When I stayed at Sensoria Dolomites earlier this year, I had never skied before in my life. I had missed out on the school trip and I’ve not had the opportunity to ski since. As a kid, I was always daring and adventurous, raring to give anything a go and put my all into it. Since being an adult this part of me is reluctantly diminishing more and more as the years go on. Now, I could barely climb a tree without the fear of plummeting to my barbarous and untimely death.
While I am sad I didn’t get the chance to learn when I was a kid before I learned the fear, in the spirit of trying something new, at age 31, I booked my first ski trip to the Dolomites in Italy.
Sensoria Dolomites, just a half hour drive from Bolzano airport, was the ideal place to settle into my skis as it’s located at the foot of Alpe di Siusi, the largest high plateau in Europe. It is a luxury four-star, adult-only, all-inclusive retreat with 45 minimalist bedrooms, two large suites, an indulgent food market and a panoramic spa tucked into the mountains of South Tyrol. If I turned out to be awful at skiing, or even worse – get injured (which I was very prepared for), I could happily spend my days relaxing in the spa instead.
©Brandnamic
The Sensoria story is remarkable. In a traditional South Tyrolean hotel that stood in the exact spot as Sensoria back in the seventies, two teenage members of staff fell in love, later buying it together and running it for themselves. They had four children who all lovingly grew up within the hotel. One is the wonderful Lea, who has been running Sensoria with her husband Simon since 2020. Lea embraced the legacy of her parents by pouring her heart and soul into Sensoria and elevating it into the luxury alpine oasis it is today. Sensoria prides itself on being ‘luxury for the soul’ and it shows. Each moment of a guest’s stay has been carefully thought through by Lea and Simon to bring enrichment, nourishment and joy every step of the way.
©Luca Putzer
©Luca Putzer
The hotel’s design is a harmonious fusion of Scandinavian warmth and Japanese multi-functional minimalism, inspired by Lea’s travels around the world. It seamlessly integrates itself with the rugged beauty of the landscape with warming wooden accents making you feel like you’re in a Swedish sauna, stone surfaces reflective of the surrounding terrain and plush furnishings inviting me to unwind, while large windows frame the panoramic views of Dolomites. The first floor of the hotel is circled around an outdoor moss-clad terrace and central bonsai tree. At every turn I was drawn to it, an intentional move by Lea and Simon. I found myself side-eyeing the bonsai throughout my stay in the attempt to absorb some of its calming aura.
The bedrooms
The bedrooms are open-plan and minimalistic, but cosy. Soft and light boucle textures complement the hotel’s signature blonde wooden slatted walls, emblematic of Japandi interior design, creating a serene and comforting space to wind down after a day in the mountains. The bathroom contrasts against the rest of the room with its dark granite stonework, bringing the natural colours and textures of the landscape to life inside the room. I soothed the ski-day aches and pains away under the rainfall shower with luxury Aesop toiletries as my aid. Bliss.
We stayed in one of the hotel’s corner suites that overlooks the heated outdoor pool with the towering Schlern as our backdrop. At 8am, cocooned in my fluffy white robe, cappuccino in hand, looking up at the Italian mountains, really had me in my main-character feels.
The spa
The Japanese influences of Sensoria really come to life within the spa, from its architecture to its overall vibe. The signature pale wooden framework, designed with traditional bath houses in mind, is made from local mountain spruce and takes the aesthetic of the spa up a notch. There’s something about this spa that instantly takes the edge off. The frosty forests and colossal mountains that surround the hotel add to the calming vibe, as each side of the spa has floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the naturally tranquil environment. It’s like luxury forest bathing. “In Japan, forest bathing is seen as a preventive health care technique as it increases your serotonin levels, boosts your immune system and has a positive effect on blood pressure and energy levels.” Lea and Simon are on to a winner, the happy feeling this spa gives you from the views alone heartily soothes your soul and invigorates your senses and that’s not even the half of it.