Arrive at the Granbaita at sunset, and you could be forgiven for overlooking the hotel itself. Above its handsome, dark timber façade, the jagged limestone peaks of the Dolomites flush pink in the fading light, providing a backdrop no architect could hope to improve upon. But step inside, and this five-star mountain retreat has plenty to hold your attention: exceptional dining, a sumptuous spa, and the easy sociability of a house whose owners still enjoy having people over.
It’s Sunday evening when I check in, and the lounge is hosting a generous spread of oysters and beef tartare, accompanied by infused vodka and citrus-apple cocktails, as live piano music mingles with conversation. It’s a convivial introduction to a hotel that has been welcoming guests since Richard Puntscher and his wife opened its doors in December 1961.
Today, the third generation of the Puntscher-Perathoner family is steering the Granbaita through its latest incarnation. A major redevelopment in 2019 ushered in the Granbaita’s five-star era, followed by further refinements. Looking around, it’s clear how architect Rudolf Perathoner took his cues from the surrounding mountains, using smoked oak and natural stone to give the spacious interiors an alpine warmth with some contemporary polish, while bespoke furnishings by South Tyrolean firm Erlacher add the comfort of a mountain chalet.
The warmth carries through the hotel’s 56 rooms and suites, which range from comfortable doubles to the top-tier Dolomites Suites, complete with electric fireplaces and balconies or terraces for taking in the mountain air. Many rooms also enjoy views of the Dolomites, with broad windows deliberately drawing in the drama of the surrounding peaks.
Breakfast sets you up for exploring: a bounty of cured meats, hot dishes and home-made cakes that arrive alongside the hotel’s morning newsletter that outlines the day’s program of outings and activities. Complimentary guided walks and e-mountain-bike rides are among the warmer months’ offerings; guests striking out independently can borrow their own bikes, backpacks and walking poles.
For a head start on the climb, a short walk through picturesque Selva brings you to the Ciampinoi and Dantercepies cable cars, which deliver hikers into the heart of the peaks. In winter, a complimentary main shuttle connects guests with the main lifts for the Sellaronda circuit and wider Dolomiti Superski area, alongside opportunities for snowshoeing, tobogganing and winter walks.
After an active day in the mountains, the Savinela Spa makes a persuasive case for spending late afternoon back at the hotel. Covering more than 21,500 square feet, it includes a 105-foot pool that lets you swim from the indoors into the mountain air. Whirlpools await inside and out, alongside a children’s pool and a salt-water flotation pool.
The sprawling sauna area, which follows the local tradition of forgoing swimwear, is home to hay and stone-pine saunas, steam baths, and a snow grotto for a bracing cooldown. The panoramic sauna also hosts themed Aufguss rituals, during which the sauna master uses a towel to fan aromatic steam, intensifying the sensation of heat.
I opt for a restorative massage with Cecilia; the wider treatment menu includes sports and deep tissue work alongside alpine rituals featuring arnica oil and mountain hay baths. Those with energy to spare can also make use of the well-equipped Technogym fitness center.
At dinner, the main restaurant draws on South Tyrolean, Mediterranean and international cooking, with half-board guests choosing from the seasonal evening menu and local à la carte favourites. Think speck to start – the region’s smoked, dry-cured ham, folded into dumplings and served in capon broth – followed by South Tyrol-style steak from the charcoal grill and apple strudel to finish.
The second restaurant, Granbaita Gourmet, offers a more intimate setting: just seven tables in a dining room framed by floor-to-ceiling windows. Chefs Marc Bernardi and Sofia Parduzzi combine his Val Gardena roots with her expertise in handmade pasta to deliver innovative, rotating taster menus perfectly paired with wines from a collection of more than 400 labels. On my visit, the standouts were a hare-filled rye ravioli with alpine cheese and Swiss chard, and an Austrian Riesling that went straight onto my shopping list.
After dinner is when the family room starts to fill up. Around the crackling fireplace, older guests deal another hand of cards, while couples mingle over drinks, and piano music drifts across the room. The warmth and familiarity of the scene reflect a tradition of hospitality passed down through three generations that truly sets this hotel apart. Here at Granbaita, making strangers feel at home will always be the family business.
