Review: Dolomites haven Aman Rosa Alpina
Aspire checks in to the brand’s recently opened Italian ski resort
Location: Surrounded by the craggy drama of the Dolomites, Aman Rosa Alpina sits in the South Tyrolean village of San Cassiano, population 850. It’s about a three-hour drive from Venice airport and a little less from Innsbruck, but the route winds through mountain passes so scenic, you almost wish the journey was longer.
First impressions: San Cassiano feels as traditional as Alpine villages come: geranium-adorned timbered chalets, a frescoed church with an onion-domed spire and pine-clad slopes surrounding farms. So when my car draws up outside the hotel’s sleek facade of metal and stripped timber, it feels slightly incongruous. But as soon as I step inside, passing four vast modern tapestries at reception, I’m bowled over by the scale of the light-filled space before me. Beneath a soaring ceiling punctuated by strips of spotlight, different seating areas cluster around a handful of fireplaces, whose metal chimneys stretch skywards. Aman’s signature minimalism is everywhere in calming shades of grey, ivory and brown, with textured plastered walls and pale rugs laid over dark-oak floors. In the daytime, there’s nothing to distract you from the cinematic view of the forested slopes through a six-metre wall of glass, beyond which the 20-metre infinity pool with sublime mountain views promises more serenity. In the evening, a pianist strikes up, bringing a bit more buzz to the bar.
The facts: Hugo Pizzinini’s family has been at the helm here for three generations and teamed up with Aman to create this latest incarnation of the property. After a spell as an Aman partner hotel, the old Rosa Alpina closed in March 2023 and was demolished to make way for architect Jean-Michel Gathy’s sleek creation. Aman Rosa Alpina opened its doors this summer, with the ever-present Pizzininis retaining a majority stake. Upstairs, 51 rooms echo the modern drama of the lobby. Blinds open at the touch of a bedside switch, wool rugs soften pale-oak floors and fireplaces provide a warming glow. Most rooms have a balcony or terrace facing either the forest or the village, with jagged mountain peaks beyond. Even the smallest of the four categories is spacious, and swish bathrooms are clad in Dolomite stone. Downstairs, the hotel’s former Michelin-starred restaurant was scrapped in favour of the family-style Grill, with juicy steaks cooked on open fires and feather-light pizzas. This winter, a Japanese shabu-shabu restaurant is set to open, offering diners hot pots to share. Throw in a 25,000-bottle wine cellar for private dining, small plates in the bar and a dedicated breakfast room and there’s plenty on the menu.
Ideal for: The chic ski set and anyone seeking a stylish summer escape. The design may be decidedly grown-up – there’s an adult-only pool, sauna and steam room – but the hotel is very child-friendly too, with rooms big enough for everyone and a vast basement devoted to entertainment: think climbing wall, two cinemas (with another upstairs) and a gaming room.
Explore: Among the village’s handful of shops and bars, the bakery is the one not to miss (try the warm strudel). Unless you’re a geologist or interested in prehistoric bears, skip the Ladin Museum and head for the heights. A courtesy shuttle takes you to the Piz Sorega gondola, which whisks you into the Dolomiti Superski area: 745 miles of pistes in winter; flower-filled meadows in summer. Hike up to Pralongia, where a little chapel sits at 2,138 metres with views that make the climb worthwhile. Back in San Cassiano, a riverside pathway doubles as an art trail.
Wow: After a day hiking in the Dolomites, my legs are pleading for solace, and the hotel’s two-storey spa with gym and yoga studio obliges. I await my therapist in the Zen garden, where a pine has been trimmed into a giant bonsai, before being expertly slathered with a blend of Alpine arnica, wildflowers and lavender oil. The Rosa Alpina signature massage is mountain therapy at its most indulgent.
Book it: One night’s B&B in a Superior Room starts from €1,438.
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