The Forestis experience starts, quite unexpectedly, with an email titled “Tell us your wishes”. Thus, the journey begins long before you start to ascend the mountain road leading you 1,800m above sea level, in the heart of the South Tyrolean Dolomites.
This e-mail precursor to your stay is not just a digital check-in—it’s digital foreplay. A beautifully designed link allowing your wanderlust to take flight, from selecting your preferred pillow type and dietary needs, to the choice of wine that you’d like to have upon arrival (optimally chilled, of course). Planning a surprise treat? Perhaps a bouquet of wildflowers and a bottle of Dom Pérignon positioned by the bedside for your partner’s birthday? Consider it done.
This kind of anticipatory hospitality isn’t just thoughtful—it’s orchestrated. You haven’t even caught a glimpse of Forestis, and yet you’re already immersed in its beguiling cadence. As Günter Kofler, the resort’s quietly charismatic general manager, would later share: “This isn’t a hotel stay. It is a dialogue with nature, with design, and with yourself.”
The arrival
As a mountain resort, Forestis doesn’t shout. It whispers. The resort is the brainchild of the family Hinteregger, a multi-generational line of South Tyrol hoteliers. The couple Stefan Hinteregger and Teresa Unterthiner, who are native to these parts, are leading the charge to shape Forestis in the present day following Stefan’s father, Alois’, rediscovery of the beatific location, a pulmonary sanatorium from the days of the Austrian monarchy.
The resultant sustainable wellness resort of 62 suites, which sprung from this redevelopment effort, comes with a natural spring of fresh water and a resort cosseted by the forest. The project also allowed for a trio of accommodation towers equalling the height of surrounding trees, looking very much a part of the South Tyrolean landscape. The entrance, understated by design, features a trio of minimalist alpine wood desks, with members of staff wearing serene expressions, and a single freestanding basin where fresh spring water flows quietly from the Plose mountain source. The effect is immediate: your stress begins to melt into the stone floor.
In my room, located on the highest floor of one of the property’s elegant tower suites, the space recalls a sanctuary of quiet, clean luxury—spacious, wood-clad, and impossibly calm. A restrained interior design combines soothing natural textures, a muted palette, and panoramic windows that span the entire wall. These windows open out to what makes the stay so magical—on a clear spring day, the Dolomites stretch before you in layered hues of pewter, alabaster, and sage—while sunlight is diffused through the lattice of pine and larch, casting soft shadows on the valley below. The architecture at Forestis doesn’t pull your gaze inward; it propels it outward. As my guide would later comment, with a smile: “These rooms are built to make you go outside.”
Yet staying in is hardly a compromise. Your suite is stocked with local herbal teas, artisanal sparkling sodas, and curated reading material about the region—each element reinforcing your communion with the mountains outside.
Wellness among the peaks
Forestis is, above all else, a temple to wellness. Health and well-being are derived from the fresh spring waters and pure mountain air, while the plentiful sunshine and mild climate are balanced out by Adriatic currents and north winds. At the resort’s heart lies a dual-pool sanctuary: the indoor pool glides seamlessly through an automated glass door into its outdoor counterpart, both kept at a perfect 33°C.
Nothing beats gliding into that outdoor pool in the early morning mist. The warm water is a cosseting embrace while the crisp mountain air invigorates. The silence is profound, broken only by the occasional call of a distant bird. As you lean into the outdoor jacuzzi, the bubbles rise, the mist thickens, and the ancient forest and jagged peaks reveal themselves, cradling you in a cocoon of surrealistic emotion and sensory perfection. Upon emerging, your lounge chair awaits—replete with a warm towel, a carafe of infused spring water, and a small dish of fresh strawberries and toasted nuts. It’s these precise, thoughtful touches that make Forestis unforgettable.
