Help with Dolomite hikes and accommodations

Late August or early September is a great time to visit. August will be busy as it is peak season for Italian vacations, but if you can get lodging, the trails won't be too crowded. "Really nice hotel" is not something we seek out. we are more pensione or B&B people, and we often rent apartments. Here are a few we have enjoyed, though.

Hotel Albion is the most posh place we have stayed in Ortisei. It is a bit outside of town, but they have an on-demand shuttle to the lifts and to the village. Half pension, very nice.

Residence Astoria has lovely apartments with great views over the valley. We spent a month here last summer.

Villa Aurelia has B&B rooms as well as apartments. Right on the main street a five-minute walk from the bus piazza.

Hotel Garni Walter is a pensione and very nice. A short uphill walk from the center.

Gran Tubla is high above Ortisei to the north and has lovely apartments. I think they do B&B as well. You'll want to take a taxi up here when you have luggage, otherwise walkable.

There is plenty of hiking in the Val Gardena for three days. No need to make the long drive to the Tre Cime. The Alpe di Siusi is right above Ortisei, you can go to Selva and hike at Passo Sella, plenty of challenges at Seceda as well. Your lodging will give you a pass for using local buses during your stay. Buy a Val Gardena pass for the lifts.

We loved the Hotel Grones in Ortisei. It is run by the nicest family you will ever meet. The rooms are large and spotless and the hotel is close to the town center and to the lifts that bring you up the hills. The food is also fabulous definitely get the dinner option (something I never do elsewhere). You won't regret it!

I completely agree with Linda. Hotel Grones is fantastic, and definitely get the dinner plan. This is something we never do, but we made an exception because the reviews of the food were so good. Best decision we ever made.

Last few days of August will definitely be better weather than mid-Sept.
It starts snowing before end of Sept. at the high elevations.

It also will be much more crowded, probably harder and more expensive to get lodging as well.

Stayed at Hotel Genziana in Ortisei and loved it. Much more luxurious than I thought, postcard pretty, the included amenity list is insane and thought the location ideal.
Doing a meal plan including Dinners is the norm in that area and definitely worth every penny. The meals were fantastic and I never do a dinner meal plan.

Don't think I would drive to Tre Cime to do that hike from Ortisei if not staying overnight.

We stayed at the Gardena Grodnerhof in January and loved it. I can't wait to go back next year. The hotel is pricey, but the rooms and amenities are top notch.
Hiking: The front desk/concierge is extremely knowledgeable about the local hikes- they even have an in-house expedition person, Karlheinz, who takes people out every day (free if you stay at the hotel) and can also do more customized hikes. If you speak to the hotel they may be able to recommend some good hikes. There's also a hiking school called Catores (?) that organizes climbs and hikes and can give you info as well.
Ortisei is tiny and its inhabitants have deep roots there. They know a lot about the area, and you won't find any "transplants" from other parts of the country leading hikes.
Hope you end up there. It's beautiful!

The hike around the Tre Cime is quite spectacular...if you are an early riser you can drive there (it's about 1 hr 45 mins), hike around the massif, and then drive home. A bit of a long day but, IMHO, the hike is worth it! I like to get up really early and I've done this hike from Klausen, which is about the same distance from Ortisei.
I'm hiking in the Dolomites in September and we're staying at the Hotel Uhrerhof-Deur on the recommendation of several people on this forum. The website makes it look beautiful and I have to say that they were extremely communicative and accommodating with some specific requests we had. I'm SO looking forward to it!