T+L’s Hotel Review of Aman Rosa Alpina in Italy’s Dolomites

Ever since Rosa Alpina first opened in the Dolomite-ringed village of San Cassiano in northern Italy almost a century ago, the hotel has been synonymous with the legendary hospitality of its founders, the Pizzinini family.

It was the type of place where you’d see Hugo Pizzinini, a third-generation owner, prepare healing tea of Alpine wildflowers for a sick guest, the recipe handed down from his grandmother. “Hospitality,” says Ursula, Hugo’s wife, “it’s in the [family’s] DNA.”

So, it came as a surprise when Rosa Alpina announced in 2020 a partnership with luxury hotel group Aman, which operates 36 properties around the globe and had never taken over an existing property. After a multi-year renovation, the hotel reopened in July 2025 as Aman Rosa Alpina. Though it was one of the most anticipated debuts of the year, some wondered how Alpina’s singular charm might meld with a corporate brand known for its minimalist vibe. Would the magic still be there?

Late last year, I ventured to the 51-room Aman Rosa Alpina, two and a half hours north of Venice, to find out. The moment my two young daughters and I pulled up, the scale of the transformation was apparent. (I had last visited in 2017.) What was once a traditional chalet-style facade with wooden beams and balconies was now a chic, timber lattice with dark metal accents. It was a modern take on the hotel’s Alpine heritage, dreamed up by legendary designer Jean-Michel Gathy, who said his goal was to honor the family’s legacy while interpreting Aman’s philosophy of understated elegance and connection to place through a contemporary lens.

Inside, the hotel’s stunning overhaul continued to unfold. A light-filled great room with soaring floor-to-ceiling windows and clean lines replaced the former lobby, which had been cozy but a bit cavernous. Beautiful woolen tapestries inspired by the Dolomites adorned the walls. The centerpiece of the room was the lobby bar, Il Salotto, where each morning Hugo and his elegantly dressed father, Paolo Pizzinini, sipped espresso and discreetly surveyed the lobby. In the evenings, my daughters and I played