My Arbor: Spa Time in a South Tyrol Treehouse

| Mon, 10/28/2024 - 11:24

Exterior at My Arbor / Photo: ©BP

Ed.: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.

Why we love it

Billed as a treehouse hotel and set on stilts, this striking wellness resort and spa in a forested portion of the Plose massif was built for recharging — and beautifully delivers on its promise.

What to expect

A four-floor and five-star resort with a sprawling, year-round infinity pool, My Arbor feels like Barbie’s dreamhouse — if it were stripped of the pink and remade for a mountain mood. While couples and honeymooners will feel right at home, so will friend groups, business teams, and mother-daughter duos like us; my mom and I were both struck by the variety of visitors who circled through during our stay. Solo travelers also have plenty to plug into, from group wellness activities and excursions to pure “me time” in the treatment rooms.

Background

Open since May 2018, My Arbor is owned and managed by Markus and Renate Huber, the husband and wife team who acquired the property in 2010. Markus is a Bressanone/Brixen native and hospitality world veteran who learned the ropes in his parents’ hotel business, while Renate is a sommelier who made sure dining and wining (and occasional wellness juicing) would be an integral part of the experience here. Behind the “treehouse” concept were the architects Paul Seeber and Gerhard Tauber, whose thoughtful integration with the natural setting made the hotel look like a 21st-century Fallingwater, transported to South Tyrol.

Location, location, location

My Arbor is about a 10-minute drive from Bressanone/Brixen, a charming village in South Tyrol, the portion of the bilingual Trentino-Alto Adige region comprising the Bolzano province. But for most guests, embracing nature or unwinding in the wellness facilities are the main things on the agenda, and they were for us, too; we saved Bressanone exploration for our departure day. A highlight of the hotel’s more immediate surroundings for us was the Plose valley cable car, which is just a 15-minute walk away and goes up nearly 2500 meters (8000 feet), offering incredible views. Lunch at a cozy rifugio (mountain hut) at the summit was practically obligatory.

Where you’ll sleep

*Treetop Suite at My Arbor / Photo: ©BP*

My Arbor has 104 suites in three tiers: the entry-level Nest, the middle-ground Hangout, and the Treetop — AKA the unofficial penthouse(s) of the Plose massif. All three tiers of suites have balconies overlooking the valley. For our mother-daughter trip, we stayed in a Nest suite and found it spacious and comfortable; a daybed that doubled as a reading nook by the window was a warming touch. Decor was minimal, but the suite’s woodsy aesthetic and lush views made it feel inviting rather than stark.

Dining & drinks

Breakfast at My Arbor / Photo: BP© — *Breakfast at My Arbor / Photo: ©BP*

It’s easy to indulge OR detox here — sometimes on the same day. On arrival, we were whisked to the treehouse terrace for welcome drinks with a panoramic view that set the tone for our stay. Our booking was half-board, which included breakfast (ample enough to double as lunch) and a nightly five-course dinner at the My Arbor restaurant, where the South Tyrolean-Italian fusion kitchen is led by chef Matthias Hinteregger. The menu features seasonal plates that rotate daily but also offers “My Arbor Classics,” a collection of key regional favorites like canederli (pillowy nettle dumplings in broth).

Service notes

The hotel leans really hard into its “me time” branding, which is understandable — but the flowery use of first-person in pre-arrival emails (“My booking confirmation,” “My digital concierge”) made some of the preliminary communications and online systems feel unnecessarily cryptic and confusing to navigate. When speaking with staff face to face, however, everyone was uniformly friendly, accommodating and communicative.

Given the heavy emphasis on “me time” at the hotel, the restaurant seemed like it could do more to make parties of one feel welcome.

Spa time

*Summer Whirlpool at My Arbor / Photo: ©BP*

The Spa Arboris is My Arbor’s crown jewel and main draw for visitors. Overnight guests have unlimited, all-day access to common areas. The main level features a year-round, temperature-regulated infinity pool, a fitness area, relaxation corner and small sauna allowing swimsuits. The more expansive sauna area on the level below is a textile-free zone and just outside features 10 private cottages discreetly dubbed “cuddle nests.”

The territory is woven into every spa experience; treatments are all divided into categories inspired by area trees (we loved the larch category, focused on “letting go.”) There are special options for pre- and post-natal care, couples’ experiences, and treatments tailor-made for men.

Whatever treatment you choose, book it in advance. We didn’t think to reserve massages until after we arrived, and the booking system we accessed via a QR code in our room showed nothing available until after our check-out. We managed to get in during the last slot of the day after calling the front desk to double-check, but booking ahead is a safer bet.

You should know...

Beyond the paid treatments and free-access areas, My Arbor has a daily calendar of wellness-focused activities and excursions, some free and others at a cost. Outdoor yoga, forest bathing and group guided meditations were all offered for free at set hours during our stay. Biking, skiing, wine tasting and cultural excursions can all be organized, depending on the season.