Hotel on the Watles: ski holiday in the Vinschgau

One ski area at the door, more nearby

The Watles is a family ski area you can reach on foot. If you want more variety, use the Two-Country Ski Arena: according to reschensee.com one ski pass covers Schöneben–Haideralm, the Watles and Nauders, from two days. Trafoi and Sulden am Ortler are also within driving distance.

You will find information on ski passes, prices and the ski school with the operator on watles.net. We deliberately do not quote ski pass prices, so that nothing goes out of date.

Watles ski area (operator)

Families and beginners on the Watles

The Tschunggai slope is meant for a first start: a drag lift takes children uphill safely, and next to it is a beginners' area with a conveyor belt. The Bubo children's park for ages 4 and up has two magic carpets, a ski carousel and a snow igloo; a children's lounge in the Plantapatsch restaurant completes it. The Watles ski school holds the gold certificate of South Tyrol's children's ski schools. Opening hours, courses and prices come from the operator.

When the children get tired, the house is close: the indoor pool, a bowling lane and a playroom just for the little ones are waiting there.

Family holidays at Kastellatz

The Watles lifts: from 1973 to the renewal

Skiing began in 1973 with the Tschunggai drag lift. In 1995 a detachable four-seat chairlift followed from Prämajur to the Höferalm, and in 2001 the Watles–Oberdörfer chairlift. Which lifts are currently running is published by the operator on watles.net.

Which lift runs in which season is up to the operator. Plan your ski day according to the information on watles.net; the way from the house to the valley station stays short in any case.

Tobogganing on the Watles

The natural toboggan run on the Watles is 4 km long and drops about 400 m. It starts at the Plantapatsch hut at 2,150 m and ends at the valley station. The operator describes it as easy and suitable for families with small children.

You go up by lift or on foot; the climb takes about 1.5 hours. The operator rents out toboggans at the top station. On selected Fridays the run is floodlit and open for night tobogganing; the operator publishes the dates on watles.net. Whether the run is open depends on snow conditions.

Ski touring around the Watles

According to the operator, the Watles has its own marked ascent route and its own descent for ski tourers, plus a ski touring race. The Upper Vinschgau also has the Sesvenna group: reschensee.com names the Äußerer Nockenkopf as an easy objective, while the Grionkopf and the Großer Schafkopf are more demanding.

According to the hut, the Sesvenna hut is also open in spring, roughly from early February to mid-April. Tour planning, avalanche conditions and equipment are your responsibility or that of a mountain guide.

Cross-country skiing in Schlinig

The Schlinig Nordic Centre is about 10 minutes from the house. According to reschensee.com it offers 22 km of trails for classic and skating, changing rooms, a waxing service, rental and a cross-country ski school; competitions are held regularly. The centre also has a biathlon range.

The nordic³ pass is valid on a total of 232 km of trails in Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Children ski free; the age limit is set by the provider.

Snowshoeing and winter walking

From the valley station, a winter walk leads via the Höferalm to the Plantapatsch hut, about 1.5 to 2 hours with around 400 m of ascent; there is refreshment at the Höferalm and the Plantapatsch hut. In the Reschenpass holiday region about 60 km of winter trails are groomed, with the circuits around Lake Reschen and Lake Haid as classics. The snowshoe trail from Schlinig to the Schlinig alp is gentle, just under an hour.

You can borrow snowshoes from us at the house free of charge.

Ski room and ski boot dryer

For skis and boots the house has two dedicated rooms, one in the annex and one in the main building beneath the terrace with its own entrance. That keeps your equipment apart from the rooms; a ski boot dryer is part of it.

You can borrow snowshoes, hiking poles and Nordic-walking poles from us free of charge.

To Prämajur in winter

By car you drive up through Burgeis, 6.9 km of mountain road; there is covered parking at the house. Without a car, take the Vinschgau railway to Mals and then bus line 277 to Prämajur. With the Reschensee Guest Pass, rail and bus travel across South Tyrol is included in your stay.

Check the Vinschgau railway times before your journey on suedtirolmobil.info. Details on arriving without a car and a map are on the linked pages.

Arriving without a carMap & directions