With its staggering peaks, colourful wildflowers and breathtaking lakes, northern Italy's Dolomite mountains have long been a hiker's paradise. But a new crop of hotels is looking to offer a more restorative experience to travellers looking to get in touch with their spiritual side. Engel Ayurpura is a new boutique retreat that has opened up in Nova Levante, a charming village in Italy's South Tyrol region, focusing on Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine.
Why stay there?
The infinity pool is surrounded by greenery
(Image credit: Engel Ayurpura)
Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to wellness. There are five elements: space (akash), air (vayu), fire (tejas), water (jala) and earth (prithvi). These elements combine to make three doshas – pitta (fire and water), kapha (earth and water) and vata (space and air). Your health is based on your dosha; if any of the elements become out of balance, that's when your body goes haywire.
The hotel offers several Ayurvedic "cures" in the form of specially tailored treatments. On my five-day stay I tried out the Rasayana Fountain of Youth cure, which aims to slow ageing and strengthen the immune system. Guests are offered a pulse diagnosis at the beginning of their stay to work out what health issues they might be grappling with. "Do you think a lot?" is the first question the in-house doctor asks me during mine. With just one touch, he's worked out my main struggle in life as a chronic overthinker.
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Massages are an important part of Ayurvedic treatment. I'm prescribed abhyanga, a restorative full-body massage, pada abhyanga, a foot massage, and shiro abhyanga, a head massage. More unusual is kati basti, where a dough made of chick pea flour is moulded into a circle on my skin before warm sesame oil is poured into it. This is prescribed for back pain but can help with any physical ailment – it can even be used over your heart if you're suffering from a recent break-up. Shirodhara is a soothing treatment where warm sesame oil is poured in a steady flow over my forehead.
The most relaxing is churna potali, which is supposed to reduce stiffness, improve blood circulation and help the skin release toxins. Warmed pouches filled with herbs are used to massage me as I lie down – as they dance around my back, it's like being pummelled by a flurry of tiny boxer mitts.
The doctor also arranges for a personal meditation session that is more akin to hypnosis as his gentle voice guides my wayward thoughts.
The hotel
Rooms are minimalist with white furnishings and brass accents
(Image credit: Engel Ayurpura)
There are only 15 rooms at the adults-only Engel Ayurpura, meaning it never feels crowded. I stay in a Pura room, which is a minimalist combination of white furnishings, birch panelling and brass accents. It's beautifully designed, with a spacious terrace that overlooks a verdant valley dotted with fir trees. The Rosengarten mountain range, which famously glows a fiery red during sunset, looms in the distance.
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The hotel has a contemporary look that stands out from the traditional alpine buildings characteristic of Nova Levante and other villages in the area. There's an infinity pool that is surrounded by greenery, a bio sauna, with lower temperatures than the traditional Finnish type, and a lounge with seats that radiate infra-red heat for extra cosiness.
The food
The menu's Ayurvedic dishes are delicious and surprisingly filling
(Image credit: Engel Ayurpura)
The Ayurvedic cuisine on offer is mainly vegetarian and prepared without salt or sugar, yet somehow manages to be extremely flavourful. There's soy sauce and sesame seeds on the table if you want to add more flavour, but I never needed either. Dishes like roasted turnip with alpine labneh and cream of chick pea soup with lime and olive oil are delicious and surprisingly filling.
Before arrival, guests are asked to stop drinking alcohol and caffeine in preparation for their stay. Bottles of alkaline lemon and ginger water are available although guests are encouraged to drink liquids at least 30 minutes before and after meals, rather than during, to aid digestion.
There's a social table for those keen to chat to others and make friends during their stay, while more introverted diners can wear a badge to signal that they're happy dining alone.
What else you can do
There's plenty to do when you're not being massaged into a calm stupor, especially with a complimentary seven-day local bus pass for every guest. I take a cable car to see the Rosengarten mountains up close, with a breathtaking panoramic view of the valley below. Lake Carezza, famous for its piercing turquoise water and jumble of bright pink wildflowers, is nearby and makes for an extremely picturesque hike. On another day, I visit Bolzano, South Tyrol's charming capital city, and marvel at the candy-coloured buildings.
The verdict
The tranquil spa at Engel Ayurpura
(Image credit: Engel Ayurpura)
By the end of the five days, my skin is glowing, my hair is the glossiest it's ever been and I've reached sloth-like levels of relaxation. Engel Ayurpura is the perfect mountain retreat to leave all your worries behind – and if your overactive mind won't co-operate, the right treatment will ease those harried thoughts away.
Ann Lee took the Rasayana five-day fountain of youth programme at Engel Ayurpura, from €1,400 per person plus room rate. Double rooms from €230 per person per night. Programmes start with the Approaching Ayurveda two-day programme, from €650 per person plus room rate. For reservations contact +39 0471 614 245 or ayurpura@hotel-engel.com.
SkyAlps flies twice-weekly from London Gatwick to Bolzano, from €184 each way
Ann Lee is a commissioning editor at The Guardian for features. Her writing has also appeared in The Independent, The Telegraph, The i Paper, The Standard, Metro and Radio Times, as well as The Week. She specialises in entertainment and travel. Over the years, she has interviewed many stars including Kathleen Turner, Michelle Yeoh, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alexander Skarsgård and Jennifer Lopez. She enjoys travelling to far-flung places in her continual quest to eat the perfect meal, and her favourite city for food is Hong Kong.
