August 18, 2026, 11:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
What was once a magnificent hotel with a fantastic view of Lake Garda is now a dilapidated ruin. For some, the “Casa della Trota” is one of the most interesting lost-place attractions in the tourist area, captivating with its unique construction directly on the rock. However, the building is now being demolished to make way for new construction projects.
What makes the former hotel so unique?
What makes the so-called “Hotel Ponale” or “Forellenhaus” so special is primarily its architecture. The former hotel is built directly onto a cliff and is distinguished by its breathtaking view of Lake Garda. The restaurant is located on the Ponale River, which flows from the Ledro Valley waterfall on the western shore into Lake Garda.
The inn had only 18 rooms and was mainly operated as a restaurant. The hotel got the name “Forellenhaus” from a dish featuring self-caught trout. The facility could be reached by boat via the hotel’s private dock or by car through the tunnel above.
Restaurant had to close
Due to high maintenance costs–such as securing against rockfalls–and also due to difficult traffic connections and the resulting lack of customers, the restaurant was closed more than 25 years ago.
Since then, the house has stood empty. Only the “STORANTE” remains of the restaurant sign, giving the abandoned building the rundown flair that makes it a remote lost place.
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Popular lost-place attraction
Entering the building is prohibited. Nevertheless, one can see on social media and from the outside of the ruin that not everyone takes the ban seriously. Graffiti can be seen on the exterior wall, and social media features videos of people jumping from the high balconies of the former hotel. However, the illegal hotspot will soon be history.
Area purchased for 2.3 million euros
For a long time, it was unclear what would become of the ruin. In July 2026, the Italian daily newspaper “Corriere della Sera” reported that the government of Trento had purchased the area for 2.3 million euros. Their idea is to demolish the decayed parts of the dilapidated hotel and preserve the parts of the building that are of historical value.
The hiking trail “Strada del Ponale” particularly benefits from the demolition. By exposing the cliff, the popular route can be connected with the shore of Lake Garda. A small side path is to lead from the road to the water, enriching the experience for visitors.
And the bike path “Ciclovia del Garda” can also be extended on this section due to the demolition. With the hotel ruin gone, plans for building a tunnel are also obsolete, which in turn saves costs.
The province explained the purchase of the ruin by stating that “the environmental and landscape quality of a particularly valuable area” should be restored. According to “Gardaseezeitung“, construction work is scheduled to start in October 2027.