Looking for a special stay to add to your Dolomites trip? Whether you’re wanting a weekend wellness break from reality or need to rest and recover post-hiking or skiing, ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI needs to be on your radar.
You’ve probably seen luxe Dolomites mountain resorts on social media, and assumed they were either well out of your budget or required an extended and complicated journey to get there.
But what if I told you that you could stay at one of the Dolomites’ best resorts, accessible by bus or a short transfer from Bolzano train station, with a brilliant buffet breakfast and 4-5 course gourmet dinner every day, and full access to the huge spa complex, from just €241 per night for a single room or €210 per person per night for two people in a double?
Say hello to ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI.
I’m on a constant mission to find the best value places to stay all over the world, and to share them with you on here. Not necessarily the cheapest, not necessarily the fanciest, but the places that are worth the money you pay and that will elevate your trip from just meeting your expectations to absolutely exceeding them.
There’s no doubt that ADLER DOLOMITI ticks these boxes, this is the perfect example of attainable luxury and a fantastic option for any Dolomites trip.
Here’s a comprehensive review of my lush getaway at this spa resort, with all the info on what the hotel includes, the best things to do here, plus loads of photos so you know exactly what to expect.
A quick note: Any prices are based on the time of writing, January 2025, and are subject to change and availability. Please note that like all Dolomites hotels, ADLER DOLOMITI’s room rates heavily depend on season and demand. Travel in the shoulder season for the best deals and check out their current offers here.
Table of Contents
Disclosure: I was kindly hosted at ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI on a press trip. The hotel has no editorial control over my content and everything I share, as always, is based on my personal experience.
All about ADLER Resorts
Who are ADLER Resorts?
From humble beginnings in the early 1800s to a leading luxury hospitality group in the current day, ADLER Resorts is a seventh-generation family-run business from right here in Ortisei.
The ADLER OG (original grandfather!) was Josef Anton Sanoner, who started the family’s legacy by buying a small inn in 1810. Fast forward 170 years or so of local success, and the sixth generation of the Sanoner family transformed the hotel into one of the Dolomites’ first spa resorts, now known as ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI.
The past 25 years has seen ADLER expand beyond their Ortisei roots, with five hotels dotted around the Dolomites, as well as one in Tuscany and one on Sicily’s coast.
Where are the other ADLER Resorts?
Let me list them for you:
- ADLER Spa Resort BALANCE in Ortisei, right next to DOLOMITI
- ADLER Lodge ALPE on Alpe di Siusi, the plateau above Ortisei
- ADLER Lodge RITTEN on the Renon plateau, near Bolzano
- AKI Family Resort PLOSE, near Bressanone
- ADLER Spa Resort THERMAE in Val d’Orcia, Tuscany
- ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA in Sicily
What is ADLER Friends?
ADLER Friends is the ADLER loyalty programme, offering return guests the chance to collect points with each stay and redeem them for vouchers, as well as giving them access to special discounts and packages.
Detailed review of ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI
Where is ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI?
ADLER DOLOMITI is in the centre of Ortisei, a fairytale town in the heart of Val Gardena. This slice of alpine paradise fuses multiple cultures and languages, so you’ll notice that maps and signs might say Ortisei (Italian), St. Ulrich (German) or Urtijëi (Ladin). They all refer to the same place!
The resort is perfectly placed just steps from the main street, only a short walk from both the Seceda and Alpe di Siusi cable cars. If you’re heading there for winter, you can get from your room to the slopes in less than half an hour.
The location is particularly convenient if you don’t have a car and are relying on public transport.
The Dolomites is notoriously unfriendly to travellers without their own set of wheels, bus routes are limited to main roads and village hubs, so those dreamy retreats hidden up in the mountains are actually a nightmare to get to! ADLER DOLOMITI is a short walk from the town’s bus stop, connecting you to Bolzano train station and beyond.
Arrival to ADLER DOLOMITI
I visited ADLER DOLOMITI as part of a press trip so we had our transfers all organised, I met the others at Verona train station and it was just over two hours to reach Ortisei.
If you’re coming here without a car/transfer you can catch a train from Milan to Bolzano station and book a transfer from there, or catch the bus from Bolzano which takes just less than an hour (with incredible views!).
The lobby impressed me immediately, with a huge chandelier, lots of comfy seating, a glass box fireplace, and staff wearing traditional Tyrolean attire, but the real hero of the room is the wall of windows looking out to Ortisei’s colourful buildings and up to the mighty Sassolungo.
