A Weekend at Forestis Dolomites, South Tyrol
“The perfect wellness retreat for the discerning aesthetic traveler of the 21st century”
It’s this time of year again when you seek for hiding away and pamper yourself with some me-time. I was in the mood for something special to flee the short and wet autumn days. Having a shortlist of properties that are worth a sweet escape is a plus when being as spontaneous as me so it didn’t take long until I booked a room at the Forestis Dolomites. A place that’s on my list since it opened one-and-a-half years ago. The sleek design and stunning pictures made me believe that this is the wow-hotel the Alps needed. Lucky me, the drive was very short and didn’t only lead me through Brixen (stop for shopping at Maximilian and lunch at Elefant or Finsterwirt) but along a stellar route I have never taken before – and I have taken almost every road in South Tyrol. So we were driving up the windy serpentines towards Plose ski resort and were impressed by how rural it got minute-to-minute. A luxury hotel of world-class calibre at the end of this windy and narrow street? Turns out this is the only way to reach Forestis and makes the property even more unique.
In the middle of a foggy soup, the GPS turned on again lead us to the left and stated we were nearly there. Slowly we began to see a tower heading up in the clouds and we immediately felt transported to a James Bond movie set. A gate was indicating the hotel’s name very discreetly and upon ringing the bell and mentioning the reservation name, the heavy gates opened. Passing by the “new” part of Forestis, the main entrance was located at the former Rosalpina hotel (before the renovation and extension, the hotel was called Rosalpina) – a heritage building blending in the Plose region incredibly well. Just by looking at the heritage building, you would never expect to find design heaven behind the glass doors. Neither would I have expected to find one of the world’s finest luxury hotels at this remote spot in the middle of South Tyrol.
Check-in was friendly and we got a glass of water along with refreshing towels, which has been a nice touch. The staff at the front desk seemed a bit insecure and were not yet on par with the rest of the hotel. They also didn’t remember our names nor room number even though occupancy during our stay was somewhat 30 per cent. We were shown around the property and also accompanied to our Tower Suite – a generous gesture of the hotel that they have upgraded us from the booked double room. The double rooms and simple suites are located in the totally renovated Rosalpina part of the hotel while the Tower Suites and Penthouses are located in the three skyscrapers. Best of all: there are just two Tower Suites per floor so you only have neighbours to one side and therefore an upgraded amount of privacy. While I loved the spacious layout of our suite, I felt like they could have planned more windows especially in the back of the suite as in the bathroom or closet area.
The main highlight of the suite was the huge glass front opening up to the Dolomites with a terrace that had a day bed which they also make up for outdoor sleeping. The sofa area was also very cosy and had a totally rustic yet modern ambience thanks to the tiled fireplace next to it. I was impressed to see welcome amenities like a welcome letter, pralines and fruit basket – normally South Tyrolean hotels forget about these little details. Honestly, I did not have high expectations towards the bed but in the end, it was one of the best hotel beds I have experienced so far. Linen was of the highest quality and the blanket and pillows were exactly as they should be. While some might find the design of the bathroom a bit too simple, I loved how the sleek stone fits the wooden alpine theme. All amenities were hotel-branded, however were of high quality and definitely worth to be taken home.
“The place South Tyrol has always been waiting for”
Let’s not forget why people might choose Forestis after all: the wellness area. Considered to be one of the sexiest spas in Europe right now, I can totally understand the hype. While the indoor pool with its discreet cocooning day beds is a winner itself, the outdoor infinity pool comes with a perfect temperature, jacuzzi loungers and again the amazing view I was talking about before. I can’t remember a hotel where I spent such a long time swimming. Even though it felt as if I would have only stayed in the water, I also made it to every sauna happening in their main panoramic sauna. Thanks to the excellent post-pandemic design, I never felt I was sitting too close to other guests and this made the spa stay a very relaxing one, to be honest. I do not really pay attention to the pandemic requirements but in my inner self, I can tell if I feel comfortable or not. Here, at the Forestis I would definitely be fine staying also during the cold winter months without feeling insecure about my health. If that’s not reason enough to book a stay here, I would also suggest having a nap in the relaxation room - a stunning piece of art that has been transported to the remotest place in South Tyrol.
Speaking of highlights, the Forestis comes with two ultra-luxe features. The first one is their unparalleled spa and second is the main dining area that looks like a huge cinema playing the most spectacular program of all: a fine dining menu with a selection of a la carte classic dishes, a wine list with quite an array of rarities and a stellar vista of South Tyrol’s most amazing Dolomites range - the Geisler range. Every course served was mouth-watering and worth a Michelin-star. From the beginning to the end, everything was perfect. Starting with friendly service, top-notch tableware, excellent sommelier skills and a restaurant atmosphere that I haven’t seen before in ten years of hotel reviewing. Chapeau!
Summing up, this property is an absolute go-to-place and this is reflected by their recent price increases. While we paid about 350 euros for two including half board, rooms currently start at 700 something for two. I would say that is exactly what you would need to pay for a hotel of this calibre and array of amenities you get, however, it is not a secret hidden place anymore and definitely not the bargain it used to be. The only problem is, that I absolutely fell in love with this resort and I have to return soon. It’s not every day that you find a hotel that fits your expectations and desires a hundred per cent – I am a fan of the F&B concept, love their spa services and am totally blown away by the interior design. If they pay a little more attention in terms of staff training and put a little more effort into recognizing their guests and wishes, they can absolutely compete with the one per cent of luxury hotels in the world – speaking of an Aman level.
Disclaimer: Even though the review is very fortunate for the hotel, we paid for our stay at the Forestis. As always, the review reflects our own opinion and has not been influenced.
