Holidays in South Tyrol: These are the most beautiful spa hotels – beyond the hotspots

1. Hotel Chalet Mirabell: A place where light-heartedness resides

If I told you that there is a place high up where the mountain peaks touch the sky that will make you forget the hard months of lockdown in an instant, would you be curious? This place is outside of Merano, more precisely in Avelengo, and lets all stress evaporate very quickly.

Even the journey to the high plateau of Haflings is inspiring. When I arrive at the Hotel Chalet Mirabell, the world suddenly lies at my feet. Already in the lobby, which looks like a large living room, there is a hyggel-like atmosphere. There are beautifully decorated bouquets of flowers everywhere, the fire is crackling and I am amazed at the impressive summit and valley backdrop that I can see through the large window fronts while enjoying South Tyrolean bacon and apple juice.

One of the new highlights of the hotel is the 31 meter long family pool. Surrounded by white mountain peaks and a bright blue sky, I swim laps in the 32 degree warm water on the first morning. Later, in the “Sunset Relax Pool”, which is 25 meters long and glitters in the sun, I enjoy the water and the view of the Merano mountains. With its south-west orientation, this adult pool is predestined for an evening sundowner.

The 6000 square meter hotel spa and the 10,000 square meter park offer enough space for families and those seeking peace and quiet. Our children love the wide wave slide, the llamas that make the hotel garden unsafe, but also the kittens on the neighboring mountain farm. While I am turning the floating lounger by the natural swimming pond into my personal wellness hotspot.

But I experience the real highlight of the holiday in the evening, while I let a fondant au chocolat with matcha ice cream melt on my tongue as the culinary finale. Because the South Tyrolean sky presents us with the most enchanting alpine glow that I have ever seen. It’s gorgeous and makes me sit back happily and enjoy the moment.

2. Adler Lodge Ritten: resting place in the middle of the green

I love hotels that surprise me. The first in the Adler Lodge Ritten “already takes place on arrival as the serpentines wind higher and higher up the mountain. I already doubt whether I’m on the right path when suddenly a wrought-iron gate appears in front of me as if by magic in the middle of the forest opens. I admit: I am impressed!

A short path leads me to the “Main Lodge”, the main building of the hotel. Upon entering, I am amazed again, because the lobby, the reception, and indeed the entire premises of the main building exude a pleasant, homely atmosphere: warm colors, a blazing open fire and large glass fronts that frame the mountains in front of me like paintings create a feeling of well-being.

The hotel’s spa also provides fascinating moments of surprise. Above all, the photogenic indoor pool and the no less image-effective outdoor pool. Every time I swim, I enjoy the view of the Schlern and Rosengarten. This is South Tyrol! An equally impressive natural spectacle is given to me in the “WaldSpa”. The saunas are hidden in the middle of the green between trees. The cool pool is built on wooden stilts so that you can swim almost between the treetops. Here I feel a very own, special energy.

And the 50-minute silver quartzite back massage has it all: Right from the start, the smell of incense sticks and fresh herbs set me in the right mood for the massage ceremony, which harnesses the power of silver quartzite. Skillful trigger point techniques and strokes with the stones loosen my muscles.

At the end of my stay, the feeling of having found a quiet place in the “Adler Lodge Ritten” remains, which hovers over everyday things. A place that shows me the way to more serenity in its loneliness, silence and closeness to nature. And I think that feeling like that is all sorts of things for a short wellness trip.

• Info and prices: One night in a junior suite from 277 euros per person. More information under www.adler-resorts.com

3. Preidlhof: Holidays in the Garden of Eden

When summer is at its best, it’s time to leave and celebrate life. And I can hardly do that better than at the “Preidlhof” in the picturesque Adige Valley in South Tyrol. In the middle of apple groves is an enchanted gem that, even if it sounds trite, resembles a Garden of Eden: a sea of ​​Mediterranean flowers with bright yellow lemon trees, pastel roses, head-high oleanders and bright pink Bougainvillea as well as palm trees surrounds the hotel.

But it’s not just the garden that casts a spell over me. I was also impressed by the 5000 square meter wellness area of ​​the adults-only hotel. A total of ten indoor and outdoor pools invite you to catch the sun’s rays and relax in the summer Temperatures to cool off. On the various floating beds and daybeds, I enjoy a wonderful view over vines, apple orchards and green, forested mountains.

The 36 degree warm infinity brine pool and the 29 degree temperature sports pool compete for the best view. While the brine pool is on the fourth floor of the six-story sauna tower, the sports pool is on the hotel’s roof terrace on the fifth floor. In terms of panorama, the sports pool emerges as the clear winner for me, as it offers a 360-degree all-round view of the natural beauties of the Vinschgau.

Sweating and immersing myself in a Mediterranean lifestyle, that’s what I succeed in doing in the sauna tower with a total of 16 steam, sweat and relaxation attractions. The olive (60 degrees), wine (70 degrees) and black burner saunas (55-60 degrees) are among my personal sauna favorites. Once a week, as part of the sauna night, you can even sweat until 10 p.m. with infusions performed by the sauna master.

The culinary delights of the adult hotel are as varied as the hotel spa, with Italian delicacies such as chanterelle ravioli with espuma from the Bolzano sauce or nettle gnocchetti with mushroom and herb cream sauce in the evening, enrapturing my taste buds. And while I sip my hot cappuccino under the rustling olive tree in the afternoon and enjoy a crostatine al lime, I think to myself: “Yes, that’s exactly what life is about, the sunlight, the warm wind, the fresh air and maybe that Enjoy the aroma of a lime tart on your tongue. “

• Info and prices: One night in a double room from 178 euros per person. More information at www.preidlhof.com