Hidden In The Heart Of Italy's Alps Is A Mountain Retreat With Gourmet Cuisine, Saunas, And Renowned Views
Hidden in Italy's Alps in a little village called Malborghetto, and sandwiched between the mountains of Slovenia to the east and Austria to the north, this stunning mountain retreat conjures the very best of alpine living, fusing it with excellent gourmet cuisine, indulgent saunas, and views across the top of Europe. There's a real sense of hominess at the Hammerack Hotel, with the grounds oozing fairytale village charm via an old stone tower looming over a 15th-century courtyard, and the convivial service which caters to guests empathetically and according to their individual needs.
One of the Hammerack Hotel's most alluring features is found in its wellness offering, with a 9,000 square foot spa boasting outdoor jacuzzis, woodchip and wood-fired saunas, a Roman-style frigidarium bath, and multi-sensory showers. To dive deeper into the wellness rituals, there are personalised treatments, a literary pharmacy for books related to personal well-being, a bio bar for medicinal teas, and a meditation room with views over the countryside.
Another highlight is the cuisine, with hearty breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (served across a restaurant and a chic bistro serving cocktails) reflecting the seasonality of the three borders region, where Italy, Austria, and Slovenia meet. There are a few intriguing sights scattered across the grounds, too, like the Time Machine: the internal mechanisms of the clock tower, embedded with the phases of the moon, the zodiac, and 23 bells that play Mozart. The Time Machine was created by Alberto Gorla, the same master watchmaker who restored Venice's sublime clock in the Piazza San Marco.
What to expect at Italy's Hotel Hammerack
The outdoors at Hotel Hammerack are spectacular, with a village-like ambiance snugly set between picturesque plateaus and vibrant pastures beset with flowers in the spring and summer. This lovely setting is ideal for spa breaks far from the crowds, elevated by crackling fireplaces and steaming baths with staggering views, making it an ideal option for a romantic European break in the mountains. There's a small collection of room types available, each with an alpine cabin aesthetic. Think wooden walls with stone insets, and light-flooded bathrooms with Susanne Kaufmann's Alpine skincare sets. There's a single suite category that, along with more space and a walk-in closet, has an in-room jacuzzi with divine views of Monte Lussari.
The interior design of Hotel Hammerack embraces both the historic ambience of the original buildings and the modern sensibilities of a contemporary alpine retreat. Cozy, shared spaces have authentic stone walls and fireplaces, offset by modern furnishings and windows to watch the view, and there's an idyllic sun terrace in the garden. The bar and restaurants are romantically lit and minimally furnished, with luxurious spaces and mountain comfort a central theme.
As the seasons change, so does the ambiance. In the summertime, the Hotel Hammerack is exceptionally well-suited to hikes into view-laden peaks that straddle Austria and Slovenia, and sweep into the flowery woodland trails of Malborghetto. For the adventurous, there are opportunities for rafting and mountain biking too. But in the winter, the mountains become snowcapped, and summertime hikes turn to snowshoeing and dog sledding through snowy mountain scenery.
Where is Hotel Hammerack, and how to get there
You'll find Hammerack Hotel in rustic Malborghetto, in the Julian Alps, beautifully set into a thousand-year-old forest, and arranged around a series of modern and historic buildings 2,460 feet above sea level. The closest major city in Italy is Venice, which is a drive of about two hours, while the undiscovered delight that is Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, is about 90 minutes away. Public transport is quite limited in the area, but once you've reached the Alps, it's possible to take the 200 bus from Pontebba to the Via del Forte in Malborghetto. The most convenient airport for international travelers is Venice Marco Polo Airport, which is approximately 122 miles away.
An option for a scenic road trip is to drive to Hotel Hammerack from Italy's beautiful under-the-radar town, Trieste. You'll drive a picturesque route along the coast from Trieste and into the mountains, which takes anywhere between 90 minutes and two hours. But this option has the added benefit of seeing a picturesque slice of Italy's Adriatic coast, with optional stops along the way, such as the idyllic nature reserve, Riserva Naturale Regionale della Foce dell'Isonzo Isola della Cona, or Slovenia's impressive Solkanski Most — one of the largest arched stone bridges in the world.