Family Travel is Changing - Easter at Parkhotel Holzner

Family Travel is Changing - Easter at Parkhotel HolznerImages HEREFamily travel is changing. Industry data shows a steady rise in multi-generational holidays, alongside growing demand for nature-based destinations over city breaks. Parents are travelling with grandparents more often, children are increasingly shaping destination choices, and space, flexibility and time outdoors now rank higher than packed itineraries or novelty attractions.(Source: Gitnux Family Travel Statistics – https://gitnux.org/family-travel-statistics/)

Each year, just before Easter, this shift is reflected on the Ritten plateau above Bolzano. At 1,200 metres, Parkhotel Holzner reopens for the season, welcoming families back to the mountains. 

A Hotel That Understands How Families Actually Travel

Parkhotel Holzner has been accommodating families for generations. Since the early 1990s, the hotel has been deliberately shaped around the needs of multi-generational travel, well before it became a ‘trend’ - recognising that a successful holiday looks different depending on whether you are six, sixteen, forty-six or seventy-six.

At the hotel, children move easily between indoor and outdoor play spaces, supervised activities and the freedom of a 10,000-square-metre park. Parents divide their time between joining in and stepping away - for a hike, a tennis match, or a few quiet hours in the spa. Grandparents, meanwhile, tend to the rhythms they know best: long breakfasts, gentle walks, conversations stretched out over coffee. The layout at the hotel allows families to remain together without coordinating every hour - a practical advantage for multi-generational travel.

Mountain destinations are increasingly favoured by families precisely because they allow for this kind of overlap. Research points to nature-led holidays as a growing preference for families seeking calmer, more flexible environments that still offer variety.

(Source: Skyscanner Travel Trends – https://www.skyscanner.de/reisetrends/berge)

Spring in South Tyrol

Throughout Spring, guided family hikes with the hotel’s own guide, Harry, introduce guests manageable routes designed so that different generations can start at different points and meet along the way. 

For those who want activity closer to home, the hotel’s tennis courts and bike facilities are in constant use during Easter, when temperatures are mild and days lengthen. And when families are looking for the buzz of a lively city, the cable car next door connects guests to Bolzano in just 12 minutes.

Easter weather in the mountains can be unpredictable, and the hotel is set up to absorb that variability. Large indoor play areas keep younger children active when conditions limit time outdoors, while teenagers tend to use the dedicated games rooms. A supervised children’s programme runs daily, creating predictable windows of uninterrupted time for adults and older guests.

The same approach carries through to meals. Children can eat together or with their families, depending on age and preference. The kitchen works seasonally and with regional produce, adjusting portions and dishes so that meals function across age groups rather than separating them.

Wellness facilities are organised along similar lines. The Family Spa accommodates activity and noise, while the adjoining Liberty Spa offers a quieter environment that tends to be used by adults and grandparents, particularly later in the day.

Transport options: 

By Train*: 76.6 kg CO₂ per passenger, one way

1. St Pancras International to Bruxelles-Midi: 2 hours 1 minute, 1 stop (Eurostar)
2. Bruxelles-Midi to Cologne Central Station: 3 hours 10 minutes, 2 stops (Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn)
3. Cologne Central Station to Munich Central Station: 9 hours 48 minutes, 12 stops (Deutsche Bahn)
4. Munich Central Station to Bolzano/Bozen: 3 hours 55 minutes, 8 stops (Deutsche Bahn)

*other train routes are available 

By Plane (with Sky Alps): 216.09 kg CO₂ per passenger, one-way

1. London to Bolzano:
2. Fly from London to Bolzano with Sky Alps, which operates direct flights from London to Bolzano. 
3. Bolzano to Oberbozen:
4. From Bolzano, take the Ritten cable car to Oberbozen.

Prices: From 300 euros per room, per night 

About Parkhotel Holzner:

Parkhotel Holzner is a family-run hotel located 1,200 metres above sea level on the Oberbozen plateau, just above Bolzano in South Tyrol. The hotel, which blends the historic charm of its 1908 Alpine Jugendstil origins with a modern 2018 expansion, offers a balance of tradition and contemporary design. With spacious rooms and suites (an expansive wellness area featuring a heated outdoor pool and panoramic saunas, and a variety of treatments, the hotel provides an ideal setting for relaxation.

The hotel caters to families with a kids' club, family programmes, and a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, and mountain biking on the nearby Ritten plateau. The Green Michelin restaurant, 1908, showcases the flavours of South Tyrol, with an emphasis on local ingredients and sustainable practices. Guests also enjoy the convenience of the RittenCard, which offers access to public transportation, cable cars. A prime location with easy access to Bolzano, Parkhotel Holzner ensures both a peaceful retreat and direct proximity to the city’s cultural attractions.

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Editors notes

https://www.parkhotel-holzner.com/en