48 Hours at La Perla, Corvara
Skiing the Sellaronda is classic. Staying at the one and only La Perla is not just an „Old Money Perfection“, it’s also the classiest of South Tyrolean luxury hotels. Set atop the heart of the dreamy mountain village Corvara, this family-run business has been around since 1956 and hasn’t lost any of its glamour ever since. On the contrary, La Perla evolved into one of the world’s finest hotels and is a proud member of the Leading Hotels of the World. The local Costa family has created a real gem over time and is still a hands-on family business: both Costa brothers are actively working in the operations of the hotel and the Costa senior is also still around - especially at the weekly welcome cocktail in the lounge where the family greets its repeat guests. Having heard only the best about this property, I had the highest expectations about my stay at the end of March over the Easter break. Only a short drive from Munich, Corvara is not just easy to reach by car, it also sits amidst a breathtaking mountain scenery just an hour’s drive from Bressanone. With La Perla being located in the very heart of the small alpine town, we first passed by the hidden entryway of the hotel only to make a U-turn when we were far outside of Corvara. Having arrived at 1 pm, I was surprised to find our room ready this early.
Check-in was very friendly and welcoming, even the General Manager himself arrived to say hello. Soon afterwards a lovely lady from the front desk accompanied us to our room on the first floor and introduced us to the facilities while walking upstairs. Situated on the corner of the hotel, our Comfort room (the hotel’s entry-level category) was South-facing and therefore filled with sunlight which made the arrival even more pleasant. Upon entering, one could tell that the hotel’s traditional approach does not stop at the rooms and suites. Each room is different in a special way and comes with locally made furniture that relates to the region’s traditional design. Our Comfort room was equipped with two single beds but together as a king bed, a seating area with a table and a chair, a wooden box with information material, a wooden wardrobe that had a small safe as well as the built-in wardrobe on the other side. The main highlight of the room was the spacious terrace with a table for two and two sun beds overlooking the surrounding buildings, the slopes as well as the Dolomites. I loved the temperature of the room which was neither too warm nor too cold especially with the sun warming up outside and inside. Overall I would say I found the room extremely comfortable, even though I would never furnish my home this way. However, La Perla has a very traditional and local approach, making the interior design a perfect match. I appreciate this concept and one could really see in the details that the furniture and hardware are not dated at all. There is a flat-screen television, wifi is fast and works perfectly, the lights work properly all over the hotel and the little details are just over the top here.
Speaking about the details, we loved the array of welcome amenities consisting of fresh fruits, local delicacies and the pre-ordered sparkling water (via the pre-stay form). Soon after we settled in the room, a bottle of Franciacorta arrived to refresh and toast a wonderful weekend in Alta Badia. Having talked about the traditional look of the room, the recently renovated bathroom is state-of-the-art and comes with a spacious walk-in shower, a single vanity desk along with a toilet and bidet. Even here there were lovely details such as additional toilet paper in an old chamber pot. Apart from the little details I loved the special toiletries that were produced by a local pharmacy and came in hotel-branded containers. The smell was sweet and matched the elegant ambience of the hotel. Housekeeping was excellent all over the property and made sure they were invisible to guests but always cleaned whenever one left the room. The towels were of the highest quality as were the bed sheets and I experienced one of the best sleeps in South Tyrolean hotels so far. One can tell that - despite not looking super expensive - the furniture is all handmade in Italy and of the best quality. Thanks to the dining table we could enjoy a round of chess after dinner and in case you are up for some fresh air or an outdoor lounging session in summer, the private terrace will do the rest for a perfect holiday.
After we settled in our room, we were ready to explore the offered facilities of La Perla. It‘s nice to see that in times of hotels trying to catch the attention of locals for their F&B outlets, La Perla has a perfectly working concept. Locals mingle with hotel guests at the bar of the hotel and create a very cosy and warm atmosphere. Immediately we were offered a seat at the bar counter and before we could finish reading the menu, we were served one of the best Americanos (the cocktail not the coffee of course). At this point again we realized how passionate every staff member here is. From the bar attendant to the barkeeper, they seemed to be very proud of working here without the usual arrogance that comes with such altitudes. Every single staff member we encountered was thoroughly friendly and gave 110 per cent to fulfil our wishes. Another reason why the bar was so frequented apres-ski might be the daily live music at the bar which is offered before and after dinner (6-7 pm and from 9.30 pm onwards). This is a great addition to the already very sophisticated vibe of this elegant bar.
