Head-to-head · Dolomites
Two mountainside hotels with big views. One is my favorite hotel in the Dolomites; the other is a quirky design hotel above Merano with the best outdoor pool I saw. Here is how I would choose.
Stayed at Forestis · Toured Miramonti · October 2026
The best view of the Odle and my favorite wellness, dining and service in the Dolomites. A top-tier luxury stay, built for slowing down.
My Forestis review →
The best outdoor pool of any hotel I saw in the region, beautiful views over Merano, and rooms that are each a little different.
My Miramonti review →
| Forestis | Miramonti | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | High above Bressanone, about 25 minutes up the mountain | On the mountainside above Merano, outside the main Dolomites valleys |
| The feel | Alpine wellness retreat: Scandinavian, light wood and floor-to-ceiling glass | Quirky design hotel, with a personality all its own |
| The view | The best view of the Odle of any luxury hotel in the Dolomites | Beautiful, over the valley and Merano |
| Rooms | 62 suites across a historic lodge and three towers | Every room is designed differently |
| Room to ask for | A high floor in the tower closest to the lodge | Ask me: I match one to you |
| Pools | My pick for the best indoor pool in the region | The best outdoor pool of any hotel I saw in the region |
| Spa | My wellness winner: three saunas, steam, cold plunge, sensory room | Mixed saunas, in the German and Austrian style |
| Polish | Top tier, with the best service in the region | Character over polish |
| Hiking | Excellent hikes about 45 minutes away by car | For the famous peaks, base yourself in Ortisei or on the Alpe di Siusi |
| Best for | Honeymoons, couples, wellness, total disconnection | Couples, design lovers and pool people |
Work with me and you get Fora perks, plus someone who knows these hotels personally and personalizes your stay: I push for the right tower and floor at Forestis, match you to the right room at Miramonti, and arrange the trains and drivers so Merano fits at either end of the trip. Same rate as booking direct.
Forestis is my favorite hotel in the Dolomites. It has the best view of the Odle, and it won my categories for wellness, dining and service. Come for the spa, the scenery, the food and the quiet.
Miramonti is a nice, unique property with an iconic pool, close to Merano. It isn’t at the level of the region’s top hotels as a luxury experience, but it is a great hotel for someone who values personality, the pool and the views over polish.
If service and finish matter most, pick Forestis. If the pool and the personality are the point, pick Miramonti, and it is an easy add-on at either end of a Dolomites trip.
At Forestis, the view of the Odle is unmatched among the Dolomites’ luxury hotels, from your room, the dining room, the pools and the spa. The best of it is from the fourth or fifth floor and above, in the tower closest to the historic lodge and in the middle tower. Only a request secures that, and it is exactly what I push for.
At Miramonti, the views are over the valley and Merano, and they are beautiful. Merano isn’t really in the Dolomites the way the other hotels I saw are, so you are looking out over a gentler landscape. Forestis won my views category.
Forestis has the best indoor pool in the region, joined to the outdoor pool by a glass door and heated to around 32°C (90°F), plus a blacked-out sensory room, a swimsuit sauna, and a separate area with three saunas, a steam room, a cold plunge and a heated plunge pool. My 90-minute deep-tissue massage was excellent.
Miramonti’s infinity pool is the best outdoor pool of any hotel I saw in the region, and it is the reason people come. Expect German and Austrian sauna culture at both: the main saunas are mixed, and swimsuits come off.
The Forestis tower suites are Scandinavian in feel, with daybed balconies, large bathrooms with tubs and walk-in showers, and heated floors. The lodge suites in the historic building are spacious and well priced.
At Miramonti, every room is designed differently, and the whole place is a little quirky. Because no two are alike, the right room matters, and I match one to you.
Service at Forestis was some of the best I have experienced anywhere. Half board covers breakfast and dinner in either restaurant, and the seven-course tasting menu was a highlight. By train, get off at Bressanone and it is 25 minutes up the mountain by car.
Miramonti is character over polish; if service and finish matter most, Forestis is the one. For Merano, get off the train at Bolzano and finish by private car. It is an easy first or last stop, especially if you are coming from or heading toward Lake Como or Switzerland.
For me, Forestis. It is my favorite hotel in the Dolomites, with the best view, wellness, dining and service. Miramonti is a great stay for the right traveler: someone who wants the pool, the views and a hotel with personality.
For an outdoor pool, Miramonti; it is the best of any hotel I saw in the region. For an indoor pool, Forestis, where the indoor and outdoor pools are joined by a glass door and both heated to around 32°C.
Not really. Miramonti is above Merano, which is outside the main Dolomites valleys. For hiking among the famous peaks, base yourself in Ortisei or on the Alpe di Siusi.
Forestis. It is my honeymoon pick in the Dolomites: the views, the spa, the food and the quiet.
Tell me your dates and who is coming, and I will tell you which one fits and which room to ask for.
Forestis review → Miramonti review → Forestis or COMO Alpina → Aman Rosa Alpina or Miramonti → My Dolomites guide →