Forestis

Rooms

All of the rooms are spruce-scented and modern, spread between the original sanatorium and the newly constructed neighbouring towers. The understated, almost austere interiors form a clean frame for the dramatic views beyond – utilitarian but tasteful – creating a calming space that fosters connection with the surrounding environment.

The Room is simple and understated with a kingsize bed, a desk and views of the peaks. The Suite is wood-clad and has a separate living area with large windows and doors opening onto a small south-facing balcony. Both have sleek ensuites with rain showers and are in the historic part of the building, formerly the sanitorium.

Each Tower Suite has a private terrace with a day bed for soaking up the Alpine panorama. Inside, it’s all timber, clean lines and light through the floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s a bedroom with a king-size bed, and a separate room with a seating area with chairs, a corner sofa and a traditional tiled stove for cosy nights after a day of spa and slopes.

The Penthouse Suite is spread over two floors with wood panelling, huge windows and minimal decor. Downstairs, there’s an open-plan living and dining area with a bar, wine fridge and minibar. A corner sofa is well-placed to watch the wood-burning fireplace or TV, and then there’s a large furnished terrace with 180-degree views of the mountains. The bedroom has a window wall across from the king-size bed, so you can enjoy the views without lifting your head off the pillow. On the upper level, you have a private sauna, a second shower and a second terrace with a heated pool and sun loungers. The stone ensuites in both the Tower and Penthouse Suite have a bathtub, rain shower and twin sink.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

There are two restaurants in this swish mountain refuge. The more casual all-day menu is served in their lounge, which spills onto the terrace and is minimally embellished with natural textiles, sprigs of fern and crackling fires on chilly evenings.

Breakfast and dinner is served in the more dramatic restaurant downstairs, where tiered, amphitheatre seating ensures everyone can catch the show – that is, the changing light on the Geislergruppe massif through the vast floor-to-ceiling windows. Then there’s the main event – chef Roland Lamprecht’s ‘forest cuisine’. Menus feature artful dishes entirely crafted from local ingredients sourced from their own small kitchen garden, nearby farms, or even foraged in the surrounding forest. Nothing is imported from outside Italy, but with this chef’s imagination and resourcefulness, there’s no lack of variety.

Breakfast is a wholesome and healthy spread with fresh fruit, breads, cheeses, baked goods, local honey and more. There's also a juice bar where you can make your own elixir of choice.

For cocktails, the lounge bar feels moody and cavernous, with black walls and surfaces and stark downlighting, almost mimicking sunlight shining through cracks from above. Here, mixologists whip up carefully crafted cocktails in a lab setting using foraged herbs and berries – from classics to fantastical potions – each one a work of art. Then there's the rooftop bar, one of the highest in Italy, serving cocktails alongside panoramic views.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• There are plenty of gorgeous hikes in the surrounding forested hills and mountains, and the team are more than happy to recommend the best trail for you or even arrange a guided hike
  
• Take a daily dip in the heated lap-length pool: filled with natural spring water and running from inside the spa out into the crisp mountain air with incredible views
  
• Skiers rejoice! This is a ski-in, ski-out hotel located on a slope in the Plose ski resort, and it's easy to rent equipment and store your gear
  
• Snowshoes are free for hire and the team will point you to the perfect trails
  
• There are lots of nearby lakes and rivers for some wild swimming
  
• The hotel offers a range of opportunities for guests to commune with nature like forest bathing or foraging with the chef
  
• Head to the spa for one of their holistic, pagan-esque treatments like a forest salt bath or a spruce body scrub
  
• Don't miss a 'wyda' class - a unique Celtic take on yoga - and if you love that, why not try druidic meditation or their chakra-lifting sauna ritual

  Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Cycling
  • Dog sledding
  • Foraging
  • Gym
  • Hiking
  • Hot tub
  • Meditation
  • Mountain biking
  • Sauna
  • Skiing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Spa treatments
  • Stargazing
  • Swimming
  • Walking tours
  • Well being
  • Wine tasting
  • Yoga

Kids

This boutique spa hotel has an upscale, mature feel and only allows children 14 and above.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Forestis is perched at an altitude of 1,800 metres surrounded by forest in the the small village of Palmschoss on the southern slope of the Plose mountain. It's a remote, secluded location in the South Tyrol region of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site 18 km to the town of Brixen by car.

By Air
Bolzano (Bozen) airport is a little over an hour's drive (64km) with international flights to over 20 destinations, including London Gatwick. Innsbruck, Austria (109km or about a 2-hour drive) also has an international airport, with good connections from all major European cities.

From the Airport
You can hire a car, or arrange a transfer from the airport. There’s free parking 50 metres from the hotel, with ports for charging electric vehicles.

By Car
See our car rental recommendations. If flying into Austria, make sure your hire company permits border crossings.

By Train
There are direct trains from Munich, Milan, Venice and Innsbruck to Bressanone/Brixen station, which is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. Transfers can be easily arranged in advance.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.