Goldene Rose Karthaus

A corner of Italy where German is spoken, and impossibly jagged mountain peaks rise in the near distance? The Dolomites seem too extraordinary to be true, but the South Tyrolean village of Certosa is a real place, and the family-owned Golden Rose is a beautiful introduction: from the outside, an immaculately well-kept Tyrolean inn, and on the inside, a hotel that’s clearly absorbed the influence of a generation or two of stylish Italian hospitality design.

This means expanses of knotted pine wood alongside understatedly chic furnishings and tastefully muted textiles. It’s as cozy as you want an Alpine lodge to be, but never cloying or claustrophobic, thanks to its clean lines, its plentiful natural lighting, and its keen sense of aesthetic balance. Some rooms come with private terraces, and the penthouse and junior suites even have in-room saunas.

Everyone, of course, has access to the hotel’s communal wellness offerings, from the Glacisse spa to the Karthauser Bad open-air sauna complex. Meanwhile the hotel’s restaurant serves cuisine (and wines) that blend Alpine and Mediterranean influences, to great effect. All the better to fuel for the day’s adventures, and to restore you afterwards; skiers and outdoor enthusiasts of all descriptions are spoiled for choice around here.