Driving through the snowy Dolomites, we arrived at the Hotel Sassongher to be warmly greeted by the Pescota family and their amazing staff. Just imagine being welcomed to your Italian nonna’s house for Christmas – if she happened to own a super-stylish hotel in the mountains, complete with rooftop spa and haute-cuisine home cooking. Our room was huge, with a squishy bed and plump duvet perfect for sinking into after a day of snowy adventures. The view from our balcony over the town of Corvara below was the stuff of Christmas magic, with fat snowflakes falling over fairy-lit trees and church bells ringing in the distance.
Sassongher’s comfy rooms
(Image: str.Artejanala 6; Corvara in Badia 39033 BZ)
Wondering if we’d miss a home-style Christmas, it was a delight to see that the Sassongher had really pulled out the stops to make every area as festive as possible. With gala dinners on Christmas eve and the big day itself, every guest was made to feel special, with a “buon Natale!” (good Christmas) at every turn. We were so glad we hadn’t arrived in a snooty ‘design’ hotel. The Sassongher’s vibe was all about comfort and cosiness instead. Lush Christmas trees, twinkling lights, flower-filled sleds and roaring fires could only be described as Mariah Carey-worthy. If Santa himself had manned reception, we wouldn’t have been shocked. The food at Hotel Sassongher The Sassongher’s is a no hum-drum hotel buffet, with an ‘all killer no filler’ selection for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the chic dining room. The choice is extraordinary, with delicious plates to choose from before the charming waiters take à la carte orders for morning eggs or your main course. Festive treats included the best truffle pasta we’ve ever eaten, rosemary-infused racks of lamb, an haute-cuisine take on Italian classics and an eye-popping selection of desserts and cheese that ended each dinner on a high. With different generations gathering at their tables to chat and laugh at the end of their busy days, the atmosphere was like one warm family Christmas gathering.
The food at Sassongher was a real highlight
(Image: ugovisciani.com)
Hotel Sassongher: How to book
How to book
Hotel Sassongher is a cosy yet elegant retreat in the Italian Dolomites, making in the perfect winter holiday destination.
From €300 per night
Booking.com
Book here
What to do at Hotel Sassongher Expert concierge Paula is this hotel’s secret weapon and will help you make the most of the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage site. She can arrange tours, recommend hiking trails or direct you to the pick of the pistes – no matter how energetic or chilled you want to be. Non-skiers will find plenty to occupy them with cable cars to the mountain-top ‘refugio’ bars and restaurants for those jaw-dropping terrace vistas, Kaiserschmarrn pancakes and other treats – with a few hot cocktails, of course. You can learn more about this unique region at the Museum Ladin or browse the boutiques in the town for beautiful wood carvings, local grappa and Stilfser cheese. On your return, Sassongher’s various lounges are super snug with their traditional tiled stoves, and legendary barman Saro is poised to wheel over the drinks trolley and make his famous aperitifs tableside. As we loafed around, listening to the pianist singing carols or firing up the vintage jukebox in the lobby, it certainly felt like a very glamorous holiday home from home.
Enjoy the local cuisine – and stunning views
(Image: [email protected])
The spa at Hotel Sassongher We’d start each day with a dip in the indoor pool, with herbal tea and a snooze on the swinging chairs as we contemplated more energetic activities. But with a state-of-the-art spa on the roof, it was tempting to simply move in our fluffy robes from treatment room to sauna to whirlpool instead. We decided this ‘James Bond meets White Christmas’ experience had spoiled us for future festive seasons. Looking through the pool’s rising steam to the glorious Dolomites above, we decided there was nowhere in the world we’d rather be.
The hotel’s rooftop hot tub
(Image: ©Ugo&Luca Visciani)
How much does it cost to stay at Hotel Sassongher? Hotel Sassongher offers comfort rooms from €300 per night, based on two adults sharing on a half-board basis. From 18 December 2024, SkyAlps will operate a new winter route from London Gatwick to Bolzano, from €184 each way (children under two travel free of charge). Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
