Peak Health: Five Striking Alpine Spas We Love

Some head to sunny climes when winter arrives, but we prefer to seek out destinations that celebrate the romance of the colder months. And where better to appreciate winter’s cheek-reddening temperatures and snow-clad beauty than in the Alps? We can think of few more satisfying ways to experience the season than by visiting one of Europe’s celebrated mountain spas, journeying high into the peaks – mittens on and soft scarves wound around our necks. Whether slipping from alpine air into steaming outdoor pools, experiencing the crisp rush of an ice room before hurrying into the warm embrace of a sauna, or taking a moment to gaze at the sparse beauty of rock against sky from a hushed relaxation space, an escape to a mountain retreat promises the gifts of time and ritual. Here are five alpine spas to visit this winter.

Dolomites views at Forestis

Forestis, Dolomites, Italy

Upon arrival at Forestis, guests are handed a drink of spring water and stone-pine syrup – a taste of things to come at this top-of-the-world mountain bolthole. Tucked between dense pine woodland in the Dolomites Unesco World Heritage site, Forestis takes full advantage of its surrounding landscape and expansive skies. Once a mountain sanatorium for the Austrian monarchy, the historic, chalet-style buildings at this cloud-crowned wellness retreat have since been joined by a few space-age additions. All 62 rooms have been finished with sparse, blond minimalism (no Heidi chic here), the emphasis being on the eye-widening views of pine, peak and sky through your floor-to-ceiling windows. The spa – hidden from view – houses a heated outdoor pool and Finnish-style sauna, with tree-themed treatments and therapies (think forest salt baths and healing wood sound experiences) on offer. Guests can also enjoy holistic activities, including hiking, biking, snow-shoeing and skiing, with the Plose mountain lifts only 100m from the hotel’s front door.

Palmschoss 22, 39042 Bressanone BZ, Italy; forestis.it

Hotel Krallerhof’s Atmosphere Spa

Hotel Krallerhof, Austria

You’ll find five-star spa luxury beneath a rolling wave at Krallerhof. The traditional Austrian hotel, founded in 1956 in the mountain village of Leogang, just two hours’ drive from Munich, opened the Atmosphere Spa in December 2023, promising guests relaxation and regeneration between the alpine peaks. The ergonomic space, designed by architect Hadi Teherani, is a temple to wellbeing. Beneath the swooping structure, guests have at their disposal three saunas, a steam bath, Himalayan saltstone and infrared room, ice grotto, cold dipping pool and yoga studio, plus access to a 50m infinity pool that stretches out into a natural bathing lake, which, in warmer months, is a joy to swim in. The high-tech spa specialises in cryotherapy, high-altitude training and red light therapy, too.

Rain 6, 5771 Leogang, Austria; krallerhof.com

The Heaven and Hell Spa at Hotel Hubertus | Credit: Nicho De Biasi

Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus, Dolomites, Italy

You’d be forgiven for thinking the alpine air had gone to your head while gazing at Alpin Panorama Hotel Hubertus’ latest addition: the Heaven and Hell Spa at the Dolomites property is as striking in looks as the serrated peaks encircling its Val Pusteria setting. Hanging in the sky, the cantilevered building has two levels – a “heavenly” top floor equipped with whirlpools and a “hellish” lower level that holds sweat-ready saunas, another (hotter) whirlpool and an ice room. The mountain retreat has 74 bedrooms, and guests also have access to a 12m infinity pool, a cave-like steam bath, four further pools, plus treatment cabins and a relaxation pavilion.

Via Furcia, 5, 39030 Sorafurcia BZ, Italy; hotel-hubertus.com

Hotel Bohinj | Credit: Charlotte Garrousse

Hotel Bohinj, Slovenia

Occupying the U-shaped curve of a vast mountain valley in Slovenia’s Julian Alps, this elegant hotel appears petite beside the vast rock formations that crowd its lakeside position. Don’t be deceived. Minimalist Bohinj is a spacious, sprawling spa retreat. Its larch-lined buildings, which were built using natural materials sourced from Slovenian quarries and forests, house 62 bedrooms, including suites, an adults-only spa, and an all-day dining restaurant that plates up local produce accompanied by Slovenian wines. Within the deliciously deciduous-smelling wood interiors of the wellness centre sit two saunas, experience showers, a steam room, ice foundation, relaxation lounge with lake views, spa pool and two treatment rooms. Each guest enjoys two hours’ access a day – ample time in which to relax and rejuvenate.

Ribčev Laz 45, 4265 Bohinjsko Jezero, Slovenia; hotelbohinj.si

Bürgenstock Resort, Switzerland

Plenty of modern, minimalist alpine spas have debuted across Europe in recent years, but few match the architectural intrigue of Bürgenstock. Perched high above Lake Lucerne on a steep mountain gradient, the resort is frequently swaddled by clouds. Once the haunt of doe-eyed film stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren, this historic property can make claim to being one of Europe’s first resort hotels. A 2017 makeover (and some Qatari cash) has transported the Wes Anderson-worthy property into the 21st-century, adding a sleek, stylish extension home to new bedrooms and the state-of-the-art Alpine Spa, with its five pools, saunas, salt baths, steam and ice rooms and outdoor plunge pools. Pick from three wellness “journeys” and you’ll be given a dedicated sequence of hydrothermal experiences to move through, taking you from 10-minute pool walks to in-out ice-pool plunges.

6363 Obbürgen, Switzerland; burgenstockresort.com


Main photo credit: Manuel Kottersteger