The building housing Orso Grigio (‘Grey Bear’) dates back to 1303, when it was used by traders passing through the area (the northern Italian section of South Tyrol, bordering Austria). Later, the hotel had to endure the brutal conflicts of the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, before being transformed into a military hospital for Austro-Hungarian troops in World War One. The hotel’s owner, Hedwig Hellenstainer, helped care for the troops and was awarded a Military Merit Medal.