There are few places in the world where nature commands your full attention quite like the Dolomites. Rising from northern Italy in a series of jagged limestone peaks that glow pink and gold at sunrise and sunset, this UNESCO World Heritage landscape has captivated travelers for centuries. It is a destination where alpine tradition, extraordinary cuisine, and some of Europe’s finest luxury hotels coexist against one of the planet’s most spectacular natural backdrops.
Perched 1,800 meters above sea level on the forested slopes of Mount Plose, FORESTIS is redefining what a luxury mountain retreat can be. Rather than competing with its surroundings, the hotel was designed to disappear into them. A carefully restored century-old building sits alongside three contemporary towers, each framing uninterrupted views of the Dolomites. Inside, the aesthetic is intentionally restrained, allowing the mountains to become the focal point. Outside, guests are immersed in an experience shaped by the rhythms of the forest, from Celtic-inspired wellness rituals and seasonal cuisine to mornings above the clouds and evenings beneath a sky filled with stars.
To better understand the philosophy behind one of Italy’s most talked-about luxury retreats, The Suite Sojourn spoke with Lukas, Head of Sales and Communication at FORESTIS. Our conversation explores the property’s remarkable evolution, its approach to wellness and sustainability, what first-time guests should know before arriving, and why FORESTIS continues to set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the Dolomites.
What follows is the full, unedited conversation—part of In Conversation With, a series from Suite Sojourn spotlighting the hoteliers, innovators, and creative minds shaping the future of luxury travel.
The Suite Sojourn: Forestis began with the vision of Stefan Hinteregger and Teresa Unterthiner, building on a historical property discovered by Stefan’s father. Could you share how this vision influenced the design, architecture, and philosophy of the hotel?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: “Tradition is not the passing of the ashes to the next generation, but keeping the fire going.” This quote perfectly expresses the vision that the Hinteregger family. Taking over an existing building in a remote location in the middle of a natural reserve is a huge chance, but also a strong commitment. Respecting nature, dealing with local authorities and still coming up with a business model is a strong challenge. The whole design process at FORESTIS was focused on the idea to integrate the buildings into nature and leaving the natural processes as much space as possible. Our towers for example are the most sustainable building type in order to seal less possible surface of the forest and still guaranteeing the view to as many guests as possible.
In the historic building as many original details as possible have been preserved and incorporated into the modern design. Take our main staircase as an example. Located in the modern lobby, accompanied by clean walls and huge glass surfaces, it is an original piece where you can see the signs of history aswell as hearing the noices of old wood while walking over it. FORESTIS today is a unique combination of history and modernity that respects nature in an incomparable way.
The Suite Sojourn: With its cinematic location in the Dolomites, could you describe the best ways for guests to reach Forestis and any tips for first-time visitors traveling from airports such as Bolzano, Munich, Venice, or Milan?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: The remote location of FORESTIS seems to be a challenge sometimes, but is in fact our biggest strength and unique selling point. Guests coming to our hideaway definitely commit to a long trip and windy roads but are paid off with the most spectacular views of some of the most beautiful peaks on this planet. Depending on the confidence of the guests, FORESTIS is reachable all year round by car – for international travelers very often with rental cars. We recommend to always book cars with winter tires from October until late April, since unexpected snowfall may cause difficulties otherwise. If guests do not feel like driving themselves we do arrange transfers from all the above mentioned airports, from other hotels and destinations and from everywhere guests require. For a spectacular arrival with the extra sight seeing touch we can also arrange helicopter transfers from multiple European airports and destinations.
No matter on where the guests come from, whether from Germany, Austria, Switzerland or Italian airports, there is always beautiful possibilities for stops on the way that can be combined sight seeing and dining breaks. Imagine for example departing from Venice airport in the late morning, stopping at Lake Garda for a walk along the shores, having lunch with beautiful lake view and then taking the last two hours up to the Dolomites after a great tiramisù dessert. All of a sudden the location is not that remote anymore.
