Alpin Boutique Villa Gabriela

The Alpine Boutique Villa Gabriela is in San Michele, the mountain village that forms part of the municipality of Castelrotto, in the province of Bolzano: the address is S. Michele 31/1, on the Sciliar plateau, a short way from the Val Gardena and from the Sellaronda ski circuit. It is a small chalet, ten rooms in all, born of Daniele and Gabriela's project and grown around the original core, which today houses the breakfast room in a glazed veranda, the reception and the terrace facing meadows and woods.

The accommodation is called Bio Comfort, Bio Deluxe, Bio Junior Suite, Wellness Suite, Alpine Bio Suite, Bio Chalet and Bio Mountain Suite, and ranges from the 16 square metres of the smallest room to the 41 of the loft suite. All of them are in alpine style, with local wood, underfloor heating in the bathrooms and a spa bag with bathrobe, slippers and towels included. Two details deserve attention from anyone looking for wellness in the room: the Bio Mountain Suite has a Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and a fireplace, while the Wellness Suite has a private Finnish sauna in the bathroom, as well as the farmhouse stove in the bedroom and a south-facing terrace.

The shared wellness area occupies the villa's basement and includes a Finnish sauna, a steam bath and a carefully kept relaxation room, with herbal teas and a few things to taste available. Outdoors there is the panoramic whirlpool, which looks straight at the Sciliar and is the strong point of the house. No pool is on record, neither indoor nor outdoor, and the property declares no gym: anyone looking for swimming pools has to reckon on going out. Half board is included in the rates, with the restaurant closed on Wednesday evenings in summer.

On the rules of access the villa presents itself as an adults-only chalet. The website gives no precise minimum age, while the booking portals report entry from the age of 16: anyone travelling with a young person just below that threshold would do well to ask for direct confirmation before booking. Pets are allowed at a cost of 30 euros each, food excluded, must be covered by third-party liability insurance and may not get onto the beds; in the event of extraordinary room cleaning an additional charge of at least 50 euros applies.

For the rest: the rooms are available from around 15.00 and must be vacated by 10.30, notice is asked for arrivals after 19.00, the tourist tax is 3.00 euros per person per day and is paid separately, and cash up to 4,999 euros, debit cards, Visa and Mastercard are accepted. The booking becomes binding with payment of the deposit within five days.

It suits anyone who wants a small, quiet house at high altitude, with the outdoor whirlpool under the Sciliar and half board already included, and anyone who skis in the Val Gardena without wanting the large hotel. It suits less anyone looking for a many-sided spa with several pools and water and steam circuits: here the wellness area is deliberately small.