La Perla

This classic South Tyrolean lodge sits high in the Dolomites, in the charming Alpine village of Corvara, close to the Swiss border and just over a hundred miles from Venice. There’s nothing of the boutique world about La Perla — it’s old-fashioned hospitality at its best, as though it had never occurred to a hotel to be “hip.”

There’s personality to spare, though, from the general — the distinctly Swiss looks of this grand old lodge — to the unique: this has to be the only Alpine resort hotel with its own motorcycle museum, stuffed to the gills with rows of antique bikes.

The guest rooms are traditional through and through, with rustic wood furniture, rich printed fabrics and ornate headboards. Public spaces are no less detailed — the dining rooms are all wood-paneled charm, with timbered ceilings and the walls lined with wine bottles. This being Italy, an extensive wine cellar is de rigueur, this one offering some four thousand vintages.

La Perla is surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites, and the natural environment is the prime attraction. Skiing and snowshoeing are popular wintertime diversions, and in summer the area offers a wealth of hiking trails. On site there’s an indoor-outdoor pool as well as Turkish baths, saunas and jacuzzi. There’s precious little in the way of such new-fangled diversions as aromatherapy or pilates — this is the old-fashioned face of the Alps.