The Gasthof Zum Hirschen Hotel in South Tyrol

Since at least 1184, the Gasthof zum Hirschen in Trentino-South Tyrol/Alto Adige was formerly a hospitium and shelter for pilgrims and wayfarers. Still today, one still finds a special kind of hospitality in Senale, site of the oldest sanctuary in South Tyrol.

The 850 year-old legacy
of hospitality inspiring us
at the Zum Hirschen Hotel

The 850 year-old legacy
of hospitality inspiring us
at the Zum Hirschen Hotel

The pilgrim’s and wayfarer’s hospitium on the site of what is now the Gasthof Zum Hirschen hotel, was first mentioned in the Senale town records in 1184. In 1972, the old edifice exchanged hands and went from church property into private ownership. Alois Kofler took over the property, which is now run by the Kofler-Mocatti family as a hotel already in its third generation.

During the major 2017 renovations, the entire building was carefully rebuilt to maintain its original authenticity even while being modernised. The village lifestyle and slow tempo of village life serves as a welcome counterweight to the frenetic pace of modern living. This tranquillity is only punctuated at certain hours by the sound of the church bell ringing at the sanctuary. The authentic spirit of the old pilgrim’s Hospitium has been architecturally reinterpreted in everything from the hotel facade to the restaurant, in the kitchen and in the comfortable yet essential rooms of the Zum Hirschen hotel.

Transformation of the Zum Hirschen:
from Wayfarer’s inn into a
modern hotel in the Nonsberg mountains

Transformation of the Zum Hirschen:
from Wayfarer’s inn into a
modern hotel in the Nonsberg mountains

The edifice now housing the Zum Hirschen hotel was first mentioned in the records back in 1184. For centuries it served as a hospice at the Senale pilgrimage site, where pilgrims stopped to pray, rest and refresh on their long journey. Initially, the place was run by the Hospitalier Religious Order, an ancient Christian fraternity known for its charity work. Back then, it wasn’t unusual for monks to ascend up the nearby Palade mountain pass (or Gampenpass) to fetch pilgrims and guide them safely through the dangerous marshes. In the 16^th Century the monks of the Benedictine Order took over the hospitium and it was turned into a tavern for wayfarers.

In 1972, the age-old edifice was sold and rebuilt by Alois Kofler, transforming it into a traditional guesthouse. The Kofler-Mocatti Family took over the guesthouse and is now already into its third generation. After privatisation more than four decades ago, the hotel was totally renovated in 2017. In acknowledgement of its former incarnation as a pilgrim’s refuge, the newly rebuilt Zum Hirschen guesthouse radiates elegant, yet frugal simplicity.

Basic Philosophy
at the Zum Hirschen
in the Nonsberg, Trentino-South Tyrol

Architecture & Ambience

Basic Philosophy
at the Zum Hirschen
in the Nonsberg, Trentino-South Tyrol

For centuries the Gasthof Zum Hirschen has been a place of simple hospitality as well as one of tranquillity and self-reflection. During the recent renovations, authentic references were incorporated at times even reversing some of the modernising that was carried out in the 1970’s. In doing so, we followed the principle that less is more and that slower can sometimes in fact be faster!

The linear, contemporary design emphasises the historic legacy on which the hotel stands, a contemplative ambience amidst the green pastures of the Nonsberg valley. The principle of Conscious Living pervades the Gasthof Zum Hirschen: our sophisticated yet simple cuisine, a harmonious and friendly rapport with our guests, our staff as well as our environment.

The Kofler-Mocatti Family:
A family hotel now
in its Third Generation

The Kofler-Mocatti Family:
A family hotel now
in its Third Generation

We are consciously mindful of our responsibilities towards our guests and the significant historical legacy of where we are. Ingrid and Mirko Mocatti, third generation of the Kofler-Mocatti family, have taken over the management of the Zum Hirschen hotel in Senale on the Val di Non Valley.

In 1994, Edith Kofler inherited the hotel from her parents, guiding it through a difficult period. Today Edith is in charge of the reception, hotel administration and does the book-keeping. Her husband, Giorgio Mocatti, is a creative freethinker and devoted grandfather, entertaining guests with poetry and knowledge of local history.

Siblings Ingrid and Mirko Mocatti jointly manage and run the hotel, attending to their guests and share responsibilities extending to all aspects of hospitality. And they are backed up by a strong team: from Elisa, the receptionist to the staff at room service and the team in the kitchen headed by chef Erwin. The motivated and experienced staff at the Zum Hirschen are always friendly and attentive.

We are truly glad to share this special place and its long legacy of hospitality with our guests!

#A new ambience within ancient walls

Rooms in an old pilgrim’s hospice

During the extensive renovations in 2017, the Zum Hirschen Hotel in Val di Non (South Tyrol), rediscovered its centuries-old origins as a medieval pilgrim’s hospice, run by the Hospitaller and Benedictine religious orders. The former took on the task of guiding pilgrims through the swamps in the valleys to safety in what was then known as a hospitium peregrinorum. Luckily, the marshes have long since ...