Sennes Rifugio: What It’s Really Like to Stay in a Mountain Hut

The first time I made the hike to Sennes Rifugio, I was simply out for a day hike.

It was September 2014 and I was visiting the stunning Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park in northern Italy for the first time.

I was staying in the beautiful town of San Vigilio di Marebbe and this hike looked doable for a recreational hiker like me.

When I arrived at the hut, I was blown away by the 360 views of mountains and valleys.

I remember thinking how awesome it would be to stay a night or 2 in this rifugio — watching the sun set across the peaks then waking up to the early morning light hitting these rugged Dolomites mountains.

Although I had done my share of camping while I lived in Colorado, I had never stayed in a mountain hut.

Now, I know you may be thinking that this is NOT for me.

But stay with me because not all mountain huts are the same.

 

What is a mountain hut?

So let’s start with some basics.

A mountain hut, rifugio in Italian, is a type of accommodation found typically in the mountains or valleys of parks or public land.

Some are bare bones, more rustic and hostel-like with large dorm rooms with lots of bunk beds.

Others have a mix of dorm beds and private rooms — some rooms even have their own bathrooms.

While they’re not as common in the USA, there are some.

Rifugio are more common in Europe and I’ve also seen them in Argentina.

 

So what are the rooms like at Sennes Rifugio?

Sennes Rifugio is definitely one of the nicer mountain huts.

I found this out by talking to some other folks staying there that had slept in other huts.

Senneshütte, as it is known in German (because this is the Alto Adige part of Italy, you’ll find German names as well as Italian), has a total of 60 beds.

There are dorm rooms with bunk beds where you’ll have to provide your own sleeping bag and share a bathroom that is on the same floor.

Then there are private rooms with 2 types of rooms available.

You can choose to have a private room with a bed — or beds if it’s a triple room — but share a bathroom which will be on the same floor.

There are also a few private rooms that have their own bathroom — referred to as en suite in most of Europe.

Linens and towels are provided for these 2 types of rooms so no need for a sleeping bag.

The bathrooms are separated by sex so there’s one for men and one for women.

I had a small single room with a single bed — and a great view.

And I shared the bathroom which has 2 sinks in the main area, a shower in one door and a toilet in the other door.

Get this — the bathroom actually has a hair dryer!

I know.

I was surprised by this too.

But what a nice touch!

Soap is provided at those sinks as well although not in the shower.

The bathroom got a little busy at times, with 5 women trying to shower, wash faces and brush teeth.

But it’s manageable and it’s kept clean.

 

The restaurant

Breakfast is included in the price of the room and it’s plentiful with breads, cereals, yogurt, cured meats, cheeses, tea, coffee and a bit of fruit.

Lunch and dinner cost extra.

Now, there are those who, like me on that first trip, make a day hike to Sennes Rifugio.

They hike up to the hut, have lunch at the restaurant, then hike back down to where they started or hike on to somewhere else as there are lots of trails in Fanes-Sennes-Braies that connect.

While I didn’t eat lunch at the hut, I obviously had a couple of dinners during my 2 night stay.

The food is good.

Nothing exceptional, but pretty darn good.

You’ll find typical local dishes on the menu and it tends toward being pretty hearty for all the hikers.

The family that runs Sennes Rifugio, the Palfrader family, also has their version of a spritz that you can order from the bar.

It’s tasty as hell!

I sat outside on the restaurant deck, soaking up the sun after a short hike and enjoyed this very green drink.

I’m not sure what’s in it, but it’s delicious!

 

So what’s so great about staying at Sennes Rifugio?

Having hiked to some other mountain huts on trips to Europe, all of them have gorgeous scenery.

But, for me, Senneshütte has out of this world views.

There are mountains all around you — and off into the distance.

The views really are breathtaking.

I wanted to watch sunrise and sunset over these Dolomite peaks.

I especially wanted to see the sunset on the Croda Rossa which I fell in love with back in 2014.

This peak is one of my favorite of the Dolomiti mountains.

And, I was not disappointed!

You can also take some easy or difficult hikes from here.

Sennes Rifugio makes a great base for climbing the Croda del Becco, Seekofel in German.

Or you can take the trail to the Beilla Hut which is just a few kilometers away.

There are lots of possibilities.

 

Should you stay a night or 2 at Senneshütte?

Admittedly, staying in a basic accommodation, sharing a bathroom and hiking on alpine trails isn’t for everyone.

But if it’s something that you have thought about, Sennes Rifugio is a great option.

Now, it is a steep climb up to the hut from Pederü which is where you’d most likely begin your trek.

The trail is about 5km long but climbs close to 650m — quite the elevation gain over a short distance!

I refer to it as a “switchback slog” over the first part as it’s not the most pleasant since it’s basically a gravel road.

But as you climb higher, you get some good views.

And once you cross the stream, the views get even better.

If you start first thing in the morning and have good weather, you can take your time as you make that climb.

No rush.

I took a small daypack with just what I needed for those 2 nights plus my camera equipment — DSLR body, 2 lenses and extra batteries.

For 2 nights, I knew I could do without some of my toiletry items and could re-wear some clothing.

But again, I stress that this is not for everyone.

However, if spending a night or 2 in a mountain hut is something you’ve considered, Sennes Rifugio is a wonderful choice because it’s such a lovely hut.

 

My personal experience staying at Sennes Rifugio

I loved staying at Senneshütte for 2 nights.

Sharing a bathroom with about 5-6 other women proved challenging at times — just because it seemed like we were all trying to take a shower at the same time.

But outside of that minor inconvenience, staying in a rifugio as nice as Sennes is an incredible experience.

Being able to see the sun set over the Dolomite peaks and watching the stars come out is amazing.

It’s not quite camping in that you’re not truly underneath the stars at night.

However it’s an excellent alternative for those who are past the camping stage of their lives or who have no interest in camping at all, but still want to have that mountain sleeping experience.

While the first day I was at Sennes was windy and kind of cold, the second day was brilliant.

I took a couple of short walks in different directions from the hut, mostly concentrating on photographing more than hiking.

One of the highlights for me was experiencing the sunset on the second night as it was stunning — gorgeous golden then pink light on the surrounding Dolomites.

Another memorable time occurred earlier that morning.

I had hiked in the direction of Biella Hut which also is the trail to Croda del Becco.

After a good uphill walk, you come to this beautiful valley where you are surrounded by the peaks.

The flowers were just beginning to pop up and there was still snow in areas due to a cool, wet May.

I could hear the marmots squeaking to each other.

I simply stopped and took it all in.

Then I found the marmots and tried to capture them with the camera.

I got down on my knees to photograph the flowers.

And I was all alone — for a while anyway.

It was bliss!

 

Would I stay at Senneshütte again?

Yes.

Sennes Rifugio really is very nice for a mountain hut.

It’s clean and comfortable.

My bed was warm.

The food is quite good.

The family and their employees are kind and helpful.

There’s hot water with good pressure.

And, let’s face it, the views are superb.

I don’t recommend this experience to everyone.

But if you can do with a bit of communal living for a night or 2 — and have a more bare bones accommodation — then it might be something for you to try.

At least once.

It really is an amazing experience!