I spent 3 nights in a secluded lodge in Italy's Dolomites. The views were unreal, but they weren't even the best part.

The five-star hotel sits 5,905 feet above sea level near the Italian town of Brixen.

In 1912, the property was originally planned to be a sanatorium built by the Austrian monarchy.

The area's fresh spring water, mountain air, and nature were thought to provide an ideal environment for healing. Construction started, but the plans were never finished as war sprung across the region.

In 2000, the hotelier Alois Hinteregger discovered the abandoned building, which his family purchased and opened as a hotel in 2010.

A decade later, Alois' son, Stefan, and his partner, Teresa Unterthiner, expanded the property and transformed it into the five-star retreat it is today.

My friend and I arrived at the property at night. We drove up the winding Plose Mountain, and the lights from the nearby town slowly disappeared.

Even at night, it was clear that Forestis was a grand property. Three towers stretch toward the sky, home to 40 suites and two penthouses. Adjoining the towers is a historic building with suites, hotel rooms, a restaurant, a bar, and a spa.

While the sanatorium never operated as planned, one completed building did serve as a doctor's residence in the early 20th century. That building has been remodeled and restored to a private villa with a spa and garden for 10 guests.

Rates at the five-star property start at $865, depending on the time of year, and include breakfast for two. Business Insider received a media rate for the three-night stay.

From rooms with spruce-paneled walls to a spa using mountain pine and Swiss stone pine scents, Forestis is consistent in its theme.

The resort's goal is to connect guests with the four elements, and for three days, it was impossible to forget I was surrounded by nature.

As I stepped into my tower suite, the forest theme continued. Every inch of the room was covered in spruce wood, except for one wall dedicated to glass windows.

A king-size bed occupied one corner, facing the suite's floor-to-ceiling windows, and across the room was an L-shaped seating area. At the front of the room was a balcony with a daybed big enough for two.

The room also had a large closet area and a stone-inspired bathroom with a double vanity, shower, and tub. Here, rock had been ground into plaster and covered the bathroom walls — an element I spotted across the resort.

One cabinet held complimentary drinks and snacks; a new treat, such as truffles and chocolates, arrived just before bedtime each evening.

The room's design was simple — there was no artwork or decor. Couch cushions and bedsheets were in grays and whites, so all the focus was on the nearby Dolomites.

After waking up to the striking mountain views, my friend and I considered never leaving the suite. We could call room service when hungry and spend the day admiring the mountains.

It was tempting, but we headed downstairs to explore the spa.

While we considered never leaving the suite, exiting the spa was even more challenging.

At the heart of the 21,500-square-foot spa was the most impressive pool I've ever seen. Unsurprisingly, the pool had views of the Dolomites. Half of it was indoors, and the other was outdoors. Guests could swim between the two through sliding glass doors.

The area also had loungers, daybeds, a water station with small snacks, a sauna, and a steam room.

A hallway led to another wing of the spa, which had two more indoor saunas, one at 185 degrees Fahrenheit and another at 158 degrees. There was a cold plunge, a silent room with a fireplace, and a tea lounge.

A door led outdoors to the fifth sauna, which was tucked inside a traditional South Tyrolean wooden house, and a second outdoor cold plunge.

While access to these amenities is included in the stay, the property's spa also offers treatments like massages, facials, scrubs, and manicures.

Beyond spa offerings, Forestis has a daily calendar of activities for guests.

My friend and I debated between meditation sessions and guided hikes. Ultimately, we decided to join the daily complimentary sauna ritual. Celtic practices inspire Forestis' spa, and perhaps this one encapsulated that the most.

Saro, a member of the spa team, led the ritual. We stepped inside the hot sauna with two other guests.

As steam rose from the rocks, Saro turned on powerful instrumental music, flicked open a large fan, and danced for the next 15 minutes. Essential oils were thrown onto the rocks every five minutes, enveloping the sauna in a new (typically pine) scent.

We focused on breathing as we were hit with waves of heat. Meditating through the hot air was relaxing, incredibly challenging, and rewarding.

As Saro wrapped up the ritual, he encouraged us all to cold plunge.

We felt both energized and relaxed, and after that, my friend and I were hooked.

A luxury resort wouldn't be complete without fine dining, and that's exactly what we discovered at Forestis.

The restaurant served three menus each evening: a seven-course Forestis menu, a seven-course detox menu, and an à la carte menu.

The menus change each day, and the dishes are inspired by the forest and local ingredients.

We dined on salads with South Tyrolean apples, vegan ravioli with fennel, gnocchi with herbs, duck breast, and an impressive array of desserts.

The dinner costs $140 and can be added to your stay.

My friend and I spent an afternoon with the pastry chef Irene, where we saw which local ingredients were being incorporated into the morning pastries and evening desserts. We infused the flavor of local hay in white chocolate syrup and made kipfel cookies.

The next morning, Irene's creations were on display in the most extravagant breakfast buffet I've ever seen.

I eyed eight different pastries, including gluten-free and dairy-free options. There were more than five freshly baked breads, five milk choices, five cheeses, seven types of smoked fish and cured meats, five types of butter, yogurt, fruits, cereal, and an entire room dedicated to fresh juice. Beyond that, there was a breakfast menu where I eyed hot dishes.

Again, it was tempting to never leave.

The property offers guided hikes and access to four bike routes.

A little chilly for hiking, my friend and I spent our mornings skiing on Plose Mountain. The inconveniences of skiing — traffic, long walks to the chairlift, and lugging gear — weren't an issue here. Forestis has ski-in, ski-out access, as well as a room to store gear.

The stay at Forestis flew by, but the property left a lasting impression.

In three days, I skied new mountains, soaked in stunning pools, and fell even more in love with Italy and the Dolomites.

And I still haven't forgotten the spa. A few weeks after returning home to Denver, my friend and I searched for nearby saunas — itching to recreate any semblance of Forestis' spa experience.

Correction: April 7, 2025 — An earlier version of this story misstated the altitude of the Forestis hotel. It is 5,905 feet above sea level, not 5,905 meters.