The Journey to My Arbor

What’s a two-hour flight to reach a magical destination? Nothing. A swift voyage from London Gatwick to Innsbruck, Austria, was over in the blink of an eye. The descent onto the runway was like none other that I had experienced before, we glided down past mountain peaks, wistful cloud formations and into a cavern of fir trees whilst the sun reflected off the tarmac. The airport is small but thus making it efficient, you’re out of it in moments.

The hotel had arranged for a driver to pick us up.  The short one-hour drive (it takes longer to cross London) was the spellbinding start of the trip – swirling roads undulating across mountains that dramatically loomed over reservoirs, small towns and even the odd cow.  Without even knowing it we had crossed the border into South Tyrol. The landscape in the north of Italy is characterized by the contrast of these alpine scene formations and Mediterranean wine landscapes. Marked by the beauty of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and not to mention over 300 days of sunshine a year, makes this one of the most sought-after places to live in Europe.

The air is so clean – a few deep breaths and the smog and chaos of London soon felt dissolved from within my long-suffering urbanite lungs. This drive-in itself I’d call a wellness  ‘activity’, I was enthused, invigorated and grateful that Mother Earth is so generous to us.

The Hotel & Rooms

Arriving at the hotel we saw for the first time the magnificence of My Arbor, a treetop haven on 34-meter-high stilts – we were about to embark on an architectural odyssey.

In 2010, the property for My Arbor near St. Andrä (at an altitude of almost 1,000m) was acquired. Several architects submitted their ideas for the design of the hotel in a competition (very Renaissance). The winner, Paul Sebel has constructed what can only be described as an otherworldly hotel that feels more like a mythical tree-top nest.

We entered the vast lobby where tree trunks hang down from the ceiling and where the furniture made of larch wood, partially sunburnt old wood, stone and leather are juxtaposed with the modernity of the boundless top-to-toe glass panes that look out onto the mesmerizing view of the Eisack Valley.

All the rooms are suites here and all look onto the sublime view.  Stepping into my room, I felt as if I had a slice of nature all to myself.  I could not help but open the glass balcony door immediately despite it being a bit tad chilly outside.  What hit me was the truly intoxicating smell of spruce old wood which brought the colour back to my cheeks, and I was at one with the trees.

My room carried on with nature inside but done with luxury.  A spring box bed with unctuous bedding was most inviting.  A spacious stone bathroom with an experience shower and separate toilet gives you that well-needed privacy when travelling as a couple. The show stopper however was the corner daybed which allows you to peacefully and comfortably gaze at the mountain peaks and into the town of Blixen. The room had all mod cons including a large flat-screen TV and excellent WI-FI but every time that I momentarily took my attention away from the view, I felt I was betraying its wonder and it instantly hooked me back in.

Dining at My Arbor

One of My Arbor’s core philosophies is having a holiday without constraints with the greatest possible freedom for the guest’s own rhythm. What greater freedom is there to eat what you and when you want?  Breakfast is served here until noon, yes you read that right!  The buffet is vast, one of the more plentiful hotel breakfasts I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy.  You can indulge in any way you desire; decadent or healthy or somewhere in between.  What I enjoyed was the bespoke tailoring to my wellness needs, I ordered an egg white omelette from the a la carte menu, washed down with kefir water.  Someone at the table next to me started the day with a Prosecco, the choice is yours.  What united us all was yet again the nurturing nature view as we sat in our booths and started our day.

In the afternoon, guests can order something light from the club menu in the lounge whilst sitting in comfortable cradling chairs. Your options are this season’s produce, plentiful and local ingredients. In the evening, you are inspired by the five courses on chef Matthias Hinteregger’s suggested menu or choose something from the “Evergreens” menu. Traditional South Tyrolean cuisine is combined with creative dishes from all over the world and typical Italian dishes. Prepared only from the best and freshest ingredients, all our dietary needs were catered for – gluten, dairy, nut free but none of it flavour free – a highlight for me was the beetroot gnocchi. Being in the enviable location of both Italy and Austria makes the wines available from the hotel’s impressive cellar an imbibing exploration for even the most discerning wine connoisseur.

The Spa

The hotel’s spa is like nothing we have here in the UK, it is almost a separate city which you can explore at your leisure, morning, noon and night. You can experiment with different heat intensities in the 5 different saunas. I enjoyed the ability to be both inside and outside with a choice of an infinity pool and a bubbling outside pool where once again you can relax and let the magnificent view envelop you.

Let’s get straight to the point, the majority of the spa is strictly a non-bathing suit environment, yes, pure unadulterated nakedness. How does this honestly feel? After a few moments, it is utterly freeing.  It’s the norm here, quite frankly nobody is interested in yourself – it’s a respectful and classy affair.  I urge you to let go and try it, it adds to the whole experience of staying at My Arbor and is one you will always remember.

A real highlight for me at My Arbor were the sauna rituals. At least four of them take place every day. The sauna master, a former bodybuilding world champion no less, enchants guests to the sounds of thematic music as you sit in the larger sauna where essential oils are poured onto ice globes. They last 12 minutes, you’ve got this!

For those less daring, there is a smaller swimsuit area with a swimming pool and relaxation area.  It does however feel a shame to have come this far and do only this, I promise you’ll come home and regret it.

The spa treatments in a total of ten treatment rooms are all centred around the tree. (perhaps don’t come here if you have a fear of trees). Before my massage, I filled out a form to classify which of the four “tree types” I was – larch, stone pines spruce or mountain pine; each having varying effects on both body and mind.

Activities

You are not going to be bored when you visit My Arbor, you can do as much or as little as you like.  The hotel is keen to exhibit that it is a destination for any season. You can enjoy yoga, pilates, meditation, forest bathing, balance movement, breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.  If you’re feeling more spritely, how about Boot Camp, a workout in the forest or try WAV-E training? You can go full throttle and go for sunrise hikes, biking, mountain carting and skiing.

For a slower pace go down into Brixen to visit the monastery, do some shopping, and finish your day with a beer tasting.  This is your holiday and if all you want to do is read and gaze at the views, so be it.

Why Go to My Arbor?

You haven’t been anywhere like this before, it’s unique and magical.  My Arbor tailors your time here to meet your needs and wants.  Healthy, innovative delicious food which you can enjoy with a good wine or cocktail; wellness doesn’t have to be contrictrive.  You can relax both body and mind here in luxury.  Just because you are not at the beach does not mean the sun does not shine.  Let those magnificent trees heal you inside and out.

Discover more at MyArbor.com