Italian Dolomites Centre-Based Walking Holiday Review – Neil & Heather Davies.
Author : Simon Jarratt
10th September 2024
There is a myriad of reasons to love the Dolomites as a walker. Our founder, Tom Collett, recently highlighted many of them in his piece about the best time of year to visit the Dolomites for hikers. However, in this post, we wanted to catch up with guests Neil and Heather Davies, who enjoyed their first holiday with Collett’s in June. We wanted the low-down on how they found the Dolomites experience.
Both are keen walkers when in the UK and love to take their dog with them to enjoy extended time outdoors, but this trip to the Dolomites was their first experience of a walking holiday in Europe.
Collett’s: “Tell us a little bit more about yourselves”
Heather: “We are married and both 61 and have now been retired a few years from being a QS and in IT/software. We live 10 miles north of Bristol. We both run frequently, and Neil completed his first marathon last year.”
Collett’s “Wow, that’s quite an achievement. How did you find the whole experience of your holiday?”
Neil: “We found our holiday to be one of the best we’ve ever had, and we’ve had a lot of holidays. The scenery is just stunning and is the best highlight. We met a few couples at Collett’s Office Hour and went on walks together, which was great. We chatted away for miles. Heather thoroughly enjoyed the hotel evening meals due to the traditional local dishes and I was more than happy with the breakfasts. Chats with guests, and Collett’s Walks Team members, Elisan and Floris, were a great way to discuss the day’s walks and to decide what to do the following day.”
Collett's In-Resort Walk Teams
One of the most cherished features of our centre-based walking holidays in the Italian Dolomites (and also our centre-based holidays in the Swiss Alps, Austrian Alps, and Tuscany) is the presence of our dedicated and knowledgeable Walks Team. In the Dolomites, our team is here to ensure you get the most out of your holiday, offering tailored advice on walks that best suit your preferences and fitness levels. They’re also your go-to source for tips on local places of interest and other alpine activities available in the area, should you decide to take the occasional break from walking.
In the Dolomites, the Walks Team is invaluable, with extensive local knowledge that not only covers the numerous stunning trails in our glorious surroundings, but also the rich variety of activities available. Whether you’re interested in water-sports, cycling, mountain biking, or simply exploring the area, our team is there to provide expert insights and recommendations to enhance your stay.
Get a feel for Collett’s centre-based holidays by reading our guest reviews from Judith & Paul Ransom from their walking holiday in the Swiss Alps, as well as Meryl & Jez Wilcox from their Austrian Alps experience. All of our extended guest reviews can be found on our blog; Mountain Views.
Collett’s: “What did you think of the walks on your holiday?
Neil: “We had chosen the easy and moderate walks at the time of booking as we weren’t quite confident enough to go straight onto the harder walks. We started the first day with an easy walk at low level which was fantastic. Plenty of flowers, which is typical of the Dolomites in June we understand. We then took a bus and combined two smaller walks into one with an adjoining cable car. That gave us more confidence to walk further. We then took a bus to the top of the Gardena pass and walked back with meadows just like the Sound of Music, and stopped off at a hut for some Kaiserschmarrn (local desert). We both enjoyed that very much.
We then decided on a harder walk to the Pinnacles with another couple and we saw some absolutely spectacular scenery. Feeling more confident than we had before the holiday had began, we then did a ‘challenging’ level walk with another couple, and finally saw some marmots. We ended the week by making our own walk up from the first one we did and adding to it. By the end of the week, we had the confidence to walk pretty much anywhere, which was a very welcome surprise.”
Collett’s: “So it sounds like the walking was a hit! How about the accommodation?”
Heather: “We stayed at La Tambra where the daily Office Hour meetings were, which was very handy. It was a nice, cosy hotel with a fabulous central location. We chose a room with a view, and it was breathtaking. As previously mentioned, the breakfast and meals were great and the hotel were very accommodating if you didn’t fancy what was on the menu. They even did us packed lunches for the trip back to the airport, which was a lovely touch.”
Our hand-picked walking hotels in the Dolomites
La Tambra is one of a number of accommodation options you have when going on our centre-based walking holiday in the Dolomites. In total, we offer 5 different carefully-selected hotel options, all of which are ideal springboards for exploring this special part of the central Dolomites, whilst varying in character and style.
Our 3–star options are the highly attractive Hotel Christian and La Tambra, the latter being Neil & Heather’s base on their holiday. Next up are our two 4* Superior offerings: the beautiful Sporthotel Panorama and Posta Zirma. Both boast exquisite bedrooms, fabulous cuisine and substantial health spas, perfect for soothing aching muscles after a long walk. Finally, if you really want to go top-end, we have the ultra-luxurious 5-star Hotel La Perla which has recently ranked in the World Top 100. Say no more!
View Accommodation OptionsCollett’s “And how did you find the Collett’s staff?”
Neil: “The Collett’s staff have been great from the initial booking process and information pack, to the local guides, Elisan and Floris, and on the drive to and from the airport. Everything went really smoothly, and it was good to have the team available to us whenever we had a question.”
Collett’s: “You mentioned that you attended the Collett’s Office Hour? How did you find the experience?”
Heather: “We attended all but one Office Hour, as we were so tired after a long day. Office Hour involved sitting around the bar with a drink and a map and discussing routes that you planned to do, or had just done. As there were a few walks unavailable due to snow or lifts not open (this happens occasionally in June), the Collett’s Walks Team input was very welcome. We could also meet up with couples we had walked with but were staying in different accommodation. They were great.”
Collett’s: “Have you got any plans to take more walking holidays in the future?”
Neil: “We are currently considering doing the Collett’s walking holiday to Switzerland next summer as that looks really good.”
Collett’s: “Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we really appreciate it.”
What makes a Collett’s centre-based walking holiday different?
At Collett’s, we recognise that walking in a new destination can sometimes be a challenge. Selecting the best routes in the area can be difficult, and even when you are at the start of the hike, navigation can be tricky without the right information at your disposal. That’s why we have hand-picked a selection of the absolute best walks available in each destination, which takes the guess work out of your walking holiday.
If you’re not sure which of these tried and tested gems is right for you, just ask our in-resort Walks Team, as Neil and Heather did, and they will be able to expertly select the walks which best suit your needs. We supply everything you need to self-guide; with comprehensive Walk Packs, including detailed walk notes, maps, and access to the Ride with GPS app so you can navigate from your device. This is where our decades of experience and knowledge become so valuable to our guests, ensuring you get the very best walking holidays in Europe, with our in-resort team there to assist you every step of the way.
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