Sporthotel Zoll in Vipiteno – Sterzing: Hotel Review

rest.revivie.refuel© Sporthotel Zoll, a member of Vitalpina® Hotels Südtirol, is designed for performance athletes and active travelers seeking a wide range of sports and fitness activities and professional training facilities. Recreational and amateur athletes are equally well catered for, as the hotel’s offerings can be tailored to different fitness levels and individual needs.

This Sterzing hotel is unique in its concept; every guest is obliged to sign up for a sports program when making their booking: Vitalpina Outdoor Active (what we booked), Youth Performance & Family, Fitness Health, Running Elite, Bike Excellence, HYROX Performance, and Athletes Pro. 

Many of these programs offer a performance analysis & diagnostics at the start, personalized training programs, and recovery lab access. 

The Messner host family has always been deeply passionate about sports and movement. As former elite athletes, Michael in ice hockey and Kathrin in soccer, they bring their experience, dedication, and enthusiasm to every aspect of the hotel. Their active lifestyle and commitment to excellence shape the guest experience.

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Pros and Cons of Staying in Sporthotel Zoll

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The Location

Sporthotel Zoll is located 2 km north of Sterzing (Vipiteno) along the Via Brennero road (SS12) in South Tyrol. Centrally located in the Lower Wipptal, it’s a convenient base for exploring the town of Sterzing, Pflerschtal Valley in the Gossensass holiday region, Ratschings holiday region and Pfitschtal Valley.

Guests can access cycling routes and hiking trails (e.g. to Prantneralm) directly from the hotel’s doorstep. 

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Rest. Revive. Refuel Activity Programs

Beginning in summer 2026, Sporthotel Zoll is taking its sports concept a step further by introducing experience-based sport packages.

Rather than simply offering a place to stay, the hotel will provide complete training experiences for HYROX, fitness, running, biking, and outdoor enthusiasts. Most packages include targeted training sessions, detailed diagnostics, and personalized guidance, all centered on the philosophy of Rest. Revive. Refuel. It’s a holistic approach that recognizes nutrition and recovery as just as important as the training itself.

With the exception of the Vitalpina Outdoor Active program, all programs require a minimum stay of 5, or 7 nights: 

• Vitalpina Outdoor Active
• Youth Performance & Family
• Fitness Health
• Running Elite
• Bike Excellence
• HYROX Performance
• Athletes Pro Performance

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Vitalpina Outdoor Active Program 

The Vitalpina Outdoor Active Program is designed for the traditional active traveler (like us) who wants to spend most of their time outdoors. This program includes a reCARD Guest Card, reVIVE Active Program, Sporthotel Zoll inclusive services, and backpack and trekking poles for your stay.

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reVIVE Active Program

reVIVE includes guided e-bike and hiking tours, fitness training classes (mobility, functional training, ABS, yoga, and pilates classes), and sauna infusions. 

During our stay, we joined the guided e-bike tour to Allrissalm in Pflerschtal, which started directly from the hotel. The 35 km circular route, with around 700 m of elevation gain and loss, was an absolute blast. It’s an experience I never would have attempted on my own, as I’d never ridden on gravel tracks before, but the guide gave me the confidence to tackle it.

E-Bike Rental | Guests can rent e-bikes on-site. One e-bike rental per guest is included for free when you book the Vitalpina Outdoor Active Program. 

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reCard Guest Card

Vitalpina Outdoor Active Program guests receive a reCard Guest Card which includes:

• E-bike rental: 1x per stay free directly at the hotel
• Ladurns Cable Car: round trip including Mountaincart descent (1x per stay)
• Skytrek Sterzing High Ropes Park: single admission included (1x per stay)
• Gilfenklamm Gorge: admission included (1x per stay)
• Reifenstein Castle: admission included (1x per stay)
• Sterzing Golf Club: free entry

Before setting off, be sure to collect the voucher for your chosen activity from the hotel reception.The reCard, which you receive at check-in, is purely information. 

