“The most beautiful work of architecture in the world” is how the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier described the Dolomites. Stretching across the largely German-speaking, Austrian-influenced region of South Tyrol in north-east Italy, the towering, snow-capped “Pale Alps” that make up the mountain range—a UNESCO World Heritage site—have a fantastical, otherworldly beauty, with 18 “three-thousanders” (mountains exceeding 3,000 meters above sea level).
Famous as one of the world’s premier skiing and snowboarding destinations, the Dolomites are increasingly popular, too, with hikers, climbers, and mountain bikers. Cable cars and ski lifts stay open longer each year to provide access to the mountains in the fall, as well as summer.
The region already has some of Italy’s most outstanding hotels, which more than justify their place among the majestic mountains, but travelers are about to be even more spoilt for choice, with South Tyrol currently seeing a flurry of new openings and major renovations and refurbishments as the region gears up for the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
All eyes are on Aman take over of Rosa Alpina, which is expected to open this summer, along with its Michelin three-star restaurant St. Hubertus. Adults-only brand Casa Cook will also launch its first Italian hotel this summer (expect laidback luxury) in the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort, while glamorous new offering the First Cortina by The Pavilions should be ready by the end of the year in Cortina.
But until then, here’s a peek at the seven best hotels in the Dolomites, from traditional alpine chalets to minimalist masterpieces.
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COMO Alpina Dolomites
Image Credit: Courtesy of COMO Alpina Dolomites From underfloor heating, glass-contained fireplaces, and in-shower back-heating treatments in the vast suites to mountain-facing lounge areas across the hotel, COMO Alpina Dolomites has got the cosy factor nailed. COMO took over the former Alpina Dolomites in December 2023, a striking white-stone modern hotel in Alpe di Siusi, one of Europe’s largest, high-altitude plateaus. Nearby cables cars offer easy access to the mountains for hiking, mountain biking, and golf in the summer and beginner-to-hardcore skiing and snowboarding in the winter. The hotel opened for its first summer season in June last year following an extensive refurbishment that included updated suites and new dining options: There are now four restaurants, including steaks and gourmet pizzas at Alpina Chalet Grill and Bar and fine Italian cuisine at the Trattoria Dell’Alpe. Staff set the bar for service mountain-high—friendly, helpful, thoughtfully pre-emptive. The 22-meter indoor pool, blending into the outdoor pool with mountain views, is magnificent, and the world-class COMO Shambhala Spa is massive, with a futuristic-looking Space Curl 3-D machine, designed by NASA to improve physical fitness.
Rooms from $576
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Miramonti
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramonti At 1,230 meters above sea level, with views of an opposing mountain skyline, apple orchards, the town of Merano far below, and horses grazing next to the little white Santa Catarina church next door, Miramonti’s saltwater infinity pool can stake a claim to being one of the most spectacular relaxation spots in the Dolomites. But there are many more places to soak up the scenery at this sleek 44-room boutique hotel—including minimalist suites with outdoor terraces, the spa’s Japan-inspired onsen pool, and the floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the fine dining Panorama restaurant. Skiers will want to head out to the renowned Merano 2000 area, but other activities are available, including walks in the Miramonti’s 30-acre forest and nearby waterfalls. Or rent E-Bikes to explore further afield. The hotel also recently opened their MONTI “climate house,” which is heated with geothermal energy. With access to the hotel’s facilities, but added forest seclusion, MONTI’s divided into three individual apartments, each able to host two to five people, with handmade furniture and a Finnish wood-fired rooftop sauna. Of course, the whole house can also be booked out (from $2,719).
Rooms from $544
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Hotel La Perla
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hotel La Perla The ionic Hotel La Perla has been in the village of Corvara since 1956 and feels, at times, like a timewarp, with the appearance of a classic alpine chalet inside and out. There are bright flowers on the balconies, light wooden floors and walls in the suites, and welcoming staff robed in traditional lederhosen or dirndls. Cosy low-ceilinged Les Stües restaurant, serving traditional Tyrolean fare, also has the look of a local Ladin (regional culture) home. Unforgettable balcony views of Sassongher mountain feel timeless, and having 30,000 bottles in the hotel’s Mahatma wine chamber will never go out of style. But this isn’t a hotel stuck in the past. A refurbishment of all top floor suites, and a total renovation of the Salus Per Aquam spa was completed over the last two years, favoring wood interiors over marble and minimalism, with an indoor swimming pool, five treatment rooms, two saunas, a Kneipp hydrotherapy facility, ice room, steam room, and relaxation spaces. Chef Simone Cantafio, who earned the hotel’s La Stüa de Michil restaurant a Michelin star, also just launched his new INCÖ (meaning “today”) concept, served to groups in a candle-lit chamber, where there’s no menu and guests don’t know what they’ll be eating (only that it will be a feast of “spontaneous” dishes decided that morning, utilizing local farm fresh ingredients).
