When you are an Olympic village not once, but twice, you’re pretty special. One look at Cortina and the Dolomites, and we wonder why the Olympic Committee didn’t double down on this Italian town sooner. This region is getting its glow-up just in time for the Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics. And, while the slopes get prepped for world-class skiing, three beloved hotels are dusting off old glamour, unveiling fresh suites, and adding new reasons to stick around after your final run.
Castel Badia — Querido Collection
Location: Brunico / San Lorenzo di Sebato
Perched above Brunico, an hour from Cortina proper, Castel Badia is the mountain’s newest sophisticated place to rest your head. The newest gem of the Querido Collection, the restored 12th-century castle just opened in 2025. It is an intimate retreat, consisting of only 29 rooms, including suites and a private chalet. Inside, centuries-old stone meets contemporary woodwork, while the air smells faintly of pine and polished oak. The restaurant is Tyrolean at heart but modern in execution — think house-made pasta, forest mushrooms, and Alpine cheese. Of course, Castel Badia comes with a spa (albeit small) tucked downstairs in the cozy old cellar. This isn’t a place for parties. It’s for slow mornings, and catching up on long novels by a fire.
Hotel Ancora — Querido Collection
Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo
Hotel Ancora is a historic spot that first opened in 1826 and has stayed in the local fold ever since. Now, Renzo Rosso (Diesel’s founder) has given it a bold new spin: still family-run warmth, but wrapped in fresh design by Vicky Charles (Soho House’s ex-creative). Newly reopened, Ancora shows off carved timber, polished marble, hand-painted ceilings, and a top-floor Ancora Suite with a wraparound terrace for snowy views straight from bed.
Inside, you’ll find 35 rooms — split between guest rooms and suites — plus a fresh spa and gym to help guests warm up after days on the slopes. The new private hangout, The Ancora Club, brings a members-only edge to Cortina’s après scene. And on the food front, The Restaurant plates up local Alpine recipes the way the Menardi family’s done for nearly two centuries. The Veranda leans more international, while the bar keeps nights lively with cocktails and occasional DJ sets to keep the snow outside and the mood in.
Mandarin Oriental Cristallo
Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo
Over in Cortina’s crisp mountain air, the Cristallo has been the grande dame since 1901, welcoming royals, film stars and powder hounds for over a century. Now it’s under the Mandarin Oriental banner, swapping its classic Art Nouveau charm for fresh interiors by Herzog & de Meuron. The entire property is in deep renovation mode — with reopening set for 2025, just in time to catch the Olympic crowd.
You can expect 83 rooms, plenty with balconies looking out over the Tofane peaks and the rooftops of Cortina. Mandarin Oriental promises a new extensive spa with an indoor pool, treatment rooms and a modern gym. When hunger calls, new restaurants will lean on seasonal mountain ingredients and classic Italian comfort — all with the crisp service Mandarin Oriental is known for worldwide. The bones of the Cristallo stay grand, but the updates promise a place where old-world Cortina feels polished for a whole new generation of ski jackets and snow boots.
The First Cortina, by The Pavilions
Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo
Proof that modern design has made it to the Dolomites, The First Hotel Cortina is The Pavilions Hotels & Resorts’ entry into the Italian Alps. Set in the former Hotel Splendid Venezia, this 63-room property is set to open at the end of this year, just in time for the Olympic influx. Interiors by Studio Marincola are sleek and architectural — glass, oak, stone, and soft lighting that feels more Milan Design Week than mountain chalet. The top-floor restaurant, with its Dolomite panorama, promises to be a social magnet, while the REVĪVŌ Spa below features dry-float therapy, saunas, hammams, and an indoor pool for those who take recovery as seriously as skiing. It’s Cortina’s first real flirtation with contemporary minimalism. And we’re absolutely here for it.
Aman Rosa Alpina
Location: San Cassiano / Alta Badia
San Cassiano’s Rosa Alpina has been an Alpine fixture for generations, always under the careful eye of the Pizzinini family. Now it’s stepping fully under the Aman flag — redesigned by architect Jean-Michel Gathy — and reopening in December 2025 for the winter stays. And the plan is to keep the Tyrolean charm, layer in sleek new suites, and stay true to its roots as the Dolomites’ hush-hush hideaway.
There’s new muscle behind the details: timber and stone throughout, expanded Aman Suites, plus a reworked Chalet Zeno for those who want to hide out with a private fireplace and all the mountain air they can stand. Three swimming pools, a yoga studio, a cigar lounge, and even a wine library make this feel more like a country house than a stiff resort. The St. Hubertus, once home to the Norbert Niederkofler’s three Michelin stars, won’t reopen in its old form. Instead, you can expect an Italian grill, a Japanese spot (opening for winter) and a breakfast room with live cooking stations. And a spa of course, with hammam, Finnish sauna, Aman wellness treatments and plenty of space to come down from the peaks.
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FAQs
Q: When will Aman Rosa Alpina reopen for guests?
A: Aman Rosa Alpina will reopen in July 2025 for summer stays and December 2025 for winter.
Q: Who redesigned Aman Rosa Alpina?
A: Architect Jean-Michel Gathy redesigned Aman Rosa Alpina.
Q: When did Ancora first open?
A: Ancora first opened in 1826.
