Historic Alpine Villa Restored as Luxury Retreat After Decades of Abandonment

A historic villa in Italy's Dolomite mountains, originally built in 1912 as part of a tuberculosis sanatorium complex, has been meticulously restored and reopened as an ultra-luxury accommodation. The property, abandoned for approximately forty years after serving various functions including a climate station and religious retreat, was rediscovered around 2000 by South Tyrolean hotelier Alois Hinteregger. His son Stefan Hinteregger and partner Teresa Unterthiner led an eight-year development project culminating in the 2020 opening of Forestis, a 62-suite hotel with three towers designed by architect Armin Sader of ASAGGIO. The villa itself, known as Forestis Villa, opened in February 2025 following an extensive restoration that preserved its original architectural character. The project involved obtaining original construction plans from Vienna archives and collaborating with the Provincial Heritage Office in Bolzano. Specialist restorers employed early-20th-century Tyrolean craft techniques to restore pinewood facades, larch and spruce floorboards, coffered wooden ceilings, and original staircases. A significant contemporary addition is a 4,300-square-foot private spa located in the basement, featuring an indoor-outdoor pool, sauna, and treatment rooms. The design philosophy for the villa focused on preserving the historic building's essence rather than framing mountain views, with new furniture crafted to blend with the existing fabric. The villa accommodates up to ten guests with dedicated staff, includes a private garden with heated pool, and offers direct access to Plose ski slopes. Nightly rates begin around $20,700.