Discovering the Dolomites: Romantik Art Turm

Our profession allows us to make wonderful discoveries, whether human or in magical places. When the two come together, we witness moments of magic that we do our best to convey to you. What we experienced during our stay in the Dolomites is one of those moments of grace. We’re going to tell you about the Turm, our first stop in the Dolomites.

The Dolomites mountain range in the northern Italian Alps boasts 18 peaks over 3,000 meters. The site covers 141,903 ha and is one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the world, characterized by vertical walls, sheer cliffs and a high density of very narrow, long and deep valleys, classified as a Unesco World Heritage site.

The Dolomites are a very special region, located in Italy, where German is the main language, which can sometimes be quite unsettling. The habits of the inhabitants are more Germanic than Italian, and the same goes for their cuisine.

But let’s get back to today’s topic, the Turm. Located in the charming village of Fiè allo Sciliar in Alto Adige (Northern Italy), at an altitude of 880 m, facing the majestic Sciliar rocky massif, the Turm is the perfect introduction to a world of character and luxury.

The Romantik Art Turm is a world apart, a warm and refined home, a living work of art evolving daily at the hands of its conductor Stefan Pramstrahler. It’s impossible to talk about the Turm without mentioning Stefan Pramstrahler, its director, interior designer and chef. This former hang-gliding world champion is a talented multi-faceted artist who transforms everything he touches into art and charm.

Art, design, hospitality and tradition are the keywords of this renowned hotel with a romantic character influenced by its historic past.

ART

The Art Turm Hotel boasts a priceless collection of over 2,000 works of art by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, Gustav Klimt, Joseph Beuys, Oskar Kokoschka, Otto Dix, Giorgio de Chirico and Renato Guttuso, to name but a few. Watercolors, lithographs, sculptures, contemporary works and precious antiques are on display in the living rooms, bedrooms and suites, as well as in the corridors, in breathtaking settings worthy of an art gallery.

THE DESIGN

The atypical architecture of this boutique hotel, made up of three houses and four listed historic towers dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, reflects a perfectly mastered exercise in style. Each building is unique in both its appearance and its architectural style, giving the hotel total originality and an incomparable atmosphere.

The Art Turm Hotel is a true house of atmosphere, like a picture book where every page holds unexpected surprises. In the tradition of absolute comfort, design makes its mark everywhere: in the rooms and suites, in the Spa, in the lounge-bar, in the restaurant and even on the terraces and in the garden.

His imprint can be seen on furniture by leading Italian designers, as well as on lighting fixtures and beautiful designer objects. The result is a sleek, contemporary setting where Stefan, the master of the house, imposes his hand by creating objects and designing furniture.

To preserve the hotel’s romantic soul, some living rooms have retained their authentic character. As you stroll through the hotel, you’ll discover authentic Gothic “Stuben”, where whitewashed, panelled or vaulted walls reflect the hotel’s attachment to tradition. Period furnishings and witty decorative objects from the region’s folk art register create a warm and cosy atmosphere, like a charming bridge between yesterday and today. A place of striking beauty and immediate charm.

HOSPITALITY

Each of the 63 rooms and suites creates its own universe, while remaining faithful to the tradition of flawless comfort. Decoration changes from one room to the next, with a constant emphasis on contemporary elegance and refinement of detail. Decorated with works of art, each room boasts a strong personality, where designer furniture and lighting, noble materials and upholstery by precious fabric editors, create an ambience that perfectly conveys the gentleness of life. Spacious bathrooms offer a special cachet, featuring original, beautifully crafted natural materials such as stone, slate, wood and glass. Some have balconies with panoramic views, adding to the scenography of these gentle settings.

GASTRONOMY

The culinary and Bacchus registers are right up there. Stefan Pramstrahler, the master of the house, is at the helm. An alchemist of aromas, a guardian of flavors, a lover of the terroir, a passionate purist, he will take you on an enchanting gastronomic journey, exploring a wide range of taste sensations. His contemporary, inventive cuisine sings of the sun-drenched flavors of Italian cuisine and celebrates all its finesse. When it moves away from the influence of the South, it does so to pay homage to the region’s rich culinary heritage, built around the best of the terroir. This restaurant, renowned beyond its borders, is rightly considered one of the best in the region. We recommend the incredible Pancetta, on the menu for 37 years.

Stefan Pramstrahler is passionate about wine and vines, and also produces excellent “house” wines that have been awarded the prestigious “Südtirol – Preis für Weinkultur 2014” (2014 Prize for Wine Culture in South Tyrol), and whose quality we can confirm. The four appellations of his 3-hectare, 35,000-bottle-a-year winery, Grottnerhof, take their names from Stephan’s attachment to birds of prey: Blauburgunder Corax (Pinot noir “Grand corbeau”), Gewürztraminer Tetrix (Gewürztraminer “Coq des bruyères”), Sauvignon Bubo (Sauvignon “Hibou Grandduc”), Weißburgunder Pica (Pinot blanc “Pie”), represented in images on the wine bottle labels.

