The Mighty Dolomites: Where to Stay and Eat
As winter approaches, a snowy sojourn in the Dolomites awaits. Beyond the slopes, we’ve rounded up the best spa stays, as well as the best places to dine– from Michelin-starred boltholes to casual slope-side spots.
Miramonti Boutique Hotel’s sexy cinematic appeal is undeniable; it even had a cameo in the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, which was shot on property. With its sleek contemporary design, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass windows and rich wood-panelled walls, Miramonti boasts three slow-food restaurants and 44 rooms with 360-degree views of the mountains. Its tranquil spa is host to an infinity pool, onsen pool, saunas, whirlpool and sonnenterrasse.
At the cosy Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti, you’re a 5-minute walk to the cable cars that’ll take you straight to the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort. Beyond its optimal location, the resort is a welcome departure from minimalism, as warm materials like wood and stone and inviting details like reading nooks and fireplaces rule the public areas. The 90 suites have that same alchemy with hologram fireplaces featuring soothing crackling sounds that can be adjusted with a remote control. The expansive spa features several pools and saunas – ideal for muscle recovery after a day on the slopes.
Though, to be sure, Forestis Dolomites is the certified showstopper. At this five-star sustainable retreat, design echoes the environment, with stone basins, wood and creamy tones, as well as crisp fabrics and clean lines. Its theatre-shaped restaurant is ringed by curvy banquets framing the mountains. Breakfast and dinner are served here, so you'll get your fill of jaw-dropping views during your stay. While every corner of the property feels precise, the Forestis spa is the main draw. A spiral stone staircase leads to the private treatment rooms, and the indoor/outdoor pool and its expansive lounge area open onto a Nordic-inspired sanctuary, complete with endless steam rooms and saunas infused with local herbs, a cold plunge tub and a Finnish sauna and tub outside for those willing to brace the icy temperatures.
To the west of Cortina and Alta Badia, slope-side dining steals the show with an abundance of casual spots serving high-end regional cuisine. Think cosy mountain huts with panoramic views of Seiser Alm like Tschotsch Alm and family-run places like Rauchhütte, where grilled meat is paired with the best local wines. In the winter months, you can even take a horse-drawn sleigh to Rauchhütte for an especially festive Alpine experience.
At Gostner Schwaige, chef Franz Mulser’s signature dish is Heublutensuppen, a hay soup presented in a bread bowl and topped with fresh flowers and herbs.
At the cosy farm-to-table spot Baita Piè Tofana, food is prepared using raw materials from small local producers and paired perfectly with fine wines from the best winemakers of the region.
On the slopes, you’ll find equally as tempting, but slightly more casual spots like Rifugio Utia Paraciora and Rifugio Edelweiss, where you can enjoy the flavors of the mountain between runs.
One of the more memorable meals in Alta Badia is at La Perla Hotel’s Michelin-starred La Stüa de Michil, set in an intimate wood cabin indicative of the region. The restaurant was awarded its star for Calabrian chef Simone Cantafio’s high quality cooking. Cantafio highlights regional vegetables through two seasonal tasting menus that reflect his many years working in Japan, effectively bridging the flavours and traditions of East and West.
Meanwhile, AlpiNN - Food Space & Restaurant combines mountain views with mountain food in a modern glass structure inside the LUMEN Museum of Mountain Photography at an altitude of 2,275 metres. Along with the breathtaking views, the sustainability and regional flavours inspire chef Norbert Niederkofler. His mountain roots ultimately inform his culinary approach here: simple, wholesome ingredients and seasonal, local products reign supreme.
In a more rustic setting, Maso Runch Hof also highlights ancient Ladin cuisine, featuring South Tyrol’s fresh products, using traditional cooking techniques like roasting shanks in their wood stove with timber they’ve collected from the surrounding woods.
Since 2004, in-the-know epicures have been traveling to Cortina solely to land a seat at Flavio Gaspari and his wife Guiliana’s El Brite de Larieto, where their son Riccardo helms the kitchen serving traditional dishes in an unassuming, yet impossibly charming mountain setting.
While El Brite de Larieto preserves and celebrates traditional Alpine flavors in its use of local meat, cheese, butter, herbs and berries, their newer and smaller SanBrite refreshes traditional cuisine with more innovative and modern touches. Ever since Riccardo opened the place in 2017, he has deftly employed the fine cooking techniques he picked up during his three-year internship at chef Massimo Botturo’s Michelin-starred Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana.
