In 1977 Jim & I had gone on our honeymoon to Zürs, Austria, and Ortisei, Italy. It was a PVS trip run by Bob & Margaret Wyckoff – the first of many happy European ski trips. The time in Zürs was memorable for the fabulous skiing and we had returned there with the Wyckoffs once again. Ortisei, however, in Val Gardena, held a special place in our hearts. The Wyckoffs had booked us all into the Post Hotel, but as is commonly true in Europe, not all the rooms were equal. Jim and I had a tiny room with a single bed and a cot, in the basement. We were devastated. IT WAS OUR HONEYMOON! We complained bitterly. Other PVSers who were equally disappointed with their rooms also protested. The two of us took matters into our own hands and visited a pleasant-looking place just across the street: the Stetteneck. It had a room available. We reserved it.

The Post Hotel, to its credit, and Margaret's negotiating skills, offered all the unhappy campers a full refund. We snapped it up. Others of our group had also found alternative hotels, but we were the only ones in the Stetteneck.

It was a delightful place and we fell in love with it.

Fast forward many years. Bob and Margaret had retired from running trips, but in 1997, the year of our 20th anniversary, Knox and Karen Felker were leading a trip to Val d'Isere, France. We had been there on an earlier Wyckoff trip and it was, and remains, one of our favorite ski destinations. We determined to join PVS there and arrange our own private celebration in Ortisei. In those long-ago days there was no easily accessible World-Wide Web or Trip Advisor or individual web sites for every small hostelry. We went to a travel agent (remember them?) to discover if the Stetteneck still existed and to book a week's stay. She also arranged air and train travel to Italy and then France to meet our PVS Friends.

It was quite an adventure! Follow the links for more....

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