Rooms from $571
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Forestis
Image Credit: Courtesy of Forestis Favoring “the art of simplicity”, this serene adults-only mountain retreat on the southern slope of Plose mountain, nearly 1,940 meters above sea level, strives to connect guests with nature, with unforgettable mountain views from suites, outdoor activities (hiking, mountain biking, ski-in/ski-out skiing, snowshoeing . . .), a spa with an indoor/outdoor pool, and outward-looking mindfulness spaces. Spa treatments take inspiration from four native ‘healing’ trees (mountain pine, spruce, larch, and Swiss pine), while head chef Roland Lamprecht creates innovative ‘Forest Cuisine’ with seasonal ingredients from local farmers and foraged from the surrounding forest, with a new seven-course dinner menu every day. Forestis reopened in June 2024 with a new Garden Restaurant (which has a show kitchen and a constantly changing menu), a new wine cellar for tastings and private-dining experiences, and new spa suites with treatment beds, bathtubs, relaxation areas, and steam baths. In December 2024, the owners are also set to launch a new secluded Forestis Villa—from 20,000 Euros ($21,750) per night—which has 1,300 square feet of private living space across three floors, five bedrooms (able to host up to 10 guests in total), living room, kitchen, and cinema, as well as its own wine cellar and a spa with a treatment room, Finnish sauna, and steam bath. The villa will also have a heated indoor-outdoor pool, a garden area with outdoor kitchen, and a lounge area with a fireplace for warm evening gatherings, plus a private chef and personal concierge at guests’ disposal.
Rooms from $870
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Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa
Image Credit: Courtesy of Gardena Grödnerhof Hotel & Spa Located in the prime skiing area Val Gardena, steps away from the center of the lively mountain village of Ortisei, Gardena Grödnerhof, a Relais & Châteaux property, is a grand traditional hotel dating back to 1923. It’s known for impeccable service, flower-decorated balconies, and Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant, Anna Stuben, run by chef Reimund Brunner. A ski concierge service shuttles guests to and from the slopes, with cable cars close-by to reach the summits. The Gardena Spa has a spacious indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, Finnish sauna, aromatic steam bath, cold water pool, and treatment rooms, plus a ladies-only spa area. New as of last year, the spa now offers “cold therapy” Zerobody Cryo technology, which exposes the body to temperatures of 4 to 6 degrees, as well as three newly launched wellness programmes: active, detoxification, and relaxation.
In December, the hotel opened four new 800-square-foot Seceda Chalet Suites, with a third restaurant, La 4 Sajons, also added to its collection. The current Gardena restaurant is also being renovated, and Anna Stuben is moving to a new setting in an adjacent building.
Rooms from $598
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Sonnweis
Image Credit: Courtesy of Sonnweis Not just family-friendly, but family-only, Sonnweis goes all out to keep children happily entertained, with an entire floor dedicated to playrooms, a softplay course, plastic racing cars, toys and games, an outdoor adventure playground, sandpits, and a go-kart course. There’s also an on-site organic farm, tractor rides, pony rides, petting zoo, and a pair of wandering alpacas, not to mention ice cream on tap from a little cart in the afternoons. Staff lead a range of indoor and outdoor activities, including face-painting, art classes, and forest foraging, with hours of free childcare and babysitting services available if parents want to hit the spa, hike, ski, or enjoy the long-forgotten luxury of doing nothing. There’s nothing Disney-fied about this hillside chalet’s rooms and suites, which have smart hardwood floors, high ceilings, big round bathtubs, elegant lighting, and woodburning heaters hanging from the ceilings. Mini deckchairs for kids next to the adult chairs are a particularly cute touch on the balconies, which look out over the tranquil Luzon valley’s forested hills and mountains. In the evenings, a tantalizing buffet is provided for kids, with a choice of three (Italian, South Tyrolean, or Vegan) five-course tasting menus each night for adults. Last December, a new lobby with a grand fireplace and mountain views and three new family suites with in-room spa treatment areas opened. The hotel’s also recently started weekly Farm Days for families to get a taste of South Tyrolean life “as it used to be.”
Rooms from $761
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Castel Fragsburg
Image Credit: Courtesy of Castel Fragsburg A former 17th-century hunting lodge, Castel Fragsburg, another Relais & Châteaux hotel, sits on a mountain ledge overlooking the town of Merano. With just 20 floral-wallpapered suites, this luxury hideaway is one of the smallest hotels in the Dolomites, set inside 12 acres of private flower-filled gardens. Chef Egon Heiss’s presents creative takes on ancestral South Tyrolian and Italian recipes using local ingredients (venison, trout . . .) on Michelin-starred restaurant Prezioso’s spectacular terraces. Fragsburg’s available activities include ‘biophilia hikes’ to explore medicinal herbs, flowers and trees, and helicopter tours, while the Alchemistic Healing Spa Castellum Natura offers full-body treatments, massages, healing baths, and personal beauty treatments with an emphasis on “healing” herbs and nature. There’s also an outdoor heated pool, hot tub, garden gym, and the Fragsburg Sanctuarium treehouse for yoga. In early 2024, the hotel opened the Soul Luxury Suite, with antique furniture, a private infrared cabin (sauna using infrafred panels), and a spacious terrace with views across the valley. An apartment within the historic walls of their own medieval castle on the hillside above the hotel was also added. It’s the only accommodation in the 14th-century castle.
Rooms from $544
