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Over the past year I have received no less than four messages from people (who I trust) that I must visit Forestis Dolomites, I will absolutely love it. That is a hard message to ignore, so when planning the itinerary for our recent trip to Italy I was sure to incorporate it into our plans. There is no doubt the reviews I was reading and the photos that kept popping up in my IG feed were compelling, the Dolomites are spectacular, and Forestis has been the darling of influencers since it opened.

Forestis Dolomites successfully combines a tuberculosis sanatorium constructed in 1912 which features classic Austrian architecture with new modern towers that house eco-friendly minimalistic suites. The emphasis on sustainability and local ingredients permeate all aspects of the hotel and the spa. Opening in the summer of 2020 surely must have had its challenges, but Forestis is currently thriving.

The drive up from Da Vittorio in Brusaporto (you can read about our stay here) was about three hours and generally uneventful. As we worked our way north we were quickly enchanted by the landscape, at the same time realizing we were entering a period of intense rain which would likely linger over the mountains for our entire stay. It seemed as though the daily hikes we expected to take would be replaced by time in the spa, and to that end we quickly reached out to the hotel and booked massages upon our arrival. We were ready to decompress and embrace the serenity and simplicity that Forestis promises.

Following a very serpentine journey up into the mountains we were greeted at check-in by a very enthusiastic (and young) receptionist.

Following advice from friends we had booked a Tower Suite which we were told afforded the most spectacular views. After a refreshing welcome drink we were whisked up to the 11th floor of tower three to briefly tour our room as our massages were imminent.

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I am not a minimalist, rather I am a full blown maximalist and believe “more is more”, but I was game to let nature take center stage; and in all honesty the view was breathtaking. The decor was simple and immaculate, everything was spotless and crisp.

I am grateful I had the forethought to photograph the view upon our arrival as this was the clearest it was during the entire trip, we really were socked into a weather pattern.

After changing into our robes (our uniform for the next three days) we headed down to the very serene spa area. One of the draws of Forestis is their expansive array of treatments although it seemed the demand caused by the inclement weather proved to be a real challenge. We were lucky to secure a couples massage on day one, and experienced some frustration attempting to schedule services for the remainder of our stay. As it happened we were able to squeeze in an additional massage for myself and my husband as well as a scrub for me, but that was all. The other tempting options were off the table due to a shortage of therapists.

In any case, the services were relaxing, and restorative; and the time spent in the sauna and steam room as well as by the indoor pool allowed us to decompress.

Following our relaxation time we quickly discovered that cocktail hour was an integral part of the evening, the drinks were not only innovative and lovingly presented, but it was a perfect time to chat with other guests; a large percentage of whom were very friendly Americans.

Returning to the subject of the staff, while everyone we encountered was personable and eager to please, they primarily skewed very young, and we ultimately discovered why. Due to it’s relatively remote location Forestis’ staff primarily resides on-property working for extended periods, a job that is most attractive to young people who have not yet put down roots. I believe it is because of this that the service is well intentioned rather than particularly polished; and where we really experienced this was during mealtimes.

While there were lots of hiccups with the service, I must say the food in general was quite tasty. Each evening there was the choice of two different 7 course menus, one that focused on detoxing, and one a bit more indulgent; additionally there was an à la carte menu or you were encouraged to mix and match and create your own feast. The upside of this being you could literally construct your dream meal (note that breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate); the downside was it created a timing challenge and that is what we experienced every night.

The first night turned out to be indicative of the subsequent meals, we were greeted by chatty effusive waiters who applauded our choices but then the dishes were bought out piecemeal, poorly timed with stretches of 20-25 minutes between courses (for a 7 course meal thats a problem). We headed up to bed after the 5th course and the staff was incredibly apologetic, promising it would be better the next day. They were so charming that we couldn’t be rude (though by the 3rd night I was tempted). The timing did improve somewhat over the course of our stay, and the food quality helped to temper our tempers, but this was certainly not the level of service we had expected.

Breakfast was another situation, the buffet was incredibly virtuous (all of the ingredients used in the hotel are locally sourced and often foraged) and beautifully presented. One big negative though was the coffee; could it have been locally grown as well? Sadly it was awful, though I continued to sample it each day hoping for a revelation. Aside from the buffet, the customized omelettes varied in quality wildly each day, ranging from incredibly underdone, to completely overdone, and then on the last day it seemed as though they incorporated hardboiled eggs into the finished product. I couldn’t get the taste/texture out of my mouth all morning.

During our stay we continually tracked the weather, and at one point it cleared enough for us to venture out and explore the original portion of the hotel (the sanatorium). Surely our visit would have been enhanced if we were able to investigate our surroundings a bit more, but I was glad to get a brief glimpse of the outdoors.

I feel slightly regretful that my write-up is a bit severe, but my lofty expectations led to some real disappointments especially where the service was concerned; the Dolomites are absolutely majestic, and Forestis aims to deliver a particular vision but it just didn’t hit the mark for me.

I am grateful I made the trip to experience Forestis, as it is undeniably a special place, but I don’t feel the need to return.

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