Hotel alla Posta
150 years of hospitality
The story of Hotel alla Posta, well known as Posta, is the story of our Family and territory. But let’s not forget that first of all is the story of our team of skilled people and clients who made us celebrating 150 years of success.
With them we shared good and bad times, success and failures and it’s for these reasons that they are the pillars of our goals.
The Pra Family
The Pra Family, 7 generations of hotelier management, faced every kind of vicissitudes (floods, fires and two World Wars). One and a half century in order to be a 4 stars hotel.
The story began in 1866 when Michele Pra, 34 years old, starts understanding the strategic importance of the village of Caprile. This is the year of the annexation of the Veneto region to Italy and Caprile is the meeting point of horses and coaches: towards Selva di Cadore, Rocca Pietore, Livinallongo and Belluno.
Being so aware about this strategic position, Michele Pra decided to offer a new service to the people who where going through the village and built the hotel “Posta”: it was similar to a lodging, with a stall for horses and a change for coaches.
This new lodging is the beginning of a story of people who dedicated their lives to hospitality.
In this period guests where almost all travelers, most of all foreigners from England and Belgium. The principal attraction, aside from Marmolada, Pelmo and Civetta mountains, is Sass da Ronch, the biggest limestone rock of Marmolada of 200 x 100 mt. with cliff sides. Years later tourism started being characterized by climbers and the Posta is the promoter of magical excursions thanks to the alpine guides of Caprile.
In 1880 the son of Michele Pra took the his place. He was an hunter and he was passionate of the public sector. In fact he had been municipal administrator for two legislations and elected in the Province of Belluno.
The first natural magnet had placed in 1882 when an unexpected flood overwhelmed the village. Thanks to the influence of Floriano Pra in the province of Belluno there were made the river banks of Cordevole, still in place today.
On 19 September 1985 a terrible fire started in Caprile and Posta were destroyed.
These events demonstrate how sacrifice, union and perseverance of the mountain people permitted to Caprile to gain again its beauty. Posta has been rebuilt with 30 beds.
On 25 January 1903, thanks to the entrepreneurship of Floriano, was established the fire station of Caprile.
Although the difficulties, Caprile remained an important point for travelers and Posta started receiving German, english, Holland, American and Russian guests.
On 24 May 1915 Italy took part of the war.
Caprile is on the boarder and became the focus point for soldiers and troops: houses were hit. The Posta had been confiscated to be the base of the Brigate Sassaru, Alpi and Basilicata. Also in the hotel were staying Garibaldi and Cadorna generals. In 1918 the Italians troops destroyed deposits and storage rooms in order to don’t leave anything to the enemy: Posta was completely destroyed.
When the war was finished the village was completely gone but Posta had been rebuilt again another time.
Floriano died in 1928 and the son Baldassarre took his place.
Baldassarre had to face the ’29 crisis and the year after another fire hit the hotel who went destroyed after just being rebuilt with even two more floors.
After the Second World War that partially touched Caprile compared to the first one, Baldassarre decided to build a new restaurant room in order to enlarge the service offered to the guests.
Nel 1959 the son Floriano started working with the father and he started a new innovative phase. Th restaurant was transformed in a proper hall for parties with a capacity of 200 people. The restaurant “Al Postin” is the business card that gives even more prestige to the building. In 1964 also the brother Franck took his place to help in the management of the Posta.
But on 4 November 1966, a huge flood hit the entire province. Floriano, vice mayor of Caprile, noticed that the children of the orphanotrophy where still in the old nursery. So, with the help of the nuns had been able to bring them in a safer place in the hoghest part of the square. Going back home, with his body in half water, Florian found himself trapped in a huge amount of water and to save himself climbed on a pole screaming help. Two friends who saw him brought him home. Aldo Moro, Prime Minister who knew about Floriano’s experience declared Florian as knight of the Italian Republic.
Posta had several damages and the hotel was closed until the summer 1967.
FLORIANO e MARISA
Floriano and Marisa married in 1956. Sergio, Rita e Paola were born. they were a very successful couple: they combined the experience and instinct of hotelier manager with the art of pastry. Marisa is the daughter of a famous pastry chef of Venice who tramandate his recipes to the hotel to make it even more unique.
In 1971 was built Sporthotel Arabba that still today is managed by Franco and Renata.
In September 1973 Posta was all renovated and in 1974 was opened the new building.
The hotel was completely renewed and offered more services with a capacity of 100 rooms. In 1981 it gained the 4th star. In the same time, Floriano continued his political carrier that helped the developing of the village and the mountain area. In fact at the time he covered important roles: Mayor, resident of the Mountain Community and Vice President of the Region.
SERGIO e DANIELA
In 1986 Sergio and Daniel got married abd together they are still managing Hotel alla Posta.