Tranquil Alpine hotel in South Tyrol where food and relaxation are art forms
Hotel Saltus / San Genesio / South Tyrol / Italy
If you are a frequent reader of this blog, it will come as no surprise to you that I am a huge fan of the South Tyrol region in the northern part of Italy, This area, like many other border regions ends up being an interesting cross-border mix of cultures and traditions (What impact that has on hotels and architecture in general, you can read more about in one of my previous posts here).. On top of that, in this particular border region the nature is breathtaking and the food amazing. Two very important factors in my book. In South Tyrol there is a plethora of great design hotels and one of those is this one, the fabulous Saltus.
Saltus is sitting high up on a mountain, in the small village of San Genesio. This 28-key property is a hotel you stay at to practice the art of relaxation. The hotel wifi is even turned off from midnight to 6 am to encourage us visitors to disconnect and recharge. During day time all you do is move from the sun lounger to the pool to the lunch restaurant, back to the terrace and repeat. If you want to do something more active there are great hiking opportunities, there is a on-site gym or you can go down the valley to Bolzano to get an urban fix. Or you just do what we did, and stay put within the four walls of the hotel to practice our relaxation skills.
Saltus is a hotel that really takes sustainability seriously. The hotel is GSTC-certified (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) and the reason for this is that it is built from locally sourced materials, they operate on renewable energy and they repurpose rainwater. There is no single-use plastic (and a commitment to zero landfill) and there are motion sensors to limit light population. These are just some of the actions they are taking at Saltus to do what they can to minimize the carbon foot print.
Oh! And one more thing that has to be mentioned is the food. The food at Saltus is so good. It did lead to a problem for us, though. We were not hungry enough when it was time for breakfast. The 7-course dinner didn’t leave much room even after a good night’s sleep. But I guess this is a ”problem” that is ok to face.
Welcome to Saltus, high up on a mountain above the north Italian town of Bolzano.
The exterior of the hotel is all wood which makes it blend in with the surroundings.
The view of the surrounding mountains and valleys hit you directly when you enter the hotel and you have these massive windows in front of you.
Heading down to our room. The hotel is built on a mountain side so our room was located below the reception floor.
I like the unusual color scheme at Saltus with rich brown walls and steely blue carpet.
Our spacious, warm room.
I love how the vintage furniture is seamlessly mixed into the design.
The was my favorite place, a day bed on the balcony. Perfect for an afternoon snooze.
Bathroom products from Austrian spa queen, Susanne Kaufmann
There are several different spots for relaxation. This was one of my favorites, a quiet corner of the garden.
Most of what is served in the restaurant is grown on site.
M enjoying a cool dip…
…and the spectacular views from the roof top pool.
The views are seriously breathtaking.
A gym with a view.
An aperitivo before dinner. When in Italy in Summer Aperol Spritz is almost mandatory.
Dinner al fresco on the giant terrace. The restaurant is located in the older part of the hotel.
A new day. The sun is slowly rising over the mountains as we have sat down for breakfast
RG inside info
This place is perfect if you…
…are looking for a secluded Alpine hotel where you can fully disconnect and enjoy magnificent views, lazy days by the pool and really great food. If this is what you are after, I know you will like Saltus.
My favorite thing about this place…
…is the view. I was choosing between the food and the view and it was a tough call but the view is so spectacular, especially when you are in the roof top pool, all by yourself early in the morning and you can watch the sun rise over the rugged Dolomites and the only thing you hear are some birds chirping and the sound of a distant cow bell.
What not to miss when staying here…
…is to fully commit to the Italian ”arte di fare niente”, basically the sweet art of doing nothing or living slow. This is a place where you are encouraged to do just that.
If you like this hotel you might also like:
Milla Montis / Maranza / Italy
Vigilius Mountain Resort / Lana / Italy
Miramonti / Avelengo / Italy
