A Weekend at Arosea Life Balance Hotel, Ultental
Situated in a remote valley in the beautiful Italian region of South Tyrol, this hotel recommendation is one of another kind. The Arosea Life Balance Hotel might not sound very familiar however, is ranked five-stars and therefore part of the top hospitality in the region. Still, it’s a posh place to stay in the breathtaking setting of the Ultental, a short ride from both Bolzano and Merano - two of my favourite spots in the Alps. No matter if you go there for a family getaway, girls getaway or with your loved one, this resort is tailored to quite a few target groups - and yes while I was impressed how this is possible, I was shown that such thing indeed exists. This time I took my mum for a relaxing weekend and a quite short Cabrio ride later, we found ourselves in what looked like a genuinely eco-friendly palace blending into nature most perfectly.
Following a more casual approach, it doesn’t need to have all the luxuries one might be used from the good old grand hotels. In today‘s times, however, there is less demand for all the classic luxuries. Do you really need a 24 hours room service when you have a half board at its best? Is it necessary to have a minibar when you can get the freshest water from the tap? Arosea focusses on the three elements sheep wool, swiss pine and slate. Namely Detox, Cocooning and Carness - these pillars make up the base of the property, and the materials are the main components of the building. I love the idea to bring in local products and let the hotel blend into the landscape naturally. Upon arrival, the welcome was amiable, and the lady from the front desk even showed us the hotel before we headed to our suite. To be honest, I didn‘t expect this kind of service, especially since they don‘t have bellmen and valet parking. With an atrium, the lobby made a very airy impression, and locals can also easily join the bar setting in the afternoon without passing the other parts of the hotel.
My suite was located on the second floor of the property in the suite sector of the hotel. All the entry-level rooms with balcony are situated in the wing above the restaurant while the suites have vast terraces and directly overlook the lake. Compared the international standards, South Tyrol is quite unique when it comes to price strategies. While you pay high prices for entry-level rooms, suites are just a little bit more expensive. This occurs because the offer in terms of food and facilities is used similarly by every guest. Hence you can get a suite for as low as 350 euros for two persons including half board while the entry-level category sells for 270 euros for the same service. That‘s why I love to go for a suite in this kind of regions. As much as I love space when travelling, this game ends in London and Paris where suites actually cost twice as much as rooms. Back to Ultental, I was absolutely happy with my assigned suite. According to the website, stayed in a Life Balance Suite with a south-facing terrace.
Without a doubt, the main highlight of the suite was the private sauna on the terrace. Next to the spacious terrace with table and chairs, we had a cosy bedroom with sheep wool carpet and a double bed. A walk-in wardrobe connected the bedroom with the entree where we had a guest toilet. Right next to the entrance was the spacious bathroom that came with bathtub, double vanities, walk-in shower and powder desk with mirror and chair. All the amenities were hotel branded and smelled very lovely, reminding me of the nature outside the property. Bear in mind that they don‘t do a turndown service so remember to reuse your towels for the evening shower. Being the centre of the suite, the living room had a sofa, two pouffes, a writing desk and a tap with a water bottle replacing the minibar. The last room was either a living room addition or a twin-bedded children’s bedroom. It was actually quite convenient for us since they don‘t have twin bedded master bedrooms. I leave it open on who had the privilege to sleep in the master bedroom. Overall, the suite was very comfortable and had a very homey feeling.
Let‘s get to the wellness area - the highlight of the Arosea Life Balance Hotel. The first attraction is a huge indoor pool with a warm and connected outdoor space for lounging. Right next to the outdoor area of the pool is the natural lake of the hotel (not the vast lake I was talking of before), which was a bit chilly but perfect for cooling off during hotter days. I love hotels with a natural lake as you know they are correctly maintained and it still feels like a real mountain lake. Another fantastic spot in the wellness was the sauna area spreading over two floors. I can‘t remember if I have ever seen an actual sauna with lounge chairs to chill inside. However, I absolutely loved it. Furthermore, there was a biological sauna, a steam room, a herbal sauna and a Finnish one. All in all, I was kept entertained for both two days I was there - so I can say the spa is quite beautiful.
The last huge pillar we are talking about is the food at the Arosea Life Balance Hotel. Every room booking includes the half board, which means you don’t have to pay extra for breakfast and dinner. While breakfast is served in the form of a buffet only, dinner is a mixture of buffet and service. You can help yourself from the salad buffet as well as from the bread offer and the various spreads and butter selection. All the warm dishes are served, just like the dessert. One day I had an excellent pasta dish made of squid tagliatelle that came with scallops - WOW. Also, the pumpkin soup was extremely tasty, and the duck fillet with puree was also super delicious and cooked perfectly. Since the wine list looked very attractive, I went for a posh bottle of South Tyrolean Chardonnay every evening. They both were absolutely fabulous and matched the menu entirely. I chose the wines by myself and didn‘t see a head sommelier anywhere, so I am not sure if their wine knowledge is as good as the expertise on spirits of the bar team. Favourite of mine: the considerable selection of Gin.
Overall, we had a truly relaxing weekend getaway in one of the prettiest regions in the world. Unfortunately, the resort is a bit too far away from Merano to make it my new official place to stay during the Merano Wine Festival, which I try to attend at least every two years. However, it is totally worth to travel to the yet unknown Ultenvalley and enjoy the beauty of nature and the hotel. The food is delicious, the spa very well done and the rooms are spacious enough to spend a week. I also loved the fact that the two owners are working in the service for the dinner service. This way, you feel the personal touch and see that they care a lot about the guests and their feedback.
Disclaimer: During our stay, we were guests of the Arosea Life Balance Hotel for editorial purposes. Opinions are our own as usual and have not been influenced. Luxury Executive is a blog published by tourism experts and all reviews purely focus on the hotel and destination.
