Ücia Fanes-Hütte

Our group stayed at Refugio Fanes on the second night of our trek on the AV1 in the Dolomites. It was another stunning location, but we were surprised at the crowds when we arrived - It seemed this was a popular lunchtime destination for daytrippers and mountain bikers (many of the latter on "cheater-bikes," as I call them). There was no room inside or on the deck, so we sat outside on a stone ledge to wait for check-in (after procuring a beverage at the bar). Check-in itself was a zoo, especially since the staff started later than promised. (Staff demeanor was best described as 'tepid')||Once the crowds departed, our visit here improved immensely. We were able to grab a snack on the restaurant deck; then we walked 10 min to see Rifugio Lavarella nearby.||Rifugio Fanes was very clean and attractive. Four of our group had their own, private bunk room. The other three (myself included) shared a ten-bed bunk room with others. (Two were a pair of German women who seemed annoyed about Every.Single.Thing. It didn't take long for this became a source of mirth to the rest of us.)||After the full menu at the previous rifugio, the dinner menu at Fanes felt very limited. The main course options were: beef or vegetarian. (I chose the latter). But the food quality was good. And the breakfast spread the next morning was on par with other rifugios we visited on our trek.||Rifugio Summary:|- Setting: In a lovely, alpine valley shared with two other rifugios; but beware of midday crowds on nice days|- Rooms/dorms: Roomy, clean|- Food: Good despite small menu|- Potable water: Yes|- Wi-fi: strong

We visited Fanes during our hut to hut hike in the Dolomites in September 2024. We arrived early around 1pm and our room was luckily already ready. But regardless of that, we were able to enjoy a lovely lunch. We had the 2 specials off the menu and were pleasantly surprised by how amazing both specials were. Our room was a double room with a shared bathroom. The room was nice with good storage. The heat didn’t come on until 5pm so slightly cold, but just due to the unseasonable snow. Showers were nice and clean. There is not much storage in the shower and the water is on a timer, but water pressure and temperature are great. The inn had a living room that we spent some time in and games to play during your free time. There is also a rifugio cat named Minko, sweet cat that loves windows. We had a lovely dinner with our server Mattia. All the food was amazing and Mattia was so attentive. Breakfast was typical rifugio with meats, cheese, boiled eggs and pastries. Coffee hit the spot and set us up for our next hike.

Great place to stay. Rooms are clean and beds are comfortable. Bathrooms are modern and there is no limit on hot water. Food is really good so even if you’re not staying over night I recommend eating some regional specials. Staff is super friendly. Only “bad” thing is WiFi that has a weak signal further from the center of the building. But hey you’re here to experience the nature not watch YouTube. There’s a lot of interesting trails around counting all the 3k summits. It will work perfectly as a one night stop on your journey or a week long base to see everything around.

This rifugio was such a relief after our first AV1 night at R Biella. We had a twin room with a wash basin in the corner. Very characterful and comfortable. The shared showers and toilets were clean. Food was average, in a nice dining room. The terrace is lovely in good weather. Great to have a drying room to hang things to dry. You can also visit Rifugio Laverella a few minutes walk away for a craft beer. Recommended.

I wanted to leave a review for the staff at Rifugio Fanes. I have left my sunglasses in the room and realised that I have left once we were approaching next rifugio. Way too late to go back. I've sent a message to rifugio and they kindly shipped it to my partner's family who live in Italy. So so kind! Thank you so much!!! And it was a great place to stay as well.

Beautiful views and excellent location. Most uncomfortable beds. Very friendly staff (one didn't speak German). Very good food and nicely organised dinner. Really appreciate that they offered us a lunch packed! Price was alright.

Rooms are immaculate. The showers are excellent and towels are provided. The food at dinner was good but breakfast was somewhat slim in offerings.

We stayed at the Fanes hut as a part of an Alta Via 1 hiking trip. Wow, this is not a standard Refugio, but a full-on hotel! We were able to get a private room with a private bathroom (and a regular unlimited shower that was not coin-operated). Dinner and breakfast were delicious and all the facilities were top notch. However, our favorite part of our stay was after we turned off the lights in our room. They covered the ceiling in a glow-in-the-dark replica of the starry sky, complete with constellations and the Milky Way!