Cima Porlezza, Italy
Opened
2022
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Wellness Design LuxeOutside the door
The house
Parco San MarcoTerraced wellness retreat
Built into Mount Bronzone, this fifteen-suite hotel within a hotel offers dedicated thermal circuits above the wider family resort.
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A heated indoor pool flows into a cantilevered outdoor saltwater infinity basin.
Notable
Terraced suites clad in sintered stone use taut nautical ropes as balcony balustrades.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Aria Retreat & Spa is a hotel within a hotel — a luxury boutique enclave within the larger Parco San Marco resort, set right on the shores of northern Italy’s Lake Lugano.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Mount Bronzone rises directly behind the subtropical grounds, with the Swiss border just a short drive along the lake.
The rooms
Suites step down the hillside toward Lake Lugano, each opening onto a deep private loggia facing the water.
The pool and gym
Bring a swimsuit.
The saltwater pool borders a manicured lawn, and the fitness room is fitted with Technogym equipment.
The saunas
A panoramic Finnish sauna looks out across the lake, and the bio sauna holds a trough of alpine hay.
Dogs stay too.
At the table
La Dolce Vita mixes house-infused botanical gins, and tables on the terrace look straight across Lake Lugano.
How it began
After twenty years running the surrounding resort, Eva Schwenn commissioned a modern hillside design to bring contemporary architecture to the lake.
Good to know
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Aria Retreat & Spa
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.