The Suite Sojourn: The hotel combines a 100-year-old structure with three modern towers and a glass-and-stone spa. What were the key inspirations behind this design, and how does it enhance the guest experience?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: The whole design at FORESTIS was created to put nature and all of its offerings in the center. The heritage building was carefully renovated and slightly adjusted to the modern needs, while always respecting the historic set up. Nature was the biggest source of inspiration to both our owners Teresa and Stefan Hinteregger aswell as to our architect Armin Sader. The only mistake that could have been made while designing the property in a naturally unique place as we find it here, would have been not giving enough attention to nature. Windows were designed to be big frames for nature. From every angle on property guests have the possibility to enjoy the most breathtaking views of the Dolomite peaks. On the other hand the design on the interior was kept as simple as possible. Walls are not decorated with paintings or photography and we do not exhibit any other forms of art on property. This relaxes the mind. The clear, clean walls do not ask for attention and underline the focus we want to leave on nature, just outside the hotel.
The Suite Sojourn: Could you please elaborate on the different suite categories, particularly the Tower Suites and the Penthouse, and the types of travelers who are drawn to them?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: At FORESTIS we do have a total of 3 room categories: the Suite, located in the historic building, the Tower Suites and Penthouses located in the contemporary part of the property. The main difference between the historic part of the property and the towers is mainly the layout of the suites and also the different levels of hight. While in the historic building all suites are located on ground level and one level up, in the towers we do have up to 11 floors with suites.
All suites in the historic building do have a beautiful balcony with frontal Dolomites view. They have a separate living space from the bedroom. The bathrooms feature a shower and a single sink basin. It is important to know that in this part of the property we do not have AC – the rooms are just heated in winter, but cannot be cooled in the summer.
Coming to the Tower Suites and Penthouses the situation is different. From every room we can see the Dolomites frontally from both the balcony and the bed directly. These categories feature AC. The Tower Suites are designed in a spacious Junior Suite design. All bathrooms in the towers have a separate shower and bathtub and a double sink set up in the bathroom. One of the key features is also the day bed on the balcony which can be set up as a proper bed for the night upon request.
We do have two Penthouses at FORESTIS which can be called our presidential suite option. The penthouses are located on the top floors of 2 towers. They have a private pool and sauna on the top floor, aswell as a bar and dining area in the lower floor of the suite. The living room and bedroom are separate.
The Suite Sojourn: Forestis features a vast spa with unique programs such as tree therapy, wood oil massages, and forest salt baths. What are the standout wellness experiences, and how do they help guests fully rejuvenate during their stay?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: The knowledge that was implemented in the spa at FORESTIS is the knowledge of the celtic druids. Their understanding of nature in general and trees and stones in particular was enormous. After years of research, a unique spa concept was created – focusing on healing woods and healing stones, their energies and frequences. We aim to leave the guests the possibility to do intuitional choices when coming to the spa. Imagine yourself in a beautiful spa cabin, having to choose out of four different types of wood without knowing anything about it – everything is based on your gut feeling. Based on your choice the room is set up, the treatment is executed with different oils, wood and stones. This process helps to avoid that your brain decides about what you want to achieve. One must listen to their intuitional choice and automatically will receive what their body is in need most. We aim to help our guests to listen to their bodies to gain the best results of relaxation at FORESTIS.
Apart from the treatments our spa creates a weekly activity schedule that is arranged like a timetable at school. It helps guests doing the same activity every day and through that finding their own rhythm that calms the energies of the body. These activities are for example stretching sessions, pilates sessions, forest bathing walks, sound healing classes and sauna rituals.
The Suite Sojourn: Forest Cuisine emphasizes locally sourced ingredients for a truly regional experience. Could you share more about the culinary approach, signature dishes, and any unique dining experiences that our readers should partake in?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: Our kitchen concept can be generally collected under “Forest Cuisine”. This philosophy was built since the very beginning of FORESTIS. Being in a very remote location FORESTIS has to offer a vast variety of food. And the food needs to be exceptional. More than 80 percent of our guests eat all their meals in the various outlets on property. At the moment FORESTIS has 3 restaurants and additional seasonal menus available in various areas of the hideaway.
All the food that we serve at FORESTIS is sourced within Italy and mostly produced by local farmers and producers. The personal relation between our suppliers and our kitchen team is essential in order to guarantee the highest quality of ingredients for our various outlets. One of the signature dishes at FORESTIS is defintily the pine risotto, created by chef Roland Lamprecht.
