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Why book?
For a totally regenerative and sustainably minded break in the crisp mountain air.
Set the scene
Up here on the south-facing slope of the Plose mountain there's no getting away from the awe-making views of the snaggle-tooth Dolomite peaks. As you'd expect from a hotel with a huge spa, all manner of saunas (from herbal to a cabin in the forest) and access to the high-Alpine trails of the region, the crowd is sinewy and sporty. But then there's plenty of room for cocktails at sunset too – Forestis claims to have the highest rooftop bar in the world.
The backstory
The young local couple behind this place, Stefan Hinteregger and Teresa Unterthiner, wanted to create a destination that was supremely rooted in their native region. Stefan's hotelier father Alois came across the old building on the site 21 years ago (previously planned as a sanatorium) and realised the potential of the location. The current iteration was six years in the making, with Teresa and Stefan, who returned from working in Asia to drive the new hotel project, collaborating with local architects and artisans to extend the original 100-year-old structure, adding three towers of suites and the vast glass-and-stone spa.
The rooms
Every room here has widescreen views of the craggy Dolomites. Those in the traditional old building look out over geranium-potted balconies while the slick new suites, in towers that rise like tree stumps from the forest, have floor-to-ceiling sliding windows and are clad in fragrant pinewood. Every element of the pared-back interiors was sourced from South Tyrol, from the Dolomite stone in the tactile bathrooms which is covered in eco-friendly beeswax to the oatmeal-coloured fabrics. If you can, it's worth splashing out on the two-floor penthouse suite which has its own pool, spruce-wood sauna and open fire. But the best bit is going to bed with the curtains open to watch the moon over the inky peaks and stargaze from under the cosy covers.
Food and drink
As with everything else at Forestis, the kitchen aims to be waste-free (they even designed their own wooden delivery boxes for suppliers). This means foraged ingredients such as pickled pine shoots will appear on the menu alongside produce that has travelled minimal food miles: mountain artichokes with barley and herb oil; home-made potato mezzelune with mountain-cheese fonduta and wild spinach; forest-fruit mousse with buttermilk ice cream. It's hearty cooking but with a lightness of touch and a detox menu is offered every night for guests wanting to ramp up the wellbeing element. Dinner feels like a dress-up affair, served in the low-lit amphitheatre-shaped restaurant where every table is in its own curved little booth facing the mountains for maximum views. Breakfast is a huge spread of mueslis, cured meats, cheeses, South Tyrol fruit, cakes, bread and even multiple local honeys. Some guests may be sweating out the extra pounds in the sauna but others gather on the terrace come 3pm for kaffee und kuchen (the cream-filled chestnut cake is a highlight). And later on in the slick, dark-walled bar, innovative, earthy cocktails are spiked with findings from the forest, from sprigs of fir to fragrant bark.
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The spa
Treatments and activities at the spa are inspired by the Celts who once roamed these forests. So instead of Indian-rooted Ayurveda or chi-moving massage, there's a tree-circle-ceremony therapy involving small slabs of evergreen wood and all-natural products. The spa itself is light-filled and spacious. Climb the stone spiral staircase, carved in the shape of a fossil found in the mountains, to reach treatment rooms with picture-frame windows through which to take in the Dolomite views. There's also every type of sauna you could imagine (the etiquette is no clothes, so leave your swimsuit and your inhibitions outside) and a long, lap-worthy indoor/outdoor pool.
The area
Getting out onto the slopes in all seasons is what a visit to this part of South Tyrol is about. There's a ski lift a few minutes' walk from the hotel and a raft of rambling trails. Alternatively, sign up for the guided hikes and Wyda walks in the weekly schedule. Multilingual Stefan leads the latter, which involves druid-inspired meditation under the forest canopy and gentle Wyda yoga postures by rushing mountain streams. The local village of Palmschoss, with its wooden chalets and hale-and-hearty Alpine restaurants, is known for its spring water which flows from taps at the hotel. The area also has above-average days of sunshine.
The service
Supremely efficient, as you'd expect from this part of the world, but also warm and fun. Staff will linger for a chat yet be attuned to when you're deeply engrossed in a holiday page-turner (and that cream-filled cake).
Eco effort
Owner Teresa has worked hard to ensure all materials at Forestis were sourced from South Tyrol. For every tree felled in the development of the hotel two saplings were planted, and what's more for every day that a guest decides to forgo housekeeping a new tree will be planted (there's a nifty switch in your room so staff know). The hotel runs entirely on renewable energy, the kitchen (and indeed the whole property) operates a no-waste policy, food is sourced from local suppliers and a kitchen garden produces vegetables and herbs. Bathroom and spa products are made from 100-per-cent natural ingredients, and dental and shaving kits are completely biodegradable.
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Accessibility for those with mobility impairments
There are wheelchair-accessible rooms and the restaurant has a lift.
Hotel address: Forestis Dolomites, Palmschoss 292, 39042 Brixen, Italy
Website: forestis.it
Phone number: +39 0472 521 008
Price: from about £340
Book your stay
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