Does Alpine Summer Spa Beat Winter Ski?
If Alpine holidays have you dreaming of snow, ski and aprés, think again. In keeping with one of this year’s hottest travel trends, immersive summer wellness programmes are popping up across the Alps, inspiring travellers to swap salopettes for spa robes and try altitude with a new attitude.
Forbes predicted—correctly—that 2024 would see a shift towards travel for personal betterment, with individuals looking to enhance their overall well-being on their holidays. Fact: Mountainside retreats provide ultimate holiday wellness potential. They offer active exercise, immersion in nature, and balanced therapies set against scenery that takes your breath away, not to mention all that clean mountain air. So, if you have never ventured ‘up’ in summer months, or are yet to book a break that speaks to your health and wellbeing – whilst also being downright luxe – read on.
We were invited to the exclusive Lefay Resort & SPA in the Dolomites to trial the innovative new Yin-Yang Active & Rebalance programme and learn firsthand how to go Alpine, sans snow. All in the name of a personal weekend wellness reboot, of course…
The Vibe
Elevated. Pun utterly intended. Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti screams luxury but with understated ease, owning comfort-chic in spades. Physical and mental rejuvenation are at the heart of the hotel’s ethos, and its proximity to nature creates an energy unique to the resort. Deep breathing kicked in the minute we walked through the courtyard entrance, and not once during our stay did we feel anything but blissfully calm.
Physical & mental rejuvenation are at the heart of the hotel’s ethos.
The Location
The mountains, just for a weekend? Situated in the Northern Italian Alps on the outskirts of the village of Pinzolo in the Rendena valley, Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti is just a two-hour drive from Verona airport and perfect for both weekend breaks and longer retreats. We stayed for three nights and felt like we had been away far longer (in a good way).
Nothing can detract from the sheer magnificence of the vistas.
Traditionally a ski resort during the winter months, Pinzolo is equally equipped for sunshine, with its gondolas reopening in late June to early September for hikers and mountain bikers. However, don’t be influenced by high summer tourism. Lefay Resort & SPA is a destination in its own right, attracting guests year round with luxurious accommodation and doorstep access to lush pine trees and crystal clear waterways in the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Shoulder season (May-June, Sept-Oct) offers better deals and a cooler climate. Whether you get lucky with warm sunny skies or experience an unseasonal cold snap like we did, nothing can detract from the sheer magnificence of the vistas.
What Sets it Apart
We don’t often say this but, honestly? Everything. Lefay Resort & SPA is a genuinely stand-out destination – we found it impossible to find fault. Our stay here delivered exceptional service, unparalleled hospitality and an incredibly relaxing environment with just the right dose of satisfyingly naughty self-indulgence. A bespoke parcel of our favourite breakfast cakes for the airport transfer home was one such highlight – all packaged up in a beautifully branded Lefay-handled box to see us on our way.
The Rooms
Balancing luxury with comfort, priority has been given to cosy spaces that are also gratifyingly imposing – think soft-hued wood, beautifully appointed furniture and glorious floor-to-ceiling windows framing the mountains beyond. These are the type of rooms that elicit an appreciative ‘ooooh’ before you squash down into a comfy sofa in front of your own personal fireplace. Modern Alpine design at its finest – we certainly took interior inspo home with us.
Think soft-hued wood, beautifully appointed furniture and glorious floor-to-ceiling windows framing the mountains beyond.
The Programme
Beyond architecture and exceptional hospitality, the real stand out here is the spa – at over 5,000 sqm it is one of the largest in the Alps with 1,700 sqm of saunas alone. Featuring an indoor pool, outdoor pool, fitness centre, complex of treatment rooms, two private spas and a beauty parlour, there truly is no therapy you could want that isn’t offered. What makes it sensational, however, is five different energy therapy areas: a complex of saunas, steam rooms, ice baths, whirlpools, salt grotto, flotation pools and relaxation areas linked to the five phases of Qi – earth, wood, fire, metal and water.