We decided to use our second day to hike the Gilfenklamm, a gorge that cuts through pure white marble. This 2-hour out-and-back hike connects Stange (Stranghe) with Jaufensteg (Ponte Giovo) in Ratschings Valley (Val Racines). Though there are a few alternative return routes, we decided to hike back through the gorge to the starting point, the coolest option on a hot day. 

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The Rooms

We stayed in a studio, a well-designed apartment with ample wardrobe space, a balcony overlooking the forest, and a well-equipped kitchen furnished with a microwave, stove, dishwasher, and fridge.

Despite staying at Sporthotel Sterzing during a heatwave, our room (though not equipped with air conditioning) stayed surprisingly cool throughout the day. We slept with the balcony door open each night, enjoying the constant birdsong and the soothing rush of the river below.

Room cleaning | For sustainability reasons, rooms and apartments are only cleaned upon request. 

Pillows | Guests can request special pillows like a TMX pillow, stone pine pillow, down pillow, memory foam pillow using the tablet provided in the room. 

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Wellness and Spa

The wellness area comprises an indoor (31°C) – outdoor pool (33°C), indoor whirlpool (36°C), and sauna zone. 

The sauna zone is a spacious and modern area with 5 saunas, a cold plunge pool, tea bar, and multiple relaxation spaces. There are daily sauna infusions as well. 

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Dining | reFUEL Vital Board (¾ Board) 

reFUEL Vital Board is a ¾ board dining concept, which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can also join a cooking class, offered at least once a week.  

Sporthotel Zoll’s cuisine follows its own nutrition concept, based on the “50:30:20” principle: 50% vegetables and fruit, 30% protein-rich foods, and 20% carbohydrates. Dishes are prepared with minimal fat using fresh, regional, and seasonal ingredients to provide your body with the nutrients it needs for both training and recovery. A large proportion of the ingredients come from the hotel’s own vegetable garden as well as from local producers,  fully in line with the philosophy of the Vitalpina® Hotels South Tyrol.

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Sustainability

Sporthotel Zoll places a strong emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency and has been climate-certified since 2013.

Electricity | The hotel generates its own renewable electricity using a hydroelectric power plant, which produces enough energy to cover the hotel’s annual electricity needs. 

Heating | Wood chip heating is used to provide heat in the entire building(s). 

Slippers | Guests are encouraged to bring their own slippers to reduce waste. Should you need slippers, guests are asked to donate 2 EUR to a local humanitarian organization. Thanks to this initiative, two drinking water wells in Namibia have already been funded.

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Vitalpina® Hotels Südtirol Quality Guarantee

Sporthotel Zoll is a member of Vitalpina® Hotels Südtirol, a collection of 30 family-run hotels in South Tyrol, united by shared values of sustainability, high-quality regional cuisine, slow travel, wellness, and nature. Every host aims to connect guests with their region and a more conscious way of living. 

Staying at a Vitalpina hotel means choosing a verified high-quality accommodation that fully immerses you in the South Tyrolean mountains. Guests enjoy support for outdoor activities, including gear rental, guided hikes, and maps; wholesome meals made with locally and regionally sourced ingredients; and thoughtfully designed wellness offerings, from spa treatments and sauna infusions to bespoke programs.

We love the brand because each hotel is embedded in nature, allowing guests to step outside and immediately connect with the beautiful outdoors. 

More Vitalpina® Hotels Südtirol:

• Alpenwellness Hotel St. Veit in Sexten
• Naturhotel Rainer in Ratschings
• DAS GERSTL Alpine Retreat in Upper Val Venosta
• Boutique Hotel Amaril in Lower Val Venosta
• Cyprianerhof Dolomit Resort in Val di Tires

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This review was created in collaboration with Vitalpina® Hotels Südtirol. All opinions, experiences, and impressions expressed are entirely my own.

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South Tyrol Travel Guides

Val Venosta:

• Ortler High Mountain Trail

Sterzing & Wipptal:

• Where to Stay in Sterzing

Pustertal:

• Where to Stay in San Candido
• Where to Stay in Sexten

Val Gardena:

• Best Val Gardena Hotels

Alta Badia:

• Best Alta Badia Hotels

Around Brixen:

• My Arbor Hotel
• Milla Montis Hotel

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