Dinner is usually included in the overnight rates at La Perla and unless you are booked on a special package, you will dine in one of the „Le Stües“ - La Perla‘s main half-board restaurant. Split over several individually designed and furnished chambers, this gives the normally vast dining area a super intimate and cosy feeling. While most hotels in South Tyrol come with a buffet, here the entire four-course menu is served and only an additional salad course can be picked up from a small buffet with high-quality products. Service in the restaurant - under the helm of a lovely maitre - was excellent and very attentive throughout our stay. One can order as many dishes as preferred but let me say that you will most likely not need any additional dishes as the portions are of good size. Needless to mention the food was excellent! No wonder that they hold their Michelin star for their La Stüa de Michil since 2002. In case you would like to order a bottle of wine, they will call out the hotel‘s sommelier who has a very fond knowledge of La Perla‘s massive wine selection. During our both evenings, we had the pleasure to try out some of Italy‘s best wines and amazing vintages. There is no set time for dinner so you can come whenever you feel like having an elegant feast among a superb setting all evening long.
Speaking of the massive wine selection at La Perla, their wine cellar is an attraction not to be missed. Called Mahatma, this wine cellar should have its own postal code. In case you might dream of getting lost in a wine cellar one day, this is the place where it can happen. A labyrinth filled with the world‘s best wines including vintages going back to the 18th century, this wine cellar even exceeds my previous experiences with hotel wine cellars. Once there make sure to book a tour with the head sommelier and indulge in an artsy experience pre-dinner. Unfortunately, soon after when reading the wine list, you‘re more than tempted to order one of the old vintages. So did we and went for a forty-year-old Brunello that was so intense that we had to finish it a while after dinner in the bar with some decent live music. If just every ski day could end in such a magical and unforgettable way… Yes, this entire dream experience was just the icing on the cake as the main highlight that day was skiing the famous Sellaronda. Entering just behind the hotel, this 26km long ski circuit leads through four Ladin valleys and is divided between the provinces of South Tyrol, Trentino and Veneto. Fortunately, we had the best weather one could dream of and enjoyed some of the best huts on the way back to Corvara.
To make the full circuit before the last lift closes, one needs to leave Corvara by 10 am. We did the entire 26km of slopes in just under three hours but paused at three huts including Rifugio Fienile Monte, Emilio-Comici-Hütte and of course the famous Jimmi-Hütte with the Million-Dollar-View of the Sella mountain range. Sitting at Jimmi at the end of the ski day was the best reward for this intensive ski session. So that you have a perfect start (I recommend the clockwise tour from La Perla) and reach the Fienile hut at 1 pm, make sure to have a sumptuous breakfast before you leave. As luck would have it, La Perla has a sumptuous buffet in a separate breakfast room (one would wonder where they have all the space from). While some a la carte dishes are complimentary, others such as Avocado Toast and Eggs Benedict come with a surcharge (something I really cannot understand given there were two cooks behind the window who didn‘t seem to have any work to do). For a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, one should have the privilege of a complimentary Egg Benedict for breakfast, especially in such an elegant and upscale environment as La Perla has it. Service at breakfast was kind though not on par with the superb dinner shift of the hotel. All offered products on the buffet were of the highest quality and tasted excellent. I loved the freshly squeezed orange juice as well as the selection of local cold cuts and cheese along with an excellent bread selection.
Some might wonder why the spa is not mentioned here in this review. This is because there are plans to renovate the spa area soon. While lovely designed and perfectly maintained, some may find the spa not to be on par with what South Tyrolean hotels offer these days. However, I loved the romantic vibe in the adults-only sauna area with one herbal and one Finnish sauna as well as a steam room. During our stay, the indoor pool was frequented by kids of other guests (we stayed during the easter break), so we didn‘t spend much time there. There is a wonderful bar in the spa lounge with a tea selection, sparkling and still water plus some nuts and fruits.
Overall the main reason for our stay was the great reputation that La Perla enjoys due to the owner's family Costa. Over decades the family has created some of Italy‘s best-managed hospitality objects making this hotel a go-to place for lovers of the fine way of travelling. I am always a bit hesitant with hotels that enjoy such a reputation however I was not disappointed and therefore can just confirm: La Perla in Corvara is one of the best hotels I have stayed at and I thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. Of course, our experience was surpassed by the stunning weather and the excellent ski conditions that we had skiing the Sellaronda. Anyway, everything on this trip was just perfect and I couldn‘t have wished for Hotel La Perla to be any different. Will I ever return? Most certainly within the next five years (as soon as the new spa is finished) and then I will try to ski the Sellaronda anti-clockwise.
