Olympic Hotel – A Story of Mountains, Family and Olympic Spirit

Anyone who has travelled through the heart of Val di Fassa has heard of the Olympic Hotel one of the most beloved retreats in Vigo di Fassa, surrounded by the peaceful silence of the Dolomites.
A four-star adults-only mountain resort where guests discover the true essence of Trentino, Ladin culture and mindful wellbeing.

But behind this warm hospitality lies a story few know one filled with courage, dreams and deep mountain roots.

Today, the Pellegrin family continues to welcome guests with the same genuine smile and heartfelt hospitality that has always defined their home. Yet, their story began long before — with a man whose passion for the mountains became the soul of the Olympic.

“The Red Shirt”

a memory that lives on from 1975
This year marks five years since the passing of Carlo Pellegrin, the founder of the Olympic Hotel, together with his wife Paula.
Carlo was more than a hotelier, he was a man of the mountains, an athlete, and a dreamer whose story still inspires everyone who crosses the hotel’s threshold.

Among the many glowing reviews left by guests over the years — more than 800 on TripAdvisor, each filled with affection — one stands out: a heartfelt message written by Renzo Zuliani, a guest since 1975.
It’s a tribute that captures the essence of Carlo, known by all as Opa, the grandfather with a red shirt and an unbreakable spirit.

The Red Shirt

by Renzo Zuliani
“It was 1978, my first via ferrata Cima Dodici. I wanted to turn back, but Carlo wouldn’t let me. He took the carabiner, pulled me up with one arm and said, ‘Now go on.’

When we reached the top, he hung his red shirt on the summit cross so Paula could see him from the hotel his way of saying, ‘I made it. I’m safe.’

That moment changed my life. I fell in love with the mountains and with Carlo’s strength and heart as my guide.”
For those who knew him, this image remains timeless:
Carlo standing at the summit, the red shirt waving in the wind a symbol of courage, love and connection.

From Innsbruck 1964 to today  a dream that never faded
The name Olympic Hotel itself carries Carlo’s dream.
In 1964, he was set to compete in the Innsbruck Winter Olympics as a luge athlete  until an accident just before departure ended his Olympic hopes.
Yet, from that missed opportunity was born a new vision: a place where the Olympic spirit of determination, excellence and joy of life could live on the Olympic Hotel.

Decades later, history comes full circle.
Carlo’s granddaughter Caterina Carpano has carried forward that same flame competing in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in Snowboard Cross, a sport of courage and precision much like her grandfather’s.

The dream that once slipped through Carlo’s fingers has found new life in hers.
And through every smile, every welcome drink, and every guest who walks through our doors, his legacy endures.

A timeless family story in the Dolomites
The Olympic Hotel is more than a place to stay it’s a story of generations, written among the peaks of Trentino.
A place where the values of passion, family, and authenticity are as vivid as ever.

So, are you ready to be part of the story?
We await you in Vigo di Fassa, where dreams continue to live and where the red shirt still waves, softly, in the wind.

Discover the story of the Olympic Hotel, where every guest becomes part of our family.