I LOVE a surprise and as trips go this one certainly didn’t disappoint. For a start I was in Italy but the locals spoke German and the Alps were over there, but so were the vineyards and palm trees.
I was in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol, aka Südtirol, aka Alto Adige, which up until World War 1 was part of Austria. To confuse matters more, it is also on the southern slopes of the Alps, leaving its Alpine villages bathed in Mediterranean sunshine.
Preidlhof, Infinity Sole Pool
“We are a little bit Austrian but we are also Italian,” Christian Margesin, the amiable owner of Alpiana Resort where I stayed, told me. “In other words, we are neither fish nor meat but in our own unique world.”
I arrived here via SkyAlps, which runs the only direct flights between London and the regional capital Bolzano, then took an awaiting taxi for the half hour drive to the hotel, an attractive low slung building nestled in the chocolate box scenery of peaks and valleys that characterise the region, all bathed in balmy mid-summer sunshine.
Alpiana gardens
Named to capture its definitive Alpine and Mediterranean features, the Alpiana was launched in 1975 by Margesin’s grandparents as an intimate boutique hotel and has undergone several iterations since then, the latest completed earlier this year. Although it now boasts 59 rooms and suites, it is small enough to feel cosy but large enough to never feel crowded.
“It was our personal choice not to become too big,” continued Margesin. “We as a family work here and want to have personal contact with the guests, which is difficult to achieve when you have a hundred-plus rooms.”
Alpiana, Panorama Luxus Suite
My junior panorama deluxe suite overlooked the mountain village of Völlan (aka Foiana) and its quaint parish church, with apple orchards and forests on one side and the mighty Dolomites looming in the distance on the other. It was a sight to behold, all the more enjoyable when viewed from the lounger on my balcony terrace.
A combination of Italian flair and German order, the room’s unfussy design was gorgeously interrupted by the teal-coloured furnishings and walnut and oak woodwork, while one never lost sight of all that green through the window.
Alpiana, sauna with a view
Alpiana Resort’s focus is on wellness, whether it is lounging in the landscaped grounds and its three pools, making use of its several saunas, or visiting Alcielo, the rooftop spa, where one can swim and enjoy a magnificent 360° vista at the same time. The more energetic can explore the surrounding countryside on foot or two wheels, while for families there is also an outdoor children’s play area.
I enjoyed a soothing Polynesia Spa Ritual massage, one of several treatments on offer, this one using hot sand balls, before sitting down at Alpiana’s airy and light filled garden-side restaurant. Mealtimes were always sedate and pleasurable, with a changing daily menu reflecting both Italian and Austrian influences plus an attentive staff. If you were that way inclined, Prosecco was even on offer at the breakfast buffet.
Alpiana Junior Suite Panorama Deluxe balcony terrace
Alpiana is part of the suitably named Dolce Vita Hotels, a group of five family-run luxury hotels in the region that allow you to “hop” between them. I visited the adults-only Preidlhof, about 30 minutes’ drive away, that boasts the impressive six-floor Sauna Tower, thermal pools and extensive treatments and wellness packages. After finishing my day with a full body Ayurveda massage, I left the place feeling energised but blissfully relaxed, just as nature intended.
By Angela Cobbinah
Alpiana Green Luxury Dolce Vita Hotel: From €189 per person per night (approx. £162). Includes 3/4 board – breakfast, afternoon buffet and dinner. Preidlhof Luxury Dolce Vita Resort: From €216 per person per night (approx. £186). Includes 3/4 board – breakfast, afternoon buffet and dinner