My only nagging doubt about Gayle's and my recent stay in the South Tyrol is whether I should have…read morerented a car and explored more mountain passes and small villages. Maybe next time! Instead, Gayle and I took the train from Venice to Bolzano/Bozen and then let our SAD bus do the driving as we traveled to Casterotto/Kastelruth, back and forth each day to Alpe di Suisi/Seiser Alm, and finally returning to Bolzano/Bozen for our next train journey. The SAD system covers transport in the South Tyrol and includes a complete interconnection using buses and trains. SAD also operates several cable cars and a Mobilcard is available for frequent travelers. Gayle and I paid at either the Bus Station in Bolzano/Bozen or on the Bus itself at a fare of 4 Euros each (one way). Our Alpe di Suisi days were paid for as part of our Combi Card which included our daily rides on the Seiseralm Bergbahn Cable Car. Both Gayle and I were impressed with the comfort or our ride, the friendly local bus drivers, their skill in driving as we curved around in spots, and the fact that the buses ran on time. I'll chalk that up to a German efficiency overlay to the more suggestive nature of Italian time. So even though Gayle and I might be in a car the next time we come to the Dolomites, we will always be aware that SAD will be there as a viable alternative or supplement to our South Tyrol transportation needs.

Note the German name and Italian address for this Train Station. That can only mean that Gayle and…read moreI were in the German part of Italy, where duel names are displayed and for the most part, Sprechen sie deutsche. There's history here and it goes back to WWI, when this part of the Country was ceded by Austria (the Loser) to Italy (the Winner). And even though this area remains ruled by Rome, the Alto Adige region is in the autonomous hands of the mostly German-speaking population. Gayle and I arrived at Bahnhof Bozen from Venice (via Verona). We then walked over to the nearby Bus Station, and took local transit (SAD) to our ultimate Dolomites destination (Castelrotto/Kastelruth). Unfortunately, we didn't spend anytime in Bolzano/Bozen itself, which is a tourist destination in its own right. The Station itself is fairly plain, with the usual collection of ticket counters, tourist information, canteen, and a tobacco shop. Gayle and I especially appreciated that there were actually elevators that were available to take us down from our track and then back up to the main station. For some reason, every other Italian Station we frequented didn't have many of the most basic of ADA-related features, which provided lots of stair climbing "opportunities" and "adventure" when there were just a few minutes to make a connection.

Very nice rooms and staff. One improvement: Gym and spa both need water. No water available in the…read moregym at all. In spa there was a water station but no glasses.

Stayed here for 3 nights at the start of our week long hiking trip in the Dolomites. This is one…read moreof the bigger hotels on the town square and within 10-15 minutes walking distance from the train station. Rooms are nice, we stayed in two superior rooms (we had two bookings and they couldn't give us the same room but changing rooms was made quite easy for us) so quite spacious, one a bit odd shaped with a corner almost like an anteroom and one actually has a small foyer and a half size balcony with a view of the square. The last day of a festival was going on when we arrived so the square was packed with tents and much activity and it was nice to have a drink and snacks in the spacious front patio with a view of the goings on. Breakfast is an expansive buffet served in the spacious dining room with several separate sections with some hot items and a lot of tasty cold cuts. The fruit salad not the best - wish they'd just have cut fruits instead of mixing everything up looking not as fresh. Overall a nice hotel - a bit pricy and also prices could change, depending on occupancy levels booking early might not guarantee the lowest price (as we found out by chance).

Really great experience here. We rented the car for a weekend and were set to return it on a Sunday…read more(nobody is open Sundays or charged extra fee) so I was nervous there would be issues. However, there was a key drop off and no problems or extra fees later. Very straightforward, and the car we got drove through the Dolomites well and was a new version.

I am completely satisfied with my rental car from Europcar at the Bolzano airport. The manager,…read moreVergani was very helpful. I was completely reluctant to drive in Italy, but after Vergani explained the parking rules and the toll road system, I felt at ease. Also, Vergani allowed me to park the car at the airport when I was not using it to avoid the high parking fees and the congestion in town. It was a 10 minute bus ride and short walk from the center of town to the airport parking lot. I made the commute to the airport for three days and felt like it was a great benefit. As a result of Vergani's great customer service and generosity, I would give Europcar in Bolzano the highest rating and recommendation.

Absolutely the worst rental experience I have ever had. Started when I tried to pick up the rental…read moreand call for help finding the store the contact information was incorrect. After getting help to the Avis the attendant said sorry I'm going to lunch for 2 hours and wouldn't assist me even tho I had been trying to contact them. Then I rented an automatic Mercedes and what I was given was a 6 speed Opel? Not even close to what I paid for, then after getting the vehicle find out the windshield sprayer doesn't work nor did the rear. This caused me to stop numerous times, being in the Italian Alps the roads cause alot of dirt from the snow and melt. I travel on buisness often and rent numerous vehicles a month, I will never use Avis again. Stay away from this particular rental place if you can.

We rented a car from Budget and were surprised to find that they rented us a car that has been hit…read morein two areas, in the front and the side. Damage was severe enough that passenger door was screeching when door was opened. We were in a hurry and they were noted on the documentation and we just accepted the car. Upon on return, Avis representative Daniel Angelo pointed out we had a white mark on the bumper and claimed we must have hit a wall and they would have to charge us. I wiped it off with my hand and showed there was no damage. Daniel felt embarrassed and wanted to prove his right. By feeling around the bumper he found a minor scratch on an area where the bumper flared out creating a crease which was not visible to the naked eye. It could only be seen when we zoomed in with a camera and a flash. I pointed out that on the opposite side of the car there was a similar scratch on the same crease that also was not visible to the naked eye. When I pointed it out to Daniel, he's first response was "maybe you hit it there too". The second scratch was not visible to the naked eye and was not noted on the paperwork. When you rent a car you expect that a reputable company is going to be reasonable about minor scratches and customer should not have to inspect a car with a flash light and a camera before accepting it. The car had major damage before we accepted it and for them to charge us for a minor scratch that can't be seen with a naked eye is outrageous. This is similar to the scams you would encounter in third world countries from disreputable dealers, not something you would expect from a reputable brand. We refused to sign any papers and Daniel Angelo was going to charge our credit card for for $156 to add insult to injury he charged $234,06 and additional $78. We left the office expecting that it's a reputable company and Budget would resolve the issue. However the Budget rep we spoke to was disinterested and 6 weeks later there is still no resolution. We lost 5 hours of our precious vacation time in the office and that stress greatly impacted the remaining of our over seas vacation. In addition it was very expensive. The most expensive we have paid on a rental car worldwide.