Adler Lodge Ritten

If you’re after a beautiful, perfectly relaxing break with wonderful scenery and delicious food, this is the hotel for you. I came here to stay for a few days in February and I was totally blown away by everything about this place. The photos on their website, while beautifully artistic, simply do not do the views of the stunning Dolomites or the hotel’s fantastic architecture or interiors justice. Please bear that in mind when booking - I promise you will get here in person and be amazed. The views are incredible from every part of the hotel - whether you’re gazing out from the lobby and bar area, the restaurant, the heated infinity pool, the range of suites and chalets, the sauna area in the first - you will find what you see simply stunning. It will take your breath away, and it is so relaxing. I was in a junior suite and it was very comfortable, with a large balcony and extremely spacious bathroom. The dinners are superb and definitely the food highlight. For dietary reasons, I couldn’t try the popular ‘farm to table’ menu, which stays the same all week, but I did enjoy the food from the other menu, where you get a choice of two for every course and which changes daily. They do take into account some dietary requirements in advance - you just need to let them know. Really delicious food, good portions that don’t leave you feeling uncomfortably full and optional wine pairings if you want. Food and drink at this hotel is all inclusive, so you can drink whatever you want while you are here. Lunch runs for a long time each day, from 1-5pm, and you normally get offered a hot dish plus soup there, and then an array of charcuterie and salads, plus desserts. It’s great that lunch goes on for so long, as it means you can drop by after a long day hiking and still get some food in before dinner. Breakfast is strong and also has a good selection, especially on the continental side - lots of cakes, pastries and fruit plus nice variety of juices. I loved the juices! However, I’m a typical Brit, so the one thing I would change about breakfast would be to have the cooked food as a buffet option - as you have to order them from a menu and then they are brought to your table by a waiter. I would personally prefer to be able to get my scrambled eggs, bacon, crepes etc from a hot buffet selection. But I presume I’m in the minority as this is not how the hotel prefers to do things! Staff are really friendly across the hotel, and always happy to help you with any enquiries. I couldn’t drink alcohol when I was there, but one of the bar staff made me a fantastic strawberry and raspberry mocktail each day. The spa is a very relaxing space. There’s a dedicated relaxation room with views of the mountains, perfect for curling up with a book, the heated outdoor infinity pool and two forest saunas. All I would say about the spa is that the actual treatments are perhaps a little expensive, but you would probably expect a mark up at a luxury hotel. If you want to tre

One of the features of a great hotel is that you immediately unwind, the relaxation settles in faster like nowhere else. The hotel is a remarkable piece of architecture, far nicer than the images on the website give away. I can tell you all about how even the regular suites have their own saunas etc, but you can read all about that on the website in nicer words. What stood out during the visit, was the service and the people that provided it. I will praise Stefano, our waiter for three of the four nights, but he stands representative for everybody from reception to the bar keepers, that made us feel welcome, supported and never disturbed. Well, and then there is the food. And drinks. All inclusive. Great breakfast buffet with a la carte options, didn't even get to try the lunch / afternoon service and then dinner.. OMG.. 5 course dinners with wine pairing - not a single dish or wine or even cheese was repeated. Many of the guests went full custom and ordered extra dishes etc., we stuck to the menu as it offered creativity, excellent craftsmanship and local flavours. After dinner, we retreated to the lobby with the nice cosy fireplace and the open bar with premium spirits and two knowledgable bar keepers who didn't shy away from any request or a friendly chat. There is also a large spa area with a great heated outdoor pool, Rittnerhorn ski lifts are 20min drive away, lots of activities offered in and outdoor. So, to cut this short: the Adler Lodge Ritten is now in my top three hotels worldwide.

We stayed on their Junior Suite. We couldn’t get into their chalets since they were all sold out. Side notes: if possible, try getting 10-18 chalets or 30-35 suites for Dolomites view and closer to the main building where most of their amenities are. So all stays include breakfast, lunch and dinner along with scheduled activities. They also have spa services for additional fees. Book early as they were sold out when we were there. We were able to squeeze in late leg massages but that’s it. Thanks Adler Ritten! All Junior suites have patios and bio saunas included in the room. All mini bars are included in the price of the room as well. Unfortunately, our towel warmers didn’t work but that’s ok. They also have public steam room and forest saunas. Pool was wonderful with warm water and great view of the mountain. They also had relaxation room next to the pool. Seem nice but we didn’t use them. Staffs were classy and super nice. Mostly speak German and Italian. Of all the meals, we love their breakfasts most. Great selection of yogurts, cold cuts and eggs to order. Dinner was taking a bit too long for us Americans, a bit too formal for faraway travelers. They also offer shuttle service to the cable car station. So easy access from Bolzano, take a cable car and they pick us up and drop us off.

We spent a week in a junior chalet, a small house next to a beautiful pond. The location is remote, thus no suitable if you want to drive around and visit different places in the region. However, this makes for perfect relaxation, as it is extraordinary quiet at the resort, the surrounding park and its views of the dolomites are just amazing. There are many hiking paths starting right from the hotel, yet if you want to get to higher altitude, there is only the Rittner Horn at 2'200m. The daughter of the owner family got inspired by a lodge in Namibia and built something similar at home, and having been to Namibia, I can say this was successful. The service is excellent, and I was positively surprised by the all-inclusive concept. Starting from a wide breakfast selection, to a well-stocked bar from noon onwards, a healthy lunch and a cake buffet, and finally to a five-course dinner where you could choose on the spot from a good selection, with pairing of fine wines that would cost between 15 and 30 Euros retail. If you know a bit the local wines, you can make sure you get the better stuff. Wine pairing changes every day, and the remaining bottles end up at the bar the next day - which makes for a good aperitif before dinner. The wellness area is nice, especially the two saunas among the trees. There are more than enough sun beds, and an amazing and heated infinity pool. We'll certainly be back.