Miramonti Boutique Hotel

Latched to a sunny plateau in Hafling in the Dolomites, the boutique Miramonti Hotel & Spa sits within a carpet of hillside-forest overlooking Merano, with spectacular bird’s eye vistas of captivating Alto Adige - this is South Tyrol from the top down, as seen from this charismatic style pad.

Dating back to the original hotel site which opened its door back in 1932, the building morphed several times, including a spell as luxury mountain residences. In 1998, it was again extended and converted back to a hotel with the addition of the Panorama Restaurant and modernist rooms in mid-2000.

Although this classical Alpine wellness retreat has been cleverly spliced with modernity, the roots of the region are sensed through vintage pieces dotted throughout, adding a subtle nostalgic charm to the mountainous culture of the place.

The mix of architectural styles adds to the appeal of the Miramonti with bold new additions annexed to the original aged chocolate box exterior of pure Alpine pedigree. These modern interventions chart the continued adaptation of Alpine life, creating a hub of modern design peppered by mid-century furnishings and design icons. There is an ease of subtlety & simplicity about the Miramonti Boutique Hotel that makes it the perfect pad for indulgent loafing overlooking Merano, equally well-sourced for activity junkies, cuisine aficionados, connoisseurs of the good life and certainly for those looking for quiescence.

A perfect partnership of modern hideaway and heritage charm. Pick a Loft Room for oversized glazing that frames the mountains, with perfectly positioned Arne Jacobsen sofas. The Style Rooms are compact but feel roomy with white-on-white bathrooms that face a zen-like rock formation. The Owner’s House has nine rooms – either for a rocking house party or family holiday – and nature breathes life into the charismatic space with the use of silver fir, sheep’s wool and hand-woven linen.

Under the culinary motto of Slow-Soul-Food, Miramonti celebrates everything that is tasty from South Tyrol across three restaurants and stunning outdoor terraces. Breakfast is as one might expect, local, tasty and original, stocked with hand-picked foods where even the butter is special. 

Miramonti's Chef, Massimo Geromel from Treviso, has created 3 distinctive concepts - from gourmet adventures in the fine dining Panorama Restaurant, to the more casual gastro-pub delights of the vegetarian and vegan-friendly Klassik Restaurant, to the comfy Stube dating back to 1887, serving delicious Raclettes in farmhouse parlour style.

They even make their own ice-cream here - they have thought of everything for foodies and gourmands alike.

As if created & engineered by nature itself, the spa of the Miramonti Boutique Hotel is perched onto the mountainside with a forest as the backdrop canopy, created by Merano architects Heike Pohl and Andreas Zanier.

The absolute wow-factor is the salt-water pool of mountain infinity - it's like swimming on top of the Alps. Clever architecture has mimicked nature, wrapping the pool in ancient volcanic slabs and Pfitscher silver quartz adding a magical cave-like grotto effect. Another ingenious and luxury taming of nature is the steps-away Forest Sauna, backed by the dense woodlands. The designer pod rests on stilts with a floor-to-ceiling glass frontage dressed simply inside with bold black Hemlock adding a moody sense of visual drama. Outside, chillax in the Onsen pool. Meanwhile, an open fire sets the tone in the new Relaxation House where you can sink into nothingness with absolute ease. A full gym and fitness studio offer in-house training, where guests can bespoke their needs out on the mountains, following forest trails or just a yoga session in that perfect natural haven. Being so intertwined with nature, Miramonti's Vitalis Spa has partnered with the Italian Bollati family - creators of COMFORT ZONE run by Dr. Davide Bollati - Pharmacist & Cosmetic Chemist. Why so special? Well, under their motto of "Real Active Beauty" and ethical charter, COMFORT ZONE is a purist and a perfect match to the ethos of the Miramonti. The Vitalis Spa specialises in the use of the sacred medicinal plant Vervain (Verbena), said to harness the pure strength of nature.

One of the signature treatments uses the precious waters from Bagni di Pisa and the Miramonti's Verbena Porphyry Massage will make you not want to leave the bed. Being so close to Merano, you can't but help feel so blissfully far away when up at the spa - this is Forest Therapy touched by the mountains, as created by the Miramonti Boutique Hotel.   

Panoramic - cloud reaching - location, Miramonti Boutique Hotel is perched high up at 1230 metres above sea level overlooking Merano - about a 20mins drive away, in the north of Bolzano.

Miramonti Boutique Hotel occupies a lush 30-acres of forested hillside in Hafling (Avelengo) in the Italian region of South Tyrol, with amazing mountainous vistas of the Alto Adige stretching out towards the Dolomites.  

Carmen Kruselburger & Klaus Alber’s story is one of love. Not only love for each other, but love for their very unique Miramonti location, their patch of nature that inspires them everyday to go further, to rethink and to re-connect. 

“We knew as we first visited this hotel that we were at ease, we had arrived."

Motivated, smart and lovely, Klaus and Carmen have etched their creative vision onto the hotel with passion, instilling character, charm and a great sense of style.  

Dreams do come true, sometimes, and here in this fairytale location, the  tale has indeed a very happy ending, or is it just the beginning for these delectable hosts.