Engel Gourmet & Spa

After staying at a number of family hotels around south Tirol, Engel really stood out for all the thoughtful family-friendly details. My 4-month-old felt comfortable, almost like at home, and the secure baby chair and babywagen from top brands let us relax. My 6-year-old loved Happy Club and its modern playroom. It isn’t packed with entertainment, but the chance to play meant a lot. The kids made lovely handworks and had a fantastic time. I can’t wait to share our experience with my followers on other platforms.

July 2022: The spa and the setting were lovely, and we enjoyed the full-board food during our holiday after getting married. Still, the experience felt mixed, especially for €400+ a night. Most guests seemed to be families or older couples, and my partner and I often felt unwelcome. I couldn’t tell whether it was because we aren’t German or because we didn’t fit the hotel’s usual clientele. The front desk staff were a bright spot. They were kind, helped with requests, and even upgraded our room. In the restaurant, though, we found the staff dismissive and impatient. At dinner we were sharply scolded for wearing the wrong footwear. A reminder about the dress code would have been fair, but the way it was handled felt unnecessarily off-putting on a vacation meant to be relaxing. At lunch, other guests were given placemats and utensils as they sat down, while we were told to fetch our own. We don’t mind serving ourselves if that’s the usual procedure, but seeing the waitstaff make an effort for others made it feel like a deliberate snub. The multi-course 'gala' dinner was rushed, with courses arriving extremely quickly. The wine we ordered was unavailable, which can happen, but nobody apologized or suggested another option, and the response again felt brusque. Our suite was beautifully built, I believe in 2021, but had no air-conditioning. It was in the mid-30s during our summer visit, so that seemed like a significant thing to be missing in such a luxurious hotel. I can understand it may not have been designed with air-conditioning in mind, given climate change.

The spa and wellness area was the highlight for us. It was modern, spotless, and high quality throughout, and we really appreciated the dried fruit, nuts, and selection of infusions. The restaurant staff were kind, and the chef in the morning made salty crepes and showed us how to use the juicer, thank you 🙏🏻. Our room had a spectacular view and was quiet, though the room itself was fairly average. The food quality was a bit disappointing, and the price felt high for the room standards. The minibar was empty and switched off, and when I called reception around 11 pm to order food, nobody answered, so we couldn’t order anything. It would have been 5 stars otherwise.

The staff were very kind and helpful, and the owner was personally involved. The Ayurveda detox was professionally run and came with tasty food. I also loved the fine dining restaurant and the massages. The spa itself was lovely, though smaller than other Alpine spa hotels I’ve visited. There’s a wood factory close by, and relaxing beside the outdoor pool during working hours was only possible with noise-cancelling AirPods. The view is mostly peaceful forest, with a little of the Dolomites, but it doesn’t have the breathtaking panorama some Alpine spa hotels offer. Ayurveda meals were great, though the regular breakfast and dinner à la carte choices felt limited compared with other 4*S hotels in the Alps. The nearby factory and the small breakfast selection are why I couldn’t give it 5 stars.