We had a glass of Prosecco in the sun while our check in documents were being processed, before getting settled in our rooms.
The rooms
Most of the rooms at ADLER DOLOMITI were renovated in 2024, with the final renovations due to be completed in summer 2025.
I stayed in a new Superior Double room, very spacious, which had a comfy bed, desk, seating area, balcony and a modern bathroom.
The interiors are natural and pared back, with wood-panelled walls and top quality furnishings. Environmentally-friendly materials have been used in both construction and décor, part of ADLER’s commitment to sustainable tourism.
There was no bathtub (their Junior Suites have a tub if that’s a non-negotiable for you) and I was on a lower floor so my view was mostly of the street with the Sassolungo juuuust visible in the corner, but the higher level rooms have a better vantage point or there’s plenty of chill space around the resort to soak up the scenery.
They also have single rooms if you’re travelling solo, this is quite rare for spa resorts so I love them for this!
Food & drink at ADLER DOLOMITI
The food at ADLER DOLOMITI is a delicious fusion of hearty South Tyrolean cuisine and lighter Mediterranean fare, so you can pick the dishes that suit your tastes that day. In true ADLER fashion there’s a focus on wellness and nutrition, as well as showcasing regional ingredients.
The breakfast buffet is extensive, with a wide selection of breads, pastries, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, cheese, cold cuts and cooking stations for made-to-order eggs as well as hot pancakes and waffles.
There’s even honeycomb straight from the beehive, and Prosecco if you’d like to start your day with a mimosa.
The restaurant serves a light à la carte lunch at extra cost for those sticking around the hotel grounds.
If you need an afternoon snack post-hike, post-ski or mid-spa-day, there’s an afternoon tea in the lounge with authentic sugary delights like strudel.
But dinner is when ADLER DOLOMITI’s chefs truly shine, serving up a four or five course menu that’s included in half board bookings.
The salad buffet covers every colour of the rainbow, letting you DIY your perfect veggie combo.
The middle courses are all à la carte, highlighting traditional flavours and using seasonal, local produce. They certainly don’t skimp on the portion sizes, but the meals are delightfully well-balanced so you can enjoy them without feeling like you’re overdoing it.
Dessert is buffet again, with a range of sweet treats that are as tasty as they are photogenic. There’s cheese too, of course!
If you want to continue the festivities after eating, the cosy cocktail lounge has live piano and expert bartenders crafting all the classics as well as alpine-inspired creations.
Food at ADLER BALANCE
DOLOMITI guests also have the opportunity (at additional cost) to book a table for lunch or dinner at the neighbouring ADLER Spa Resort BALANCE, if they have space.
BALANCE offers a special culinary experience for health-conscious diners: a gourmet menu centred around ingredients that are good for both the body and soul, created in conjunction with medically-trained experts. Super cool!
We had dinner here one night and oh my gosh, the world would be infinitely healthier if nutritious food always tasted this good.
I need to give a special shout out to the best “salad” I’ve ever had, a strawberry, thyme and lemon salad with pina colada foam. I am entirely confident that no salad will ever beat this.
Dishes change daily, and each menu includes a few particularly good-for-you choices that are low in fat and salt, and high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
ADLER DOLOMITI wellness & spa
ADLER DOLOMITI’s 3500m² wellness area is next level, with an impressive range of beauty treatments and holistic rituals, a range of indoor and outdoor pools, an adults-only minimalist spa complex, and countless relaxation zones with panoramic views.
The pools, saunas and lounges are so inviting that it was genuinely hard for me to leave them to venture into the mountains, but on the plus side, there’s no better place to return to after a long day of adventures.
The main building has the biggest indoor-outdoor pool and an accompanying jacuzzi, as well as a salt grotto, a rose room, a traditional Turkish hammam and more.
The modern Lakeside Spa is a separate adults-only complex just steps away from the main building, a sleek and modern cube design with more saunas and steam rooms at varying temperatures, plus an outdoor heated pool and an ice cold plunge pool.
If you like to push your body to its limits, I have a challenge for you: Expose your skin to a change in temperature of over 200°C in half an hour. Impossible? Not at ADLER DOLOMITI!
Stage one: Freeze yourself.
The resort has a CRYO-BOX, a state-of-the-art health and regeneration treatment which blasts incomprehensibly cold air at your body for up to three minutes. Temps can get as low as -160°C, though as a first-timer I got to -120°C, which I thought was pretty good!
Wim Hof, eat your heart out.
