ADLER Lodge RITTEN

Twenty Chalets Around a Pond in the Woods

Lichtenstern is a hamlet of the Ritten, the plateau of forest and meadow that stands above Bolzano, and the ADLER Lodge occupies a clearing in it. The plan is unusual: instead of one building, twenty chalets in dark stained wood are set around a natural pond, with a main house and two annexes holding the suites. Hugo Demetz drew them on the traditional South Tyrolean pattern and then opened their fronts in glass, so the trees are part of the room. The site was surveyed so that construction felled nothing.

Why It Works

Luxury in the mountains usually means a large house announcing itself. This does the opposite, and does it with conviction rather than as a pose. Spreading the accommodation into chalets buys privacy that no corridor can, and putting the sauna out among the trunks turns the forest from scenery into the amenity itself. The kitchen closes the loop: much of what arrives at the table was grown on the property, and the rest comes from named regional suppliers. It is a house where the sustainability claim is legible in the plan rather than printed on a card in the bathroom.

Why This Location

The Ritten is a plateau, not a valley, which means the walking starts at the door rather than after a drive. Forest paths and open meadow run out from Lichtenstern in every direction, and the horizon to the east is Dolomite, which is why the spa was given a glass wall. Bolzano lies below, close enough for a day in town and far enough that its summer heat never reaches you. It is a base for a week of walking, reading and eating rather than for a lift pass.

Fast Facts

• Price: €€€€

• Vibe: Forest lodge, understated, timber and glass, five-star quiet

• Rooms: Twenty chalets in dark stained wood around the pond, plus suites in the main house and two annexes; some accommodations have a sauna of their own

• Best For: Couples, walkers, travellers who want privacy rather than a lobby

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The forest sauna, where the heat is taken among old trees rather than behind tiles

• Dining: Panorama restaurant drawing on the property own fruit terraces, herb beds and vegetable garden, completed by named regional partner producers

• Amenities: Outdoor infinity pool facing the mountains, forest spa and saunas, spa area glazed to the Dolomites, fitness, natural pond, guided activity programme

• Attractions: The forest and meadow paths of the Ritten, the Dolomite horizon, Bolzano below the plateau

A Spa That Is Actually in the Forest

The phrase forest spa is used loosely by a lot of hotels. Here it is literal: the sauna sits among the standing trees, and you walk to it. Inside the main spa, glass panels replace the wall that would normally face the view, so the Dolomites are in the room while you are lying down. Outside, the infinity pool is turned to the same horizon. Several of the chalets and rooms have a private sauna, which suits guests who would rather not share the ritual.

What the Kitchen Grows Itself

The restaurant is built around what the property produces. Fruit trees and herbs occupy the terraces; a full vegetable garden supplies the rest, with wheat and maize grown alongside. What the estate cannot cover comes from a named list of regional partners rather than from a wholesaler. The practical result is a menu that changes because the garden changed, which is the only honest reason for a menu to change.

Chalet or Suite: How to Choose

The chalets are the reason most guests come, and they are the right choice for a couple who want a door of their own, a private terrace and the pond outside it. The suites in the main house and its annexes suit anyone who prefers to be a few steps from breakfast, or who is travelling in the colder months and would rather not cross the clearing in a bathrobe. Both share the same spa, the same garden and the same view.