Best European mountain escapes to visit in 2025

Looking for more travel inspiration? Read our guides to the best saunas to visit in the UK and the best Italian hotels for food lovers.

Best European mountain escapes 2025

My Arbor, South Tyrol, Italy

• Rooms from £206 per night based on two people sharing a Nest Suite; check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or My Arbor

Expect to be whisked high above the clouds at this architectural hideout in the Dolomites. Conveniently situated just 50 minutes from Bolzano airport, My Arbor stands proud on stilts against the snow-capped South Tyrolean mountains, making this the perfect spot to experience treetop seclusion. Guests are greeted with the signature cocktail, The Arborene, with its warming blend of sweet vermouth and homemade orange-cinnamon liqueur, best enjoyed on the sun-kissed patio.

The hotel has more than 100 south-facing suites, each adorned with reclaimed wood from sunburnt larches and firs from the Eisack Valley. Features include large panoramic windows, a private terrace and a cosy nook for hunkering down with a book. With most of the produce for the restaurant sourced directly from Lake Garda and harvested by owner Markus Huber, sustainability is more than just a concept here. The tasting menu changes daily and is often centred around a theme (think ‘essence of water’ or ‘nature’s delight’). Expect bold flavours, from swordfish tagliata with saffron risotto to onsen eggs with potato truffle espuma.

The breakfast buffet is an assortment of local treats, including a juice bar for turmeric and ginger shots, eggs as you like them and homemade breads such as South Tyrolean schüttelbrot – a crunchy flatbread peppered with fragrant spices. Make sure you carve out time to experience an invigorating sauna infusion where the sauna master uses balls of snow enriched with essential oils to control the heat and deepen relaxation.

Schloss Elmau, Bavarian Alps, Germany

• Rooms from £580 per night based on two people sharing; check availability at booking.com or Schloss Elmau

Set against the backdrop of the Wetterstein mountains and framed by an abundant pine forest and the icy blue Ferchenbach river, it’s hard not to lose yourself in the scenery and facilities at Schloss Elmau. While staying here, guests can enjoy access to six spas, eight restaurants, a concert hall and two hotels (The Retreat and The Hideaway).

The lofty presidential suites at The Retreat are softened with plush furnishings, with an Indian elephant motif woven into the textiles, and are designed to show off panoramic mountain views – take your pick between a luxurious free-standing bath or regal chaise longue to soak up the snowscapes. Restaurant Tutto Mondo offers twists on comforting Alpine cuisine, including homemade tagliolini blanketed in Piedmont truffles. At the neighbouring pan-Asian restaurant Fidelio, expect succulent meats grilled over binchōtan charcoal and paired with foamed nori butter. For those wanting a touch more luxury, opt for the two Michelin starred Ikigai.

Breakfast is equally bountiful, with a selection of smoothies and health shots, creamy bircher muesli and homemade breads – including the well-loved German pumpernickel that’s ready to be topped with honey from Schloss Elmau’s bees. Start the day with a soothing golden milk – a silky, fragrant hot drink infused with turmeric, cinnamon and maple syrup. As well as its next-level food and drink options, Schloss Elmau boasts a programme of activities for guests, including yoga, qigong, curling, concerts and cross-country skiing. Ideal for switching off and hunkering down.

Nordelaia, Piedmont, Italy

• Rooms from £261 per night; check availability at Mr & Mrs Smith, booking.com or Nordelaia

This stunning property lies in rural Piedmont, a region suspended between the mighty Alps and the coastal province of Liguria in north-west Italy. Occupying an 800- year-old converted farmhouse, the interiors of Nordelaia’s 12 rooms are both contemporary and classic. Two attic suites – all warm wood beams and pleasing oblique angles – evoke a sense of treetop seclusion, complete with freestanding baths for an extra dose of opulence.

The four rooms on the first floor are themed around the striking seasonal colour palettes that surround the property: greens in the spring, yellows for summer, fiery reds in the autumn and pearly whites in winter. Two outdoor pools (one heated, one not, but both with views for miles) entice in all seasons, while a visit to the spa, with its stone floors and arches, and barrel-vaulted brick ceiling, is sure to restore a sense of internal equilibrium. Nordelaia is set within five hectares of arable land and boasts a working vineyard. Its offerings feature prominently on the wine list at the hotel’s destination restaurant, Lorto.

Here, chef Charles Pearce pays homage both to the earthy, woodland character of Piedmont and the maritime bounty of neighbouring Liguria. His take on perbureira – a thick, bean-based sauce traditionally served with pasta – is instead paired with grilled prawns and a coral emulsion. There’s a potato risotto with mussels that hits all the right notes, and a tangle of barbecued oyster mushrooms served with a deeply savoury, anchovy-based ferment called garum. A bistro menu that leans towards traditional flavours with modern touches offers guests a more relaxed but no less excellent dining experience.

Priesteregg, Leogang, Austria

• Berg chalet from £280 per person per night based on two people sharing, including breakfast and spa access; check availability at Priesteregg

Surrounded by the snow-dusted Alps, this collection of 15 wooden chalets is reminiscent of a mountain village. Sitting at a height of 1,100 metres there are panoramic views with fresh Alpine air and the aroma of woodsmoke to greet you on arrival. The focus is on traditional local food using highquality ingredients – bread is freshly baked in a stone oven, bacon is smoked in a smoking chamber and the local cows provide the creamiest milk and butter.

Each chalet is generously stocked with local treats and every morning guests are delivered breakfast bundles of cured meats, salmon, cheeses, fresh fruits and baked goods. In the evening you can request to dine in your chalet or bundle up and walk to Huwi’s Alm, the on-site restaurant. The signature dish is an event in itself, served on an iron hat that’s heated by small burners. Diners are given a selection of marinated organic steaks and pork loin to cook, with the brim of the hat filled with a rich beef and vegetable soup that gets more intense as the cooking continues. It’s served with crisp baked potatoes, salad and a selection of sauces.

Chalets are a combination of beautiful natural materials and modern luxuries. Glass-fronted bedrooms, mountain views, freestanding outdoor baths, suspended fireplaces, private saunas and snow-clad rooftop hot tubs are just some of the unique features. Sheepskin rugs, cosy sofas and the softest bedding make it hard to leave the comfort of your chalet, despite the ski slopes across the valley being in sight of the sun decks. Wellness is taken very seriously here, too – guests can swim in the heated infinity pool next to an open fireplace, relax in Swiss pine saunas or take an invigorating guided dip in the unheated outdoor nature pool. The expansive open-air terrace has luxurious loungers, pillows and blankets to make the most of the winter sun.

Casale Panayiotis, Cyprus

• From £286 based on a two-night stay for two adults in a comfort studio; check availability at booking.com, Hilton or Casale Panayiotis

Nestled in the heart of the Troodos Mountains, the climate is noticeably cooler at Casale Panayiotis than down by the Cyprus coast. An agrotourism project saved Kalopanayiotis village from extinction nearly 13 years ago, restoring the historical buildings to their former glory in the form of 29 beautiful rooms and stone cottage suites.

The award-winning spa complete with hydrotherapy pool, sauna, herbal steam room and private outdoor whirlpool harks back to the village’s ancient spa origins. Restaurants celebrate local ingredients, including seasonal fruit and veg from the on-site orchards. Byzantino Restaurant spotlights traditional Cypriot dishes, while Pantheon offers casual dining among magnificent mountain views.

Grill restaurant Loutraki serves pan-seared, locally sourced trout, premium fillet steak and chicken breast ballotine. Local cultural, culinary and sporting activities are available to be booked for those seeking adventure and new experiences.

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