Cryotherapy is commonly used by elite athletes as part of their recovery routine, the benefits aren’t scientifically conclusive (yet) but anecdotally it’s recognised as a powerful tool to improve circulation, accelerate healing and boost endorphins. Highly recommend!
And now for stage two: Get cooked.
On a high from your time in a seriously sub-zero chamber, take the stone path over to the Lakeside Sauna for an iconic ADLER DOLOMITI sauna experience, the ‘Aufguss’ sauna ritual.
The ritual is a short but intense 8-12 minute session in the panoramic Finnish sauna, with temperatures between 70°C and 100°C. There’s an expert sauna-master dropping essential-oil-infused ice balls onto the hot stones, then moving the heat and scented air around the room with a creative towel-waving routine set to music.
And the music isn’t your typical sauna music either, and the playlist changes depending on the sauna-master’s tastes. One Aufguss session we had absolute dance bangers from the 80s and 90s, like we were Lycra-clad in an aerobics class, but in another one the vibes were cinematic, epic and dark, like the extended version of the Game of Thrones theme song.
If the Aufguss team are reading this, I put my vote in for a 90s girl band playlist please!
And for a third drastic temperature change, go straight from the ultra-hot sauna to the ice cold plunge pool. Phew!
Things to do while staying at ADLER DOLOMITI
For the active relaxers out there (hi, me too), ADLER DOLOMITI isn’t only about downtime, there’s loads of activities on offer that’ll get your heart rate up and keep your camera busy.
They have an outdoor programme with planned activities for guests to join, seasonal experiences range from daily guided hikes (various levels of difficulty), Nordic walking, guided e-bike rides, alpine flora walks, and ski safaris in winter.
There’s hiking and e-bike gear available for guests who are doing their own thing too.
Ortisei is perfectly located for Dolomites exploring, with two of the most iconic parts of the region, the Alpe di Siusi plateau and Seceda ridgeline, both accessible by cable car only a few minutes from DOLOMITI.
There are plenty of trails for hikers of all levels, kids’ playgrounds with insane views, mountain rifugi for mid-hike refuelling, and some of the best via ferrata climbing routes in the world.
If you have a car then you’ve got unfettered access to the entire Dolomites region, with places like Lago di Braies, Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Lago di Carezza and Casini di Misurina all within a couple of hours’ drive if you don’t mind a long day.
And if you’re looking for something different, like a particularly challenging route or a specific viewpoint you want to find, just chat to the team and they’ll be able help.
At the resort there’s a well-equipped fitness centre with the latest Technogym machines, a yoga studio, and various fitness classes throughout the day.
Sustainability at ADLER Resorts
Sustainable tourism has been at the forefront of the ADLER business for decades, ensuring their properties work in harmony with the local environment and community, rather than taking away from them.
These days their commitment to sustainability has been formalised as the ADLER for Planet initiative, as well as their decision to join the globally-recognised EarthCheck certification programme for tourism operators.
Now all of that sounds impressive, but here are the changes ADLER have implemented on the ground in their hotels to better meet their sustainability goals:
- Reducing waste, from changing paper brochures and sign up sheets to a digital app and from changing in-room toiletries to refillable aluminium bottles
- Only using eco-friendly chemicals for cleaning
- Setting up energy and water systems that reduce overall usage, allow for closer monitoring, and in some resorts reusing wastewater to irrigate the hotel’s gardens
- Supporting local ecosystems in conjunction with authorities and independent organisations, with things like hiking trail maintenance and reforestation programmes
- Engaging with projects in the arts, sports and cultural communities in the places they operate their hotels
Who is ADLER DOLOMITI perfect for?
ADLER DOLOMITI is perfect for:
- Solo travellers looking for a luxe wellness getaway with affordable single rooms, rather than paying double the price
- Anyone looking for a burnout recovery session, half board means you make minimal decisions each day and you’ll have the option to stay and chill in the wellness area or hit the trails if you want fresh air and exercise
- Couples looking for a romantic escape, there are lots of couples’ treatments on offer
- Athletes looking for post-season rest and relaxation
- Multi-generational families, there’s a kids club for kids 4 and up with sports and arts programmes operated inside or outside depending on weather
- Any travellers without a car looking for an easy and convenient luxury resort to use as a base for Dolomites exploring
How much does it cost to stay at ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI?
Room rates vary drastically on demand and season, like any other Dolomites hotel.