SPA

The Spa infuses well-being in profusion, proving to be the ideal place to relax body, mind and soul in a delicate, mysterious atmosphere. Carved into the rock of the mountain, this sensory space is laid out on two levels, with centuries-old vaults, arches, staircases and whitewashed galleries. Its uncluttered decor, dominated by stone, quartz, slate and raw wood, instantly conveys a serene, voluptuous atmosphere.

– an old wood sauna where mountain pine branches diffuse delicate fragrances,

– a hammam with aromatic essences, chromotherapy and a starry sky

– a Finnish sauna

– a magnificent underground salt grotto, set into the rock and where waterbeds float on the salt water to the rhythm of chirping birds

– a Kneipp course

– sensory showers

– a fountain of ice nuggets

– a relaxation area with designer furniture

The aquatic area features an attractive oval-shaped outdoor pool (heated all year round) surrounded by the greenery of the garden, where sun loungers and contemporary garden furniture take their place in the sun.

Inside, a large Jacuzzi encircled by luminous lights offers direct access to the outdoor pool, while a rest area with contemporary and natural accents surrounds it.

Guinot’s beauty salon, Pure Altitude by Fermes de Marie and Trehs (an organic line from South Tyrol), features natural treatments delivered in a décor refined down to the finest detail for a sensory journey to the very limits of well-being. Highlights include vinotherapy, the hay bath (a must), the Cleopatra bath, treatments based on oils and essences of pine, alpine herbs, honey and milk, and relaxing massages with candles and aromatic pads.

A well-equipped and tastefully decorated fitness room completes the Spa’s facilities.

A destination for every taste

The Art Turm Hotel, a member of the Romantik Hotels chain, is a luxurious stopover for discerning hedonists in search of top-of-the-range services in a stylish setting where indulging dreams of well-being is a priority. But it’s also, winter and summer alike, an ideal pied-à-terre for mountain lovers eager to savor the beauty of extraordinary landscapes while indulging in mountain sports. In winter, skiing takes pride of place, with trekking, mountain biking and climbing taking over in summer. The Art Turm Hotel is also a first-rate golf destination, owning the Golfclub St. Vigil Seis, one of Northern Italy’s finest golf courses, just 5 minutes from the hotel.

A magical place to discover, as much for the quality of its gastronomy, the hospitality of its hosts, as simply for the beauty of this one-of-a-kind location.

Romantik Art Turm

Piazza Chiesa 9 I-39050 Fiè allo Sciliar (BZ)

Tel. : +39 0471 72 50 14

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.hotelturm.it

GOLFCLUB ST VIGIL SEIS

Golfclub St. Vigil Seis is internationally renowned as one of the most beautiful golf courses in ItalyThis harmoniously undulating course is a magnificent challenge for ambitious golfers. It offers magnificent vistas, rolling fairways of great length and relatively sustained land movements that have preserved the existing relief and natural beauty of the site. Peppered with bunkers and natural obstacles that require skill and a high level of technique, the course features Alpine pines, larches and other greenery, as well as short grass greens, ponds, waterfalls and streams, spanned by seven small bridges.

What’s more, the par 3 hole 15 has the steepest gradient of any golf course in Europe, a feature that is even mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. For this reason alone, a game on this magnificent course is well worth your while…

The structure includes a putting green, chipping green, pitching green and driving range with a total length of 260 meters and 32 covered stations on two levels, offering optimal practice all year round in the heart of an extraordinary natural panorama. Built in 2009 and affiliated to Golfin, the South Tyrolean golf association, Golfclub St. Vigil Seis has been in the hands of Stephan Pramstrahler since 2013.

To add an extra touch of seduction to this golfing address popular with local and international clientele, Golfclub St.Vigil Seis is also home to a charming hotel with an intimate spa, the Golfhotel Sonne, as well as a gourmet restaurant, Restaurant 19, with a welcoming terrace offering panoramic views of the golf course.

Golfclub St.Vigil Seis

Via San Vigilio 20 – 39040 Castelrotto BZ (Dolomites – Alto Adige)

Tel.: +39 0471 708708

www.golfstvigilseis.it

GROTTNERHOF

Located 5 kilometers from the hotel, the Grottnerhof wine estate, a hidden paradise, is home to a magnificent farmhouse whose origins date back to the 13th century and which has been completely renovated. Two superb ultra-design suites have been created for lovers of nature and silence. It’s the perfect place for a wedding night, a get-together with friends, a wedding celebration or any other festive event. Simply magical!