Ganischgerhof Mountain Resort & Spa

You might be forgiven for thinking this was somewhere other than Italy. Here, near Bolzano, where the place names are in German and the architecture is pure Alpine, is where you’ll find Ganischgerhof — again, not the most stereotypically Italian name you could think of. It’s enough to make other countries a bit jealous of Italy: from sun-bleached Sicily to snowy Schwarzenbach, they’ve got it all.

Ganischgerhof, from the outside, is an absolutely classic Tyrolean inn. The interiors do little to change that, though it’s clear the place has been well looked after — there’s a clean-lined contemporary sensibility underlying all this well-kept rustic wooden furniture. There are balconies, of course, to take advantage of the views of the Dolomites, and rooms and suites alike have at least a cozy little seating area, at most a proper living room, and all the basics, including satellite television.

There’s a small pool and a selection of saunas: one Finnish style, one an outdoor hut, two steam baths and even an ice cave, which one imagines it takes a certain temperament to enjoy. Like any mountain resort Ganischgerhof is probably at its best during ski season — but just try telling that to the hikers and the mountain bikers.