If you’re visiting in the low season, you can nab rooms from as little as €241 per night for a single room, or from €210 per person per night in a double, including breakfast, afternoon tea, gourmet 4-5 course dinner, and full access to the spa facilities. That is actually incredible value for money in the Dolomites.
Prices rise in peak summer, public holidays and ski season.
You can find the current offers for ADLER DOLOMITI right here >>
And you can check prices for your travel dates right here >>
What is ADLER Spa Resort BALANCE?
Next door to ADLER DOLOMITI sits ADLER BALANCE, their sister hotel connected by a underground tunnel (which is worth a wander if only to see artwork from the late ADLER matriarch, Elly Sanoner).
This is the ultimate health holiday destination, with guaranteed peace and quiet (it’s adults only), access to the entire ADLER DOLOMITI wellness & spa area, and the unique opportunity to partake in an ADLER Med therapeutic programme totally customised to your health and wellbeing needs by actual doctors.
I’m always sceptical of resorts pushing ‘health’ packages because often they’re run by self-proclaimed ‘wellness experts’ rather than trained medical professionals, but ADLER Med is legit!
They have an in-house team of medical doctors and other healthcare specialists who work with guests to tailor a programme that covers the three pillars of health: nutrition, physical exercise and mental wellbeing.
There are tried-and-true packages that target specific goals like detox, stress management or weight management, and there’s a huge range of one-off tests and therapies to gain an understanding of your body, preserve your health and boost your vitality.
Doctors work with the BALANCE chefs to create customised menus that align with your personal health goals, private trainers run you through workouts and yoga sessions that you can continue at home, and you can get same-day results from blood tests, body composition analysis and nutritional intolerance tests thanks to their state-of-the-art med tech and in-house lab of experts.
There’s no denying that the health tourism industry is booming right now, and many so-called ‘holistic health resorts’ are jumping on the bandwagon with questionable credentials, but ADLER BALANCE’s science-based, physician-led approach genuinely sets it apart.
What is ADLER Lodge ALPE?
Looking for a true once-in-a-lifetime stay in the Dolomites mountains? Another ADLER property sits on the Alpe di Siusi plateau above Ortisei, the stunning ADLER Lodge ALPE, and it’s pretty much an alpine paradise.
It’s more remote, more exclusive, and is a step above DOLOMITI in terms of luxury, which is reflected in the price as well as how tricky it is to actually get your hands on a room. It’s one for your Italy bucket list!
There are rooms in the main lodge plus standalone villas, a restaurant and terrace serving rich traditional cuisine, hiking trails and ski runs on your doorstep, and THIS GYM which I’d go as far as saying has the best view of any gym in the entire world. I’d finish my Couch to 5K plan in a matter of days if my treadmill had this view*.
*Don’t hold me to that, I’ve never finished Couch to 5K in my life
They have special deals for ADLER Friends too, so once you’ve stayed at DOLOMITI or any other ADLER property you can get access to discounted rates for a dreamy getaway at ALPE.
ADLER DOLOMITI review: FAQs
Is ADLER DOLOMITI kid-friendly?
ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI is suitable for all ages, with family suites for up to five guests, kid-friendly activities and menus at the restaurant.
But if you’re wanting a particularly family-oriented holiday, ADLER has a brand new hotel called AKI Family Resort PLOSE! It’s got heated pools and waterslides, an adults-only forest spa, an indoor play world with activities for all ages from toddlers to teens, an adventure park with a kids’ cable car, a petting zoo (!!!) and so much more.
Do the rooms at ADLER DOLOMITI have a view?
Some of the rooms at ADLER DOLOMITI have a view, with the Junior Suites nabbing the best panoramic outlook. There are plenty of relaxation spaces around the resort with incredible views too.
Can you visit ADLER DOLOMITI without a car?
Absolutely! One of the best things about ADLER DOLOMITI is that it’s accessible without a car, you can get there by bus (the Ortisei bus stop is just a short walk from the hotel entrance) or you can arrive to Bolzano train station and catch a 40 minute transfer.
The hotel can also organise transfers from airports like Milan, Innsbruck, Venice or Munich.
Is ADLER DOLOMITI open all year?
Unlike most resorts in the Dolomites which shut down out-of-season, ADLER DOLOMITI is open year-round except for their annual maintenance period from mid-April to mid-May.
In the beautiful late autumn/early winter when the cable cars close and the slopes transform from summer hiking to ski paradise, DOLOMITI often has excellent shoulder season rates for travellers wanting a spa getaway.
Is ADLER DOLOMITI a five star hotel?
