Hello lovelies, Easter is over and we spent it in beautiful South Tyrol. We had the chance to test a new family hotel*: the Fameli in Olang in the lovely Kronplatz region.
We spent 3 nights in a family suite; the rooms are lovingly furnished and finished to a high standard. In the entrance area there's a big closet and a wardrobe so you can stow away all your luggage. The parents' sleeping area has a big bed and seating. For the children there's their own little room with bunk beds. The special highlight, besides the big bathroom and balcony, is definitely the jacuzzi in the room. For the girls that was certainly a big plus, used extensively every day after the pool.
The whole hotel is designed to be very family-friendly and offers comfort for big and small. There are 2 pools available, one next to the spa area that's mainly reserved for parents, and one for children, with toys and a family sauna. The spa area leaves nothing to be desired; besides 2 saunas and a steam bath, treatments are also offered. Papa Frei and I both treated ourselves to an individual massage, and it was really great.
In a beautifully designed children's area, the hotel offers intensive childcare. From 11:00 to 9/10 p.m. the children are lovingly looked after; they do crafts and play, and on request the children can also have lunch and dinner there. That way parents can enjoy their meal in peace now and then, which isn't always a given. In summer the program is expanded with further activities for all age groups, with excursions in the area offered along with many workshops, like pottery, felting, or even making ice cream with a confectioner. In the courtyard there's a big trampoline, and the outdoor play area is now being expanded for the summer season with lots of things; there's also a big playground around the corner from the hotel.
Culinarily we were definitely very spoiled over the 4 days. In the morning, the breakfast buffet has something for everyone: fresh fruit, muesli, pastries, yogurt, cold cuts, cheese, jam — the selection is plentiful and very delicious. In the afternoon there's a cake buffet and small snacks, and in the morning you already get to choose at the table for the multi-course dinner in the evening. You could usually choose from a fish, meat, and vegetarian dish as a main course and 2 starters, plus there's a delicious salad buffet beforehand. For the kids there was a 3-course children's menu every evening, which went down super well, and which Papa Frei even decided on one evening too — no problem at all. I was surprised every evening with a delicious and varied vegan dinner, so the hotel is also very happy to accommodate special requests, and allergies or special diets are gladly taken into account too.
We of course also explored the area, which has plenty to offer. When we arrived on Friday we had the most wonderful weather and spent the afternoon at the Kinderwelt in Oberolang. A play paradise set in the forest, offering various stations like a playground, slides, a climbing world, a water park, and much more. You can really happily spend a whole day there; there's also a barbecue spot and a big play meadow.
On Saturday we went to the little town of Bruneck, reachable in a few minutes by train from Olang, and free with the Olang Card. Bruneck is a charming little town with lots of shopping, restaurants, and a castle. We spent a lovely morning there including the obligatory ice cream — we were in Italy, after all!
All in all you can explore the whole Kronplatz in a very sporty way; well-developed bike paths make the region a cyclists' paradise, and since you can take the bikes along on the trains very easily too, you're very flexible, and it's no problem if someone gets too tired for the way back. The hotel offers bikes and helmets for the whole family; strollers and carriers are available too, so you don't have to bring all that along.
There were even some hotel guests skiing over Easter; the slopes are always super groomed and the ski area very family-friendly. In winter the hotel offers children's ski courses, meaning the children are picked up at the hotel in the morning, brought up the mountain, where the ski course takes place including lunch, and then you can either meet them up top or they're brought back to the hotel again.
The Kronplatz offers plenty in summer too: for one, the MMM Corones is there, the highest-altitude museum in South Tyrol and the sixth museum by Reinhold Messner. There are also many hiking routes, some of which are stroller-friendly too. There's a Native American village, a via ferrata for children, and many more activities for kids.
In summer the whole Puster Valley transforms into a true children's paradise; there are adventure farms and a nature park, but also more action like archery, a zip line, and high ropes courses.
We definitely spent 4 wonderful days at the Fameli and certainly weren't there for the last time. Especially as a family we very much appreciate the service the Gasser family offers in their hotel; we felt very at home from the start and were warmly looked after everywhere. With its infrastructure, the hotel offers all the comforts that both parents and children could wish for, making the stay very relaxed for everyone — and that's exactly how a holiday should be!
Love, the Freis
**And you'll find a short video on our Facebook page too: **https://www.facebook.com/freistyleswiss/videos/1533767663309098/
*We were invited by the Gasser family to test the hotel, but this report reflects our personal opinion and experience and is in no way sponsored.
