Meran, South Tyrol, surrounded by palms and lime trees, is where this family-owned 1850s country home turned guesthouse offers a daily changing three-course breakfast that rivals the interiors. Resident artist pieces mix with antique finds; culinary pop-ups keep things fresh. Max and Helmut, the resident tortoises, roam the private mountain-view vineyard. A perfect Alps road trip stop.

Inside it feels like you’re staying in a grand private home with high ceilings, original features and a cool library to lounge in. Outside, the pool has a touch of Slim Aarons with its matching yellow-and-white striped umbrellas and towels (when it gets hot, it rather feels like Palm Springs) and the kitchen gardens help keep the villa and its sibling hotels stocked with organic fruit and vegetables. There are also puffs of fragrant arnica flowers – the medicinal plant from which the hotel takes its name – dotted throughout. Beyond the grounds is the sweet village of Lana (borrow a bicycle to explore the cobblestones) with its bubbling streams and vineyards. Plus, the Dolomites are right there for the grabbing.

Sibling to the nearby Villa Arnica, Schwarzschmied shares its vineyard and mountain views but with a sharp focus on wellness. There’s a Finnish sauna and steam bath as well as an outdoor pool that’s heated year-round, plus Susanne Kaufmann is behind the spa. There’s a programme of resident yoga teachers with classes twice a day and we love the outdoor sessions for that extra dose of fresh Tyrolean air. Bedrooms are deliberately simple, but smart, and come complete with a backpack to take hiking and biking. The philosophy behind the food matches the rest of the hotel using ingredients from the garden and from neighbouring farmers who drop off their produce in person. Slow, steady, and simple at best. 

Built in 1477 – hence the hotel’s name – this place is super stripped-back and cosy. There are only eight rooms, but locals drop into the bar and restaurant for amazing food and beers on tap. Bonus points if you can nab a bistro table outside for morning sunlight or a candlelit cocktail on the cobblestones in the evening. The team is great, but if you want to do your own thing, there's a Smeg honesty fridge stocked with local drinks and a fluffy bed to sink into, plus Susanne Kaufmann products for self-care. Perfect for a destination stay or as part of a road trip around the South Tyrol/Dolomites.