Yep, it’s officially rated as five stars, though I’d say it sits more on the traditional end of that scale rather than being super sleek and boutique.
The hospitality and service is fantastic, it’s got all the facilities you’d expect in a luxury hotel, the location is ideal, and the interiors are comfortable and top quality, but the main hotel building is very old so there is a characterful mish-mash of styles rather than exquisite stylistic design you might find in some 5* lodges. There are 108 rooms, plus guests from BALANCE next door can use the wellness area, so it’s not small.
It’s also priced appropriately though, with some excellent deals to be had considering the inclusions!
If you do want a top-of-the-line more exclusive lodge experience then ADLER Lodge ALPE up on the Alpe di Siusi might be better suited to your tastes.
The final verdict: Is ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI worth visiting?
Absolutely, ADLER DOLOMITI is one of the best spa hotel experiences I’ve had on all my travels!
For solo travellers especially, this place is perfect in so many ways.
There are single rooms offering maximum value for money, multi-course dinners so you can try a range of small-portion gourmet dishes each night, world-class spa facilities and an outdoor programme to keep you busy, and it’s accessible by public transport if you’re not keen on renting a car by yourself.
And if you’re travelling with your partner, your friends or your family, this is a fantastic value wellness resort that ticks so many boxes.
Couples’ treatments and romantic suites for a cute getaway, relaxation lounges and quirky sauna experiences for a girls’ trip, plenty to do with kids, all wrapped up in a half board package that’s surprisingly cost-effective for a 5* Dolomites stay.
See all of ADLER Spa Resort DOLOMITI’s best offers here >>
Or search your travel dates here >>
MORE ITALY BLOG POSTS:
- The ultimate itinerary for Northern Italy & Switzerland
- The ultimate Italy bucket list
- Things to know before visiting the Dolomites
- How to spend 2 days in Milan
- How to spend 24 hours in Florence
- The ultimate guide to travelling Puglia without a car
- Bernina Express guide: The scenic train from Tirano to Chur
OTHER EPIC EXPERIENCES TO ADD TO YOUR EUROPE BUCKET LIST:
- Cruising in Burgundy on a river barge
- Bernina Express scenic train from Italy to Switzerland
- Glacier Express scenic train from Zermatt to St Moritz
- What it’s like to sail the Greek islands
- The most beautiful train journeys in Europe
MY GO-TO TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES
Flights ✈️ I use Skyscanner to find the best flights for my trip and then I’ll always book direct with the airline to protect myself from having to deal with dodgy third parties if anything goes wrong.
Trains 🚂 If I’m travelling through Europe, I try to travel by train wherever possible! For an extended trip (2+ weeks) I’ll calculate if a Eurail Pass is worth it, or I’ll book point-to-point tickets through RailEurope or the local train operator.
Accommodation 🛎️ I book almost all of my accommodation through booking.com, they have a user-friendly website + app and many of their options are free cancellation, easily cancelled with a simple click of a button.
Activities 🗽I use GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator to look for activities in the places I visit, or I just Google ‘things to do in [city]’! P.S. If you book anything on Klook you can use the promocode FINDINGALEXXKLOOK to get 10% off
Travel cards 💳 I’m a Wise gal through and through, they’ve been my chosen travel card for more than five years now. You can easily top up your card from your bank account or through Apple Pay, convert your money to local currency, and spend money with minimal fees and the best exchange rates around.
Travel insurance 🩺 I use Cover-More NZ travel insurance for my own trips, I have a comprehensive policy and I’ve only had good experiences with them. Cover-More also has an Australian company, but if you’re from elsewhere then two popular insurance options for global travellers are SafetyWing (cheaper policy, lower coverage) and World Nomads (more expensive but significantly better coverage).
Luggage 💼 I travel with Samsonite Cosmolite suitcases, one 75cm check in bag and a 55cm carry on bag, and I absolutely adore them and will never travel with anything else! They are SUPER lightweight (2.8kg and 1.9kg respectively) so I have much more space for my actual stuff.
Camera gear 📸 I use a iPhone 15 Pro Max for phone photos/videos, and my camera kit includes a Lumix S9 (incredible lightweight full-frame camera, a game changer for travel creators!) with a 20-60mm lens, a Lumix G9 with an 8-18mm and 12-60mm lens, a DJI Mini 3 Pro drone and a GoPro Hero 10. I do all my writing and editing on my ASUS Zenbook 14, it’s lightweight but powerful enough for photo editing and intense blogging sessions.
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