Alpine Boutique Villa Gabriela — Hotel in Salten-Schlern - Salto-Sciliar

I must say that overall we had a lovely stay! ||The room was clean and stylish, and we had a nice balcony that overlooked the hills.||We had the half-board, and the food was absolutely delicious! We only had two other meals in our two-week trip that came even close to what we had for dinner here! ||So why not five stars? Two small things, but they definitely put a damper on our trip: ||1) We arrived home early from hiking (5:15ish) so that we could use the 'spa' because it is only open for a few hours each day. (I think 3:30-6:30? Can't remember.) It is requested that you go in a robe and slippers and bring the bag with towels. We get ready and then descend (at 5:30) to the spa to enjoy an hour of the sauna before it closed-- only to find it completely shut down!!!!! Incredibly disappointing for our honeymoon!||2) We return up stairs to shower and such since we can't use the spa, and about 6:20 there is a knock on the door. My husband was taking a nap and I was in lounge clothes checking emails. Who is at the door? A staff member telling us that dinner was already being served NOW! An hour early!! I had to wake my husband up and I had to throw on decent clothes, so we could run down there.||I must admit that it was our host's birthday, so I understand that they wanted to have dinner early. That is fine.||What I do not find acceptable is that we spoke to both the owners at breakfast that morning and said hi as we came in at 5:15, and we were NOT told either time that dinner would be served early!! It was just ridiculous that it was never mentioned to us until it was already being served -- and hour early! ||My husband joked that it was good that the sauna was not working, or we would have walked up the stairs in robes only to be greeted by a dining room full of people eating! ||One other thing, the staff member who knocked on the door to tell us that dinner was currently being served did apologize that the sauna was not working. She said that we should have told them that we had wanted to use it that morning. What is the point of having printed 'open hours' when you have to ask them...

I must say that overall we had a lovely stay! ||The room was clean and stylish, and we had a nice balcony that overlooked the hills.||We had the half-board, and the food was absolutely delicious! We only had two other meals in our two-week trip that came even close to what we had for dinner here! ||So why not five stars? Two small things, but they definitely put a damper on our trip: ||1) We arrived home early from hiking (5:15ish) so that we could use the 'spa' because it is only open for a few hours each day. (I think 3:30-6:30? Can't remember.) It is requested that you go in a robe and slippers and bring the bag with towels. We get ready and then descend (at 5:30) to the spa to enjoy an hour of the sauna before it closed-- only to find it completely shut down!!!!! Incredibly disappointing for our honeymoon!||2) We return up stairs to shower and such since we can't use the spa, and about 6:20 there is a knock on the door. My husband was taking a nap and I was in lounge clothes checking emails. Who is at the door? A staff member telling us that dinner was already being served NOW! An hour early!! I had to wake my husband up and I had to throw on decent clothes, so we could run down there.||I must admit that it was our host's birthday, so I understand that they wanted to have dinner early. That is fine.||What I do not find acceptable is that we spoke to both the owners at breakfast that morning and said hi as we came in at 5:15, and we were NOT told either time that dinner would be served early!! It was just ridiculous that it was never mentioned to us until it was already being served -- and hour early! ||My husband joked that it was good that the sauna was not working, or we would have walked up the stairs in robes only to be greeted by a dining room full of people eating! ||One other thing, the staff member who knocked on the door to tell us that dinner was currently being served did apologize that the sauna was not working. She said that we should have told them that we had wanted to use it that morning. What is the point of having printed 'open hours' when you have to ask them...

Il consiglio di un amico è sempre accolto con la dovuta attenzione perché le emozioni e le sensazioni che l’amico ha provato nel gioire del suo momento di felicità non è mai lo stesso che potremmo provare ognuno di noi. Il desiderio di provare però era assillante. Ecco dunque la partenza e con qualche ora di viaggio, il luogo designato era ormai nelle vicinanze, qualche errore di viabilità ed infine con l’aiuto del solito navigatore, una splendida vallata si distendeva davanti ai nostri occhi, mi sembrava di essere tornato bambino quando la visione degli spazi e dei tempi erano di gran lunga amplificati rispetto ad oggi, piccoli caseggiati di legno e pietra sparsi in un verde erba intenso con prati rasati di recente e curata come fosse un giardino di casa, un pascolo perfetto qualche mucca sparsa qua e là intenta a brucare e qualcun altra accovacciata ad assorbire quel tepore di primo autunno in una giornata splendidamente riscaldata dal sole, non ci è mancata la vista di piccoli greggi, pecore miste, bianche e nere nella paciosa vita che esse stesse testimoniano nella loro esistenza. Ed ecco la via che ci avrebbe condotta alla villa, perché così si chiama, villa Gabriela, una costruzione allocata un uno spazio verde come fosse una corolla. La piccola strada in discesa, relativamente stretta, ancora pochi metri ed ecco il nostro alloggio, dotato di parcheggio, entriamo all’interno con il dovuto riserbo ed educazione ed ecco accoglierci col sorriso che fa ben sperare una bella signora dai lineamenti signorili che si presenta come Gabriela, ecco svelato il nome della villa, l’associazione del nome non poteva essere più azzeccato, ci presenta quindi il cane, un bel pastore del manto bianco, purtroppo reso cieco dalla vecchiaia che con piacere si Lascia accarezzare, poi ci presenta la figlia, Michelle, una splendida ragazza che si contende il trono, per bellezza con la mamma, essa stessa ci invita per le pratiche del check-in che formula in pochi minuti per poi accompagnarci alle camere. Qualche minuto di ambientamento e poi un giro panoramico per comprendere la struttura e il luogo. Mi pervade un senso di quietudine e di serenità, all’interno qualche fotografia che ricorda l’intera famiglia proprietaria del “feudo” con il patio e il giardino attrezzato per meglio godere non solo dell’ambiente ma anche di ciò che l’occhio può ammirare nel suo circondario, mi siedo e rimango appagato di tutto ciò che mi aspettavo, effettivamente, l’amico dell’amica aveva ragione. Poco dopo vengo sollecitato dal mio torpore di beatitudine da un giovane di bell’aspetto che mi chiede se desidero allietare o degustare con una bibita la mia permanenza, si presenta come René, ed è il fratello di Michelle, il buon stampo non mente e non posso che rilevare che è una bella famiglia, educata, a modo e ben presente con distinzione nell’intero ambiente effettivamente sanno gestire in maniera perfetta. L’intero ambiente è vocato a quel senso di serenità e di amore di antica memoria, credo che Heidi Clara e Peter siano passati da queste parti per ricordarci la spensieratezza di quei luoghi, d’altronde l’effige del cuore è presente in tutto l’ambiente non ci resta che attendere la sera per degustare le pietanze preparate dal capofamiglia con la maestria che lo contraddistingue come ci ricordava quell’amico citato all’inizio. Eccoci quindi nella sala, accogliente e ben disposta, il nostro tavolo con la “mise en place” perfetta e l’immancabile cuoricino per ogni commensale. Poco dopo Renè ci porta la prima pietanza e via via le altre a cadenza indicandoci con accortezza le loro composizioni. Una sequenza di preparazioni ben curate, ben disposte e soprattutto di gusto, lasciando al palato la interpretazione del loro accostamento. Che dire un completamento di cibo che ben si accomuna all’intero ambiente di Villa Gabriela e all’attenzione che la famiglia riserva agli ospiti. Non posso che essere soddisfatto di tutto questo. Note dolenti? Nessuna e ho già prenotato per il prossimo...