A hotel with history and hosts with passion

Name: Boutique & Gourmet Hotel Orso Grigio
Address: Via Peter Paul Rainer 2, San Candido, South Tyrol, 39038, Italy
Telephone: +39 0474 913115

Traditional Hospitality with a Modern Touch

For more than 700 years, the Orso Grigio has been welcoming travelers to San Candido. Once a simple inn, it has evolved into a charming boutique hotel where history and style combine in harmony. Every detail reflects a unique balance between genuine alpine hospitality and contemporary comfort.

Shaped by Centuries of History

Historical highlights

A close-up of a brown envelope with handwritten text and wrapped parcels tied with string in the background.

When Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas, the Boutique & Gourmet Hotel Orso Grigio was already up and running.

The building dates back to 1303 when it was granted a market charter. Wagoners and merchants would arrive in town and find room and board “At the Orso Grigio” guest house. In 1462 Conrad Maus appears as the first proprietor of the Orso. Up until the 18th Century, ownership changed hands roughly every hundred years. The Dinzl and Peintner families succeeded the Maus’.

Close-up of silver spoons in a box on a table, with a rolled napkin tied with string in the background.

Fires, plague and the Thirty Years’ War were hard times for the guest house, as well. In 1715 Andrä Hueber, owner of the San Candido Baths, purchases the guest house that in 1745 becomes the property of Andrä Kopfsguter di Sillian. Since then, the “Orso Grigio” has been in the current family, inherited in succession by its descendants.

In 1745 Josef, the last Kopfsguter family heir bequeaths the property to his nephew Franz Hellenstainer because he has no children of his own. Franz was the great-nephew of Emma Hellenstainer, a pioneer in the Tyrolean tourism industry and owner of the renowed “Hotel Emma” in Villabassa.

A close-up of a German menu with silver cutlery on a dark tablecloth.

During the Great War, the front on the Dolomites passes in the immediate vicinity of San Candido, and a military hospital for the Austro-Hungarian army is set up at the Orso Grigio. Hedwig Hellenstainer takes care of the wounded and, as a token of appreciation, the Emperor of Austria awards her with the silver medal of merit. Unmarried and childless, in 1921 Hedwig makes a surprising decision: in order to pass on the family business, she adopts the young Alpini officer Alfredo Benincasa, originally from the Avellino province, and arranges his marriage to her young cousin, Flora Hellenstainer. Alfredo and Flora conceive 10 children. The eldest daughter – Hedwig – marries into the Ladinser family and dedicates herself with passion as the guest house’s hostess until her death in 1987. Since then, the Orso Grigio has been managed by her son Franz with his daughter Verena.

Two people in business attire smile while standing against a grey wall with historical text written in Italian and German.

Hospitality Through Generations

For four generations, the Orso Grigio has carried the unmistakable imprint of the Ladinser family — today guided by Franz and Verena’s personal touch. Father and daughter share a heartfelt dedication to the art of hospitality, ensuring that every guest feels genuinely cared for.

Franz, a passionate host and wine connoisseur, loves to share his expertise during regular tastings in the hotel’s historic wine cellar.

Verena, with her refined sense of atmosphere and design, curates every detail of the house with warmth, sensitivity, and taste. Together with their loyal team, they create a place where authenticity, beauty, and tradition blend seamlessly.