Naturno is one of those South Tyrol towns that surprises first-time visitors. While the region is famous for ski slopes and jagged Alpine valleys, this spot near the Texel Group mountains enjoys an almost Mediterranean climate — vines on the hillsides, palms in gardens, sunshine well into autumn. And above it all sits the Dolce Vita Preidlhof, an adults-only five-star resort that treats wellbeing as the core business rather than an add-on.
The spa is the headline act. Preidl Spa covers more than 5,500 square metres and is arranged like a small wellness village, with its centrepiece a six-storey Sauna Tower housing 18 saunas and relaxation rooms, each level running at a different temperature and intensity. Work from the top down — sauna, shower, pool, lounger, repeat — and it becomes strangely meditative. Elsewhere there are seven pools, seven whirlpools and two rooftop Sky Infinity Pools, where you can float with the mountains filling the view.
Rooms follow the same logic of calm. There are 71 in total, many with balconies facing the peaks, and the top-end penthouse suites come with a private butler and outdoor beds for stargazing. Even the entry-level Comfort Rooms have thoughtful touches: a terrace with a day bed, a multi-sensory shower for two, and a box-spring bed built around the hotel's Sleep-Fit-Health-System. Guests must be 16 or over, so the atmosphere stays quiet throughout.
Food here has ambition beyond the usual spa fare of lettuce and green juice. The kitchen, recognised by Gault Millau, blends South Tyrolean ingredients — apples, grapes, mountain cheeses, herbs — with contemporary cooking, and there's a dedicated Wellness Healing Gourmet Menu covering vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free and refined-sugar-free options. Board is a generous 3/4 arrangement: breakfast, dinner and a substantial afternoon buffet are all included, and you can also eat at the three neighbouring Dolce Vita hotels at no extra cost.
What stops Preidlhof feeling one-note is that it isn't only a spa. It sits at the gateway to the Texel Group Nature Park, so walking routes start practically at the door, moving from orchards and vineyards into proper Alpine terrain. E-bikes make the valleys accessible without Tour de France legs, and the hotel runs its own activity programme.
Getting there is easier than you might expect: SkyAlps flies direct from London Gatwick to Bolzano, with free snacks and drinks onboard, and Naturno is a short hop away.
Prices start from €216 per person per night including the 3/4 board. For couples after a romantic mountain escape, solo travellers on a genuine wellness mission, or anyone who wants Alpine scenery with a softer, sunnier climate, Preidlhof covers a lot of bases without ever feeling like it's trying too hard.
Review via The Travel Magazine