What makes it sensational, however, is five different energy therapy areas…
Lefay Resort & SPA offers a new take on holistic wellness and this is what we came to experience. Its Yin-Yang Active & Balance Programme combines the therapeutic power of alpine nature and the five movements from Classical Chinese medicine to work on the energy poles of Yin and Yang to rebalance body and mind.
Day 1 was dedicated to Yang fire and the day of the Red Phoenix. We commenced with an introduction to the programme and fitness consultation before embarking on a 3-hour Nordic vertical hike through the forest to raise heart energy. This included moments of contemplation, forest bathing and touch therapy and was highly sensorial. In the afternoon we experienced a private Aufguss purification ritual, performed in one of the hottest saunas with aromatherapy-infused snowballs thrown onto the stove whilst we progressed through a guided deep stretch. We then had time to while away in the Energy Therapeutic World before heading to the treatment rooms for a Red Phoenix massage working on the meridian of the heart.
Day 2 was dedicated to Yin water and the day of the Black Tortoise. A slower and more reflective energy day, we began with a 3-hour gentle walk around the local glacial water paths, stopping for an ice water immersion, which left us feeling exhilarated. After a hearty lunch back at the hotel, we were allocated a 40-minute private session in the Salt Grotto and Salt-Water Lake before experiencing the Detox Path treatment – a body scrub, mask and full body steam wrap performed on an innovative heated water bed – surreal but incredible. Our day finished with a Black Tortoise massage geared towards supporting kidney metabolic function and a final meeting to close the programme.
A body scrub, mask and full body steam wrap performed on an innovative heated water bed – surreal but incredible.
Food & Drink
All our meals were enjoyed at the Dolomia restaurant with panoramic views out over the mountain range. Breakfast was an exceptional self-service smorgasbord with every sweet and savoury treat one could ask for. For lunch and dinner, we were offered a balanced set menu as part of our Yin-Yang programme, combining the nutritional principles of Classical Chinese medicine with Western cooking techniques. Dishes were delicious and healthy, with perfect proportions of carbs, fats, proteins, fibres and prebiotic ingredients designed to support gut flora.
Every sweet and savoury treat one could ask for.
Alternatively, fine dining can be experienced at Grual, named after the mountain behind the resort. Executive Chef Matteo Maenza has studied the mountain trails, creating an Altimetric tasting menu using seasonal ingredients from local producers, divided into three different altitudes – Valley Floor, Alpine Pasture & High Mountain. We didn’t dine here but would certainly book next time as an additional treat.
Things to Do
Beyond the Yin-Yang Active & Rebalance programme there are plenty of other distractions to keep you busy at Lefay Resort & SPA. Take the plunge and get out on a guided mountain bike to experience one of the 24 tracks, with terrain suitable for every level. Don your hiking boots for a trek to the famous Nardis and Lares waterfalls. Alternatively, take a dip in the outdoor pool and sunbathe on one of the subtly placed outdoor loungers. Or if you’re still craving a well-being hit, book in with one of the Lefay Wellness Week guest experts on-site (available for limited periods) to experience exclusive access to a variety of holistic disciplines.
The Verdict
Let’s be clear: this is not a cheap getaway. But if you are willing to invest in your wellbeing holiday then trust us, it is worth the spend.
A unique retreat for many reasons, what impressed us most about Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti was how the resort makes you feel. Being in the presence of such expansive greenery delivers a quiet inner calm from the minute you arrive. The hotel itself masters unassuming, perfect service and you are indulged in an enveloping hospitality that feels like a blanket.
What impressed us most about Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti was how the resort makes you feel.
The Yin-Yang Active & Balance Programme is precisely designed to balance energy channels within the body, and the combination of active exertion, fire and water therapies, along with personal consultations, left us renewed, relaxed and refreshed. If mind space (stress) and movement (creakiness) are your bugbears then this is the luxury Alpine wellness retreat for you.
Getting There
British Airways flights run regularly from London to Verona. Then, it’s a 2-hour transfer to Lefay Resort & SPA. We took a private sedan to soak up the beautiful scenery around Lake Garda up into the mountains.
How to Book
The 3-night Yin-Yang Active & Balance Programme at Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti starts at €1,650 per person, including accommodation, all meals and treatments (excluding flights and transfers).
