Miramonti Boutique Hotel

Long before we arrived at Miramonti — whose name means ‘mountain view’ in Italian — we knew we were en route to somewhere special. The winding road climbed through vineyards and forests and sunny villages, high up into the hills. By the time we arrived at our destination, some 1,200 metres up, our ears had popped, and the spa town of Merano, far below, has disappeared into a blue haze. 

The mountain and meadows around this 44-room boutique hotel fall away sharply, so you need a head for heights. The feel is contemporary, in an urban, bachelor-pad kind of way, rather than Alpine-twee. Its parking lot alone has a view worthy of many five-star hotels. 

We were welcomed with a cocktail on one of the two dining terraces, which both boast wide-screen views of the valley and snow-capped mountains in the distance. And then we were shown to our room — a Design Loft — where we enjoyed similarly spectacular floor-to-ceiling vistas from the comfort of our bed. The room was compact, but comfy, with a small lounge area, a shower room and a few playful details, including a boxed-in skylight that housed a tree. It was painted in moody dark blues, which were nice and cooling in the heat. There was a small minibar, tea and coffee, and paraben-free bathroom products, housed in eco-friendly pumper dispensers, infused with essential oils. 

The hotel has a long, thin infinity pool — competition for the sharp end is hot! — with a terrace with a dozen or so double day-beds, mostly populated by couples. But we quickly found our happy place in the much quieter onsen area on the terraced area behind the hotel. Reached by a long-wooden walkway, through the dappled light of maples and pines, this series of terraces tips its hat to Japanese forest-bathing — there’s a peaceful woodland area (complete with a swing) and half a dozen private platforms with day-beds. Down below is a heated infinity onsen looking out through the treetops, which proved particularly welcome for our tired muscles after a big day of hiking. We spent early evenings here, bathing and reading and sipping cold beers, delivered magically by uniformed staff to our little platform, via a QR code.  

Miramonti’s cave-like spa hugs the mountain — rocky outcrops actually break right through into the tiled room. It comprises a small sauna, a steam room and a sunny relaxation area. Elsewhere among the sun-dappled terraces, there is a whirlpool and a Nordic-style sauna with yet more fantastic views. 

The food is excellent — there is a fine-dining option, but we chose the more relaxed Klassik-Osteria Montana, where we had delicious pasta and a side of roasted vegetables, and masses of bread with very good olive oil. The wine list is also serious, with lots of local options and a good choice of natural/orange wines (the hotel’s owner also makes wine, and runs wine-tastings for guests). The breakfast spread was immense, with everything from fruit, nuts and seeds and a juicing bar, to local meat and cheese (I also couldn’t resist having a go with the waffle iron). In the afternoon, the staff also lay on a free buffet of marvellous cakes and fruits, which we fell upon after walking. 

And the walking here is fantastic — just a 10-minute drive up the hill (or a local bus ride) is the cable car to the Merano 2000, a popular network of ski slopes and hiking trails at 2,000m and above. We climbed the vertiginous 2,552-metre-high Kleiner Ifinger, which was thrilling. And then came down through meadows full of cows with tinkling bells and local Haflinger ponies. There are also lots of great hilltop restaurants en route, with more sun-drenched terraces to enjoy. 

On our second night, we took a 15-minute walk through some pretty woods to a family pizzeria nearby, and then watched the sun set, sitting on a bench by a sweet little church just near the hotel. 

Service at Miramonti was occasionally a little patchy, but the staff were always delightful and really keen to help. The offer of a takeaway breakfast box for our 6.30am departure on the final day was particularly welcome. It was, all in all, a wonderful escape.