Vigilius Mountain Resort by Design Hotels

Wow. We came here for our honeymoon and were not disappointed. Everything about it was beautiful, thoughtful and tasteful. We found the service personable and courteous. The clientele were primarily German, Italian and (international) English speaking and the staff could switch effortlessly back and forth. I guess one of the unique cultural features of South Tyrol. Far and away what we most appreciated was the calm and tranquil setting, far up away from the banal noises of the city. Already I am missing being free from hearing the constant rumble of cars. The other guests were by and large also very respectful and quiet, though they do allow dogs which I’m not as ecstatic about (one was barking away one night which was pretty disruptive given the otherwise serene setting). We also appreciated the textile-free sauna and enjoyed a few massages and facials. There is only one sauna room but it is plenty big enough to share between 4-5 couples at a time (plus a small steam room). Plenty of room on the various sun decks. The views from the hotel were fantastic, though dependent on it being a clear day (it can get very foggy at times). The food was also excellent and, though expensive, not unfairly priced (for quality). Some of the staff seemed a bit new, but we really liked our servers. The breakfast buffet was enjoyable and both restaurants were superb too. However, I was kind of disappointed that the Ida Stubbe (Tyrolean fare) was not open after 18.00, which left the only dining option later on in the evening as the expensive Michelin restaurant, which we did not want every night (we actually brought takeaway pizza from the city instead - it was ok but it would have been nice to have a more affordable alternative on-site for those who are not on the half-board plan). The only other real downside (more of a double-edged sword) is being reliant on taking the gondola up. It did truthfully create minor stresses as a few times we were rushing back to make the lift time (they only run hourly in the evenings). That was the only real stressful aspect of an otherwise relaxing stay. On the other hand, of course the gondola is what gets you up far away from the cars. I’m not sure what the gondola economics are but maybe it could just run every 15-20 minutes, and skip the trip if there is no one waiting. As for parking there is free parking at the base but you have to send your license plate number ahead of time (new rule), and you have to get the gate code for the covered lot - easy enough. It is a bit of a game of Tetris parking your car down there if it is getting full, so maybe not for the inexperienced parkers (though, Italy in general is not for the inexperienced drivers). Lana is easily walkable from the foot of the gondola, though we found it to be a bit of a sleepy and not quite so interesting town (at least as far as wandering around goes). There are a few clothing shops, a bookstore and some restaurants and cafes, as well as an Aldi and Lidl. We

Wow. We came here for our honeymoon and were not disappointed. Everything about it was beautiful, thoughtful and tasteful. The service was very courteous. The clientele were primarily German, Italian and (international) English speaking and the staff could switch effortlessly back and forth. I guess one of the unique cultural features of South Tyrol. We most of all appreciated the calm and tranquil setting, far from the banal noises of the city. Already I am missing being free from hearing the constant rumble of cars. The other guests were by and large also very respectful and quiet. We also appreciated the textile-free sauna and enjoyed a few massages and facials. The views were fantastic, though dependent on it being a clear day (it can get very misty at times). The food was also excellent and, though expensive, not unfairly priced (for quality). The breakfast buffet was excellent and both restaurants were superb too. The only real downside (more of a double-edged sword) is being reliant on taking the gondola up. On the one hand, it created minor stresses as a few times we were rushing back to make the lift time (they only run hourly in the evenings). On the other hand, of course the gondola is what gets you up far away from the cars. There is free parking at the base but you have to send your license plate number ahead of time (new rule). Lana is easily walkable from the foot of the gondola, though we found it to be a bit of a sleepy and not quite so interesting town (at least as far as wandering around goes). There are a few clothing shops, a bookstore and some restaurants and cafes. We did do some hiking around Vigiljoch, which was convenient and pleasant enough. There are also lots of fantastic hiking spots nearby near Meran (Texengruppe) and a bit further away in the Dolomites. Worth it if you’ve got a car and came for an active adventure. I’d say Vigilius caters both to the active hikers and to those just seeking rest and relaxation. It is a high-class treat but not pompous or ostentatious. By and large you are paying not for showy frills but rather for tranquility, quality and attention to detail. In our case we used Marriott points and found that to be a no-brainer. We are already looking forward to returning sometime, perhaps for a wedding anniversary :) Danke, Grazie, Vigilius!

I have stayed at this hotel more than a dozen times over the past 10+ years. I remain positive about the hotel (see pros), but I am developing some concerns (see cons) that are causing me to reconsider. The shifting clientele may reflect some of my ‘cons’: formerly a mix of British/American, Italian & German to what seems to be primarily a German/Austrian clientele Pros: a groundbreaking eco hotel that is still ahead of its time Great rooms and public areas in great condition…it is hard to believe the hotel was built 20 years ago Great car-free location with nice views plus peace & quiet as you reach it by a lift that takes you high above the town of Lana Great guest spaces: spa, sauna, pools, sun decks, library Nice chairlift that is free to hotel guests from 9 to 17:00 Cons: The 2nd, informal restaurant/bar no longer serves dinner so there is no bar open in the evening nor an informal dining option On my last few stays the food in the high end restaurant (the only choice) has definitely slipped in terms of quality while increasing in terms of price Logging in the areas above the hotel and new construction have made several of the trails less appealing The switch to allowing dogs is, for me, a big negative as some owners do not control their pets properly (I.e. dog on dog scrimmages, dogs in the lounge, dogs let out to run loose outside). Fortunately, so far no dogs are allowed in the high end restaurant. The frequent staff turnover results in a lack of continuity in service and procedure The hotel itself is a great design and the rooms are extremely comfortable. The public spaces are quite large, varied and well thought out for a smal to medium sized hotel. Given the number of high end alternative resorts in the area and the ‘cons’ that are surfacing, Vigilius is slipping its former status as ‘the clear choice’ to ‘a possible choice’.