Authentic architectural jewels, properties that tell stories of family legacies, and cozy Alpine hideaways are part of this selection from Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.
Welcoming Alpine refuges for pleasant evenings around the fireplace, spaces that combine homages to the past with touches of modernity, and minimalist structures that blend into the snowy high-mountain landscape: these are the properties chosen by THE AFICIONADOS for this winter season in Europe.
Renowned for their precise selection of hotels in unparalleled destinations, this curated collection offers three distinct bastions of style: Petit Fours de Blanc, Modern Heritage Hotels and Minimalist Alpine Hotels.
‘Petit Fours de Blanc’ lodgings are an invitation to warm up in sanctuaries surrounded by natural landscapes and swathed in snow, evoking the feeling of snuggling up under a duvet while a crackling fire provides the perfect temperature in an ambience with a unique essence.
over 250 years of history. The authenticity is tangible, experienced in spaces that are conducive to meditation, reflection, relaxation and the creation of rich memories.
Absolute calm characterizes the four rooms at Pontisella in Graubünden, Switzerland, named after the herbs that perfumeits garden: rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme. Each room is a showcase of quiet luxury made from natural materials thatharmonize with the rugged simplicity of this property, surrounded by the peaks of Agio di Sciora, in the Bregaglia mountain range of the Grison Alps.
Villa Hundert, in Engelberg in central Switzerland, is a haven for design enthusiasts and adventurers seeking a bracingencounter with the outdoors and the mountainous landscape dotted with fir trees. Its nine rooms offer an atmosphere thatprivileges comfort, with elegant and cozy interiors.
The ‘Modern Heritage Hotels’ are a fusion of tradition and family heritage in hotels nestling in alpine settings that strike the perfect balance between contemporary style, heritage, comfort, and eclecticism.
Haus Hirt Hotel in Austria is one such gem, conceived as an imposing structure on a hill overlooking the renowned village of Bad Gastein. Its interiors convey an air of optimism, with all the charm of a private home adorned with handcrafted Austrian artifacts.
In Bolsano, watched over by the Dolomites, Parkhotel Mondschein tells a unique story that goes back to the 14th centuryand is summed up by what defines it today: a whiff of nostalgia for the heyday of Italian cinema and design of the 1960s that makes for an experience of sophistication and relaxation beyond compare.
Meanwhile, the ‘Minimalist Alpine Hotels’ selection offer fans of absolute simplicity, purity of form, and dramatic materials the opportunity to find locations that honor to the letter the aphorism ‘less is more’.
Located in the Alps, these properties blend into the landscape in a harmonious dialogue. At an altitude of 1,850 metersabove sea level, the seven luxurious rooms of Anders Mountain Suites are breathtaking delights for lovers of architectureand design. Their floor-to-ceiling windows present unique panoramas that are comfortably enjoyed in spaces stripped of artifice and ideal for calm meditation.
The dramatic blackened organic wood silhouette of Hotel Bühelwirt takes its inspiration from the topography of Italy’s Aurina Valley, forging a sustainable oasis that maintains a link to Ladin traditions. Its interiors emphasize its relaxed, understated essence, reminding us that simplicity is a philosophy of life.
In the Austrian village of Mellau, Tempel 74 appeals to connoisseurs of cultivated idleness, who like to take journeys deep into the bucolic surroundings without sacrificing the amenities of a boutique hotel in the mountains. Its ten apartments, with oak floors that delicately perfume the whole space, offer everything necessary for a memorable family holiday.
With these collections, The Aficionados asserts its hallmark: identifying places that possess soul and that offer moments of rest, whether in an alpine hideaway rich in heritage, in the warmth of a mountain home, or in a modernist architectural gem hidden away among the slopes of a snow-capped mountain range.
About
Founded by Iain Ainsworth, THE AFICIONADOS is a travel resource for those seeking fabulous recommendations andaccommodation that effortlessly fuses luxury, design and authenticity. It comprises over 90 hotels, designer homes for private hire and guesthouses, from all across Europe and a fabulous outpost in New York, the United States, together with a selection of over 100 creatives who round out the offer of this culture and lifestyle emporium for travel and good living. The Aficionados also publishes five printed magazines: Blueprint Beauts, Farmhouse Fabulous, Casa Gorgeous, Neu Heritage, and Alchemists of Italy.
