The chairlift takes hikers from the valley station at 1,750 m to the top station at the Plantapatsch hut, a height difference of almost 400 m. Whether and when the lift runs is decided by the operator and shown on watles.net; construction work and seasons can change it. On foot, trail no. 3 climbs through light larch forest past the Höfer Alm to the hut.

The Spielesee lies at the top station. The operator describes a play lake of 1,500 m² with a wooden raft, a spring, a two-metre waterfall and a small stream, plus a diamond cave, gold panning, a tyre slide, a giant trampoline and a free-running course. For adults there are a Kneipp course, wooden loungers and picnic areas. The playground is next to it; the operator also mentions a 3D archery course, and whether it is open in a given season is shown on watles.net.

The view takes in the Ortler group, the Sesvenna group and the Ötztal Alps, across the whole Upper Vinschgau basin. From the summit you can see Lake Reschen to the north-east.

The house round is the hike to the Plantapatsch hut: trail no. 3, from the hotel one and a half to two hours, about 400 metres of ascent, easy. The operator gives 3.5 km, 416 metres of ascent and a good hour and a half for the same trail. For the Pfaffensee lakes the round uses trails 20, 3 and 4A: 10.3 km, 545 metres of ascent, about three hours.

The summit is also reached on trail no. 3. The operator calls it a beautiful viewpoint mountain that is relatively easy to reach: from the hotel 5.9 km and 828 metres of ascent, almost three hours, medium and without scrambling. If you take the lift you save about half the ascent. The panorama trail no. 8A and 8 from the Plantapatsch hut to the Sesvenna hut is almost level.

For hiking, summer and early autumn are the time once the snow has gone. In October the larches along the trail are golden. In autumn it can already snow at this height; check the weather and trail conditions before you set off.

In winter the hiking mountain becomes a ski area between about 1,750 and 2,500 m, with the valley station next to the hotel; there is also a natural toboggan run and winter trails. The operator publishes times and snow conditions on watles.net, and our winter page summarises a winter stay.

The operator calls the trails on the Watles well marked and suitable for families. For children the destination is the Spielesee: water, raft, slide and trampoline are right at the top station, and the hut stands beside it. At the Höfer Alm there is, according to the operator, a small petting zoo.

Dogs are welcome in the hotel after prior registration, and they are possible on the Watles trails. Cows graze on the alpine pastures; please keep your dog on a lead there.

The Plantapatsch hut is a restaurant at the top station with a sunny terrace; you reach it by chairlift or on foot on trail no. 3. The Höfer Alm at 2,066 m, whose history goes back at least to the 17th century, makes cheese and butter. There is a snack bar at the valley station, and you will also find inns in Prämajur and Burgeis.

Opening times change with the season, and the Höfer Alm may stay closed in some years. Check watles.net beforehand.

From the top station it is about an hour to the Pfaffensee lakes; the Pfaffensee page describes the round. You reach the Schlinig valley in about ten minutes from the hotel; there you find the Schliniger Alm and the trail to the Sesvenna hut. From the Watles you reach Marienberg Abbey in Burgeis on trails 2A and 2. The operator also offers a combined ticket for Marienberg Abbey and the chairlift.

From the front door it is a few minutes on foot to the valley station. If you come by bus from Mals, take line 277 to Prämajur. After a day on the mountain the wellness area awaits you in the house.

By car: The valley station of the chairlift is in Prämajur, according to the house about 100 m from the hotel; there is a car park at the station. Coming from Mals, drive via Burgeis to Prämajur.

By bus and train: Bus no. 277 runs from Mals to Prämajur (source: watles.net). With the Reschensee Guest Pass, trains and buses across South Tyrol are included in your stay; timetables are on suedtirolmobil.info.

On foot: From the front door to the valley station it is a few minutes on foot. The trails to the Höfer Alm, the Plantapatsch hut and the summit start there.

Parking: Car park at the Watles valley station in Prämajur