Since June 2025 our fine dining experimental restaurant YEAR is open. This unique, very exclusive experience has defintily become one of the signature things to do one evening at FORESTIS. The restaurant is located in a cave under the forest right in front of the hotel. The 14 course tasting menu is served personally by the chef and his closest team. Guests have to leave their phones and cameras at the entrance of the restaurant.
The Suite Sojourn: Guests can enjoy ski-in/ski-out access, hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and Wyda Yoga in the forest. How does Forestis balance outdoor adventure with restorative experiences, and are there seasonal highlights guests should plan for?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: Every season at FORESTIS and in the Dolomites in general is very unique and expresses itself through their own characteristics. We aim to offer our guests various activities for every season so they never will feel bored while staying at our property. While offering a big set of programs in the spa and also of healthy food, FORESTIS never wanted to be a medical retreat spot. People are invited to do whatever makes them happy. We serve the detox soup at one table and bring champagne to the table right next to the first one. Some guests wish to be super active and join a lot of our activities, while others are mainly looking for the peace and quite in the relaxation area of the spa.
One of the absolute highlights while staying at FORESTIS is the exclusive visit of a local herbal farm. We arrange this all year round, but it is particularly impressive in the late spring through the early fall. Guests can learn about herbs and plants, see how tea is made and meet with an authentic family of farmers.
The Suite Sojourn: With spacious balconies and outdoor lounge furniture, some guests even spend the night under the stars. How does Forestis design these immersive nature experiences to enhance relaxation and wellbeing?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: Offering the possibility to sleep outside on our daybeds in the tower suites and the penthouse we encourage our guests to go back to a very old and historic behavior that many of us have lost. Instead of staying in an air conditioned room with closed windows, we offer them the opportunity to sleep under the stars, in the fresh air, without lacking any comfort. For many of our guests this experience is the first time of sleeping in nature – in that we this creates a most amazing memory of their stay, something that they cannot experience elsewhere and something that they will remember and talk about for a very long time.
The Suite Sojourn: Does Forestis cater to families or multi-generational travelers, or is the property primarily focused on adult guests seeking tranquility and wellness? Is there a minimum age to stay on property?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: FORESTIS is an adults only hideaway that welcomes guests starting from the age of 14. Therefore the primary focus of the hideaway is couples, families with grown up children and groups of friends. However, the FORESTIS Villa is our 5 bedroom offering where we also welcome families with children. The villa is our newest room product, that opened in late 2024. Since then we have been able to welcome many guests from all over the world. The villa is fully staffed, has it’s own pool area, spa with couples treatment room, sauna, steam bath and cold plunge, a complimentary wine cellar, a gym and a cinema area with Playstation, Nitendo Switch and karaoke. Therefore the villa is the perfect accommodation for multi generational trips. Similar to the hotel the Villa also consists of a historic building with a modern attachment. The modern part contains the spa and gym, while all the living areas, bedrooms, kitchen, wine cellar and cinema are located in the historic part. Thinking of it from that standpoint, the FORESTIS Villa becomes a mini property within the bigger FORESTIS property and guests tend to spend their whole stay in the villa without ever coming over to the hotel.
The Suite Sojourn: How does the hotel integrate sustainability and local sourcing into its operations, and in what ways do you collaborate with local artisans, farmers, and the community?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: All decisions at FORESTIS are sustainability driven. Beginning since the construction, where sustainable approaches have been preferred and executed at any time, this philosophy guides everyone at FORESTIS. Local companies were hired, local craftsmen crafted interior and exterior. These collaborations last until today, since we constantly develop and repair things, rather than exchanging every piece once it has to be fixed. The approach that puts nature in the center continues through the various departments. A no waste policy and local sourcing for the kitchen is another huge effort we take in order to make sure that FORESTIS can actually give back something to nature and local communities, while being a profitable company.
The Suite Sojourn: Are there any recent or upcoming enhancements that prospective guests should know about?
Lukas Burkia, Head of Sales and Communication: At FORESTIS we constantly develop our services and create new experiences for our guests in order to make sure that the guests have the most amazing time with us. We also want our guests who stay with us more than one time to find new updates every time. The whole team as well as FORESTIS’ owners Teresa and Stefan are very young and motivated for the future.
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