Looking for your next European vacation spot? Forestis’s pure Plose spring water, excellent mountain air, mild climate, and the above-average number of sunny days in the Plose area provide ideal conditions for regeneration and healing. The renowned architect, Otto Wagner, was commissioned to design a building that would serve as a place of relaxation for the future. The 62 suites and the vast Forestis Spa sits beautifully on the Plose mountain above Bressanone.

Situated at 1,800 metres above sea level, this resort has years of history behind its breath taking beauty. Prior to its grand opening on July 20, 2020 the dense mountain forest area where the now FORESTIS hideaway lays, caught the eye of the Hungarian Monarchy in 1912. At the time the Monarchy was looking for a special place of power in the mountains of South Tyrol for the construction of a sanatorium. They finally found it in the dense forests of where the FORESTIS now sits. However, the outbreak of war and the resulting turmoil prevented the building from being completed according to its original plans. The end result was a sole house made of wood and natural stone with two side wings, in which priests and clergymen found rest until the 1950s.

In the year 2000 the South Tyrolean hotelier, Alois Hinteregger, discovered the lone house behind wild hedges during a walk in Palmschoß. Hinteregger immediately sensed the extraordinary opportunity that radiated from the place. A few years later his family bought the building and opened it as a hotel in 2010.  Now, a decade later, a new chapter is being written on the Plose. The family has further developed the hotel into the refuge it is now; FORESTIS. The untouched nature of the area, the impressive mountain scenery, and the pure air  in combination with the Plose spring water make this place an area of power that can be felt, experienced and seen.

The name FORESTIS was chosen with a purpose. FORESTIS is composed of the Italian word ‘Foresta’ for forest and the Latin word stem roots. The hosts of the 5-star Hideaway, FORESTIS, want their guests from all over the world to enjoy the luxury of spending time in the nature and experiencing unforgettable experiences and encounters.

FORESTIS is made up of four elements that all stem from the surrounding nature. The clear water, the pure air, the many sunny days, and the mild climate have formed the four pillars of the village on the Plose since the beginning of the 20th century, and tit is these same pillars that now apply to the FORESTIS. The South Tyrolean architect, Armin Sader, and the FORESTIS interior team have reinterpreted traditional architecture and created a natural atmosphere throughout the entire hideaway by using locally sourced materials. The four elements; spring water, good air, sun, and mild climate, are juxtaposed with four natural materials in the interior design and architecture at the refuge.

All suites at the FORESTIS embrace the surrounding nature. Due to their south-facing orientation they are sun- kissed all day long and offer guests a wide view of the mountain massifs of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Dolomites. The natural materials of the interior design, light earth tones and the clear style of the furnishings convey a feeling of relaxation in the surrounding nature.

The 13 suites in the historic original building are large in size and have either one or two bedrooms with a king bed and a walk-in wardrobe. The separate living area is equipped with a comfortable couch, a desk and smart TV. The bathrooms each have a rain shower and a toilet with bidet. A unique characteristic about the suits is that the baths and showers flow with the hotel’s own spring water, whose water quality is identical to that of the Plose spring water.

The 44 Tower Suites, which are spread over the three towers, are each 55 m2 in size, have a bedroom with a king size bed and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer the best view of the UNESCO Natural Heritage Dolomites. The adjoining wardrobe is walk-in and equipped with a safe. The living area is furnished with a couch, armchair, coffee table, desk and a traditional South Tyrolean tiled stove, smart TV and mini bar. The bathroom has a bathtub, a rain shower, and a separate toilet with bidet. Here too, the pure in-house spring water flows through all pipes. On the terraces of the suites there are comfortable daybeds. In the summer, the daybeds of the Tower Suites can be made up for the night on request. The nights under the starry sky of South Tyrol are a special adventure and a relaxation for body and soul.

The FORESTIS Spa extends over an area of 2,000 m2 underneath the three towers and is spread over two floors with a view of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Dolomites. On the ground floor level there is the reception and a spacious indoor pool, which is connected to an opposing outdoor pool. There is also a brine steam bath, a Finnish sauna, a bio sauna, a textile sauna and an outdoor sauna in a traditional South Tyrolean wooden house. The Silent Room, with a fireplace in the middle, keeps what its name promises – here guests are supposed to enjoy the silence after their sauna session. The Tea Lounge with its own curated library is the second retreat. The lounge offers eight of the refuges’s own tea blends from South Tyrol. On the first floor of the spa there are four treatment rooms, a Private Spa for couple treatments as well as two cosmetic rooms and relaxation rooms. There is also a gym with state-of-the-art equipment of the latest generation as well as a spacious yoga area. All of these self care areas have daylight and an unobstructed view of the surrounding nature.

The Celts who settled in this area originally were very close to nature and drew their knowledge about the human body from the lessons of nature. They felt a particularly close connection to the forest, which they made their teacher. The location of the FORESTIS in the middle of nature left no other conclusion than to bring nature and especially the forest to the FORESTIS Spa. The FORESTIS treatments all follow the principle of the four indigenous trees: mountain pine, spruce, larch, and Swiss stone pine. Each of these trees possesses different active substances, frequencies and material substances that allow the human body to regenerate deeply.

Due to its location at 1,800 metres above sea level, the FORESTIS offers a variety of activities in nature. Ski-in/ski-out is the magic word that makes skiers’ hearts skip a beat. No nerve-racking approach to the ski area – just put on your ski boots, get on the skis, and follow a forest path directly from the ski room of the FORESTIS. The 45 kilometres of slopes in the Plose ski area have a balanced ratio of blue, red and black runs. A guided ski tour from the FORESTIS to the Gabler with a subsequent descent to the south is part of the off-piste skiing experience. Not a skier? There are also toboggan runs and winter hiking trails.

Below the historic house is the Restaurant where every table has a clear view of the Dolomite mountains. The restaurant offers breakfast and à la carte meals in the evening. Small fireplaces inside and outside provide a particularly cosy atmosphere in the evening with an aperitif or digestif. The kitchen bears the signature of Roland Lamprecht, whose passion is natural cuisine, which he likes to call a ‘forest cuisine’. His goal is for guests to not only enjoy their meal but to feel better after their meal.  The menus are put together in a new way every day to offer the guest a variety.

In addition to the local ingredients being used in the kitchen, they are also heavily used in both bars at the refuge. The ingredients from the region such as herbs, berries, nuts, barks, tree needles and shrubs play a major role in giving the drinks, cocktails and mocktails a special touch. The Rooftop Bar is located in the middle of the three wooden towers and is the highest Rooftop Bar in the world. An open lounge area with a fireplace forms the centre of the bar, which is open all year round.

For more information on the FORESTIS refuge or to book your stay, visit HERE or email reception@forestis.it