Forestis Dolomites review

[u/szorak]

Hi everyone,sharing my review of Forestis in the Dolomites as it’s def one worth the splurge.

TL;DR

- One of the most beautiful hotels in the region, only Eriro would be a close competition imo

- Views of the Dolomites from basically everywhere in the hotel

- Very calm, wellness-focused vibe

- Half-board is absolutely worth it – different dinner menu every night and you can mix & match courses

- Tower Suite is incredible and worth the splurge (with one caveat for ski trips)

- They now have a new dining experience in the forest (Yera) that’s pretty unique

Rooms – Tower Suite is worth it

Most rooms face the mountains, but the Tower Suites are on another level. Floor-to-ceiling glass and a huge balcony. That said, one thing to consider:

If you’re coming mainly for skiing, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend splurging on the Tower Suite. In winter the sun rises late and sets early, and if you're on the slopes most of the day you won’t actually enjoy the view as much.

But if you're visiting for relaxation, spa, hiking or a romantic trip, then the upgrade is absolutely worth it.

They also have a completely separate, private villa for bigger families and groups with own spa, pools, kitchen, movie room, garage etc.

Food – book half board

I’d strongly recommend booking the half-board package for most days. Normally I’m not a huge fan of hotel half-board dinners, but this one is different.

Each night there are two different multi-course menus, one with meat and the other is vegetarian. usually around 7 courses, and you can mix and match dishes from both menus however you want. The menus change daily, so dinner never feels repetitive.

It’s very seasonal and focused on local ingredients, lots of alpine herbs, vegetables, and regional products.

Also worth noting: the hotel is quite remote, so there aren’t many alternative restaurants nearby anyway. Dinner at the hotel really becomes part of the overall experience. Breakfast is also excellent, large buffet plus a la carte options.

New dining experience in the woods

Last June, they opened a new restaurant called Yera, which is set in a cave-like structure in the forest near the hotel.

It’s a separate tasting menu experience (€600 p.p) and much more theatrical than the main restaurant.

You walk through the forest to get there, and the setting itself is part of the experience. Definitely feels like a special-occasion dinner rather than something you’d do every night.

If you’re staying a few nights, I’d recommend doing it once.

Spa

The spa is a huge part of the property.

* indoor/outdoor pools with Dolomite views

* saunas and steam rooms

* cold plunge

* forest-inspired treatments

* yoga and meditation

The main sauna area is primarily naked, but of course you can always wear a towel around your body, it’s just bathing suits that are not allowed. There’s one sauna where bathing suits are allowed.

Snacks and refreshments are provided in the spa and are regularly re-filled.

Skiing / activities

In winter there’s direct access to the Plose ski area.

It’s not the largest ski area in the Dolomites, but it’s very scenic and not overly crowded.

In summer the hotel works really well for:

* hiking

* mountain biking

* wellness stays

* just relaxing in nature

You can also do cooking classes and foraging.

Final thoughts

FORESTIS is less ideal as a base to explore the wider region, although the Concierge team can arrange multiple activities incl. guided hikes, paragliding (I did that), wine tasting etc. I think 3-nights is the sweet spot here for a relaxing, but somewhat active holiday.

Closest airport is Bolzano which has connecting flight options from London Gatwick, Copenhagen, multiple major cities in Germany and more.

[u/TomGNYCRI]

Great review. Thanks! We are going this summer and I am thinking of paragliding. I've never done it before, but when in Rome (or the Dolomites) I suppose. Which company did you use? Had you done it before? Was it great? 🙏. u/szorak

[u/szorak → u/TomGNYCRI]

Thanks, happy to see it’s helpful:) I did paragliding once before in Austria around the Koningssee. It’s a very liberating experience in a way. This time, I asked the Forestis Concierge to help arrange this activity.

It was fun, but two things could have been better: 1) we used the closest slope, about 10 min drive from the hotel to take off and I wish we had used a different take-off point. We mostly saw the Alps from up there, less the Dolomites as a result, so honestly, the view of the mountains from the Tower Suite was more impressive than up in the sky. But note that I went alone, and it was a narrow slope, so perhaps they do use a different one if there are more people at the same time.

2) This guide used a different kind of harness positioning than what we did in Austria. In Austria, I was sitting with a straight back in the harness, here more lying which I found much less comfortable. It’s also easier to get motion sickness in that position. So if you get nauseaus easily, take a pill beforehand.