Rituals of the senses
Among its many daily offerings—nature walks, alpine meditations, guided hikes—it is the sauna ritual that lingers longest in memory. Led by an in-house facilitator, the ritual is a 30-minute immersion inside a 90°C sauna where I’m guided through aromatic stages of pine, lavender, and, finally, citrus. Each essential oil is crystallised and then placed directly onto the hot stones. As the scents intensify, the facilitator swirls a towel in rhythmic waves, casting the heat toward your skin like a dragon’s breath. The soundtrack? Ethereal instrumentals that wouldn’t feel out of place in Game of Thrones.
And then comes the release: a plunge into the cold of the mountain air and a glacial pool. This contrast therapy, rooted in centuries-old alpine tradition, is a rush to the system. The cold ignites your skin, your pulse races, and then—bliss. A deep, inexplicable calm settles over your body. You’re tired, yes, but alert. Recalibrated.
Wandering around the property, I’m curious about the stone underfoot—a textured finish that felt raw yet elegant. “It’s a custom blend finish,” Kofler says, “from one local artisan who mixes ground stone from the mountain with plaster and cement. It’s non-slip and alive with texture. We wanted it to feel of this place.” It does.
A Culinary Ceremony
Dinner at Forestis is not a meal; it’s a ceremony. Held in the aptly named Grand Room, it begins with panoramic windows framing Monte di Funes in theatrical splendour. Tables are arranged on descending tiers, ensuring each guest has an unbroken panoramic view. The curved banquettes offer privacy, intimacy, and immersion.
Each evening, three seven-course menus are offered: the Forestis, the Detox, and à la carte options. Flexibility is key—you’re welcome to mix and match across menus without hesitation or extra cost. My server, Davide, became something of a companion. Barely 20, he had joined full-time after completing his apprenticeship. Between courses, he shares stories of Forestis, the region’s lore, and how each guest is paired with a table and server for their entire stay. “It makes people relax,” he says. “They feel they can ask for anything.”
Into the Mountains
The next morning, under skies brushed with spring blue, we join the six-hour alpine tour. Led by Herald—a sprightly 73-year-old guide who moved up the trails with the energy of someone half his age—we trek through meadows exploding with wildflowers, up paths carved by shepherds through centuries. Along the way, we pause to identify mountain pine, spruce, and larch. “They look like Christmas trees to most people,” Herald chuckles, pouring us each a shot of his homemade schnapps laced with herbs and spurs. It is sweet, sharp, and entirely unforgettable.
Serenity Defined
By the third day, I understand something elemental about Forestis: its silence. There are no children, by design. The resort’s adults-only policy preserves the peace, and it’s palpable. The hush, the slowness, the complete absence of distraction—it’s rare, and it’s treasured.
Kofler, ever the gracious host, proudly shows us the latest addition: a five-bedroom private villa complete with its own chef’s kitchen, spa, pools, and cellar, newly renovated and located just 30m from the main lodge. “It comes with a dedicated team of 12,” he notes casually. “All the amenities of Forestis—but completely yours.”
During my walk through this 8,600 sq ft mountain palace, I have the pleasure of encountering Stefan and Teresa, the proprietors of Forestis. The couple is meticulously inspecting every last detail in preparation for the arrival of the next guest. It’s precisely this level of personal dedication and almost obsessive attention to detail that elevate Forestis to the realm of the extraordinary.
Forestis is not simply a destination—it is a revelation. Perched high above the ordinary, this alpine sanctuary offers a rarified blend of unspoiled nature, architectural restraint, and holistic wellness that is increasingly elusive in today’s luxury landscape. For the discerning traveller who has seen it all—the sprawling overwater villas in the Maldives, the mirrored skyscrapers of Dubai, and the charming grand hotels of Europe—Forestis offers something far more precious: a return to silence, space, and soul.
This is where luxury withdraws from spectacle and reemerges as serenity. No crowds. No pretence. Just an elevated, almost spiritual experience, where every detail has been obsessively curated for those who appreciate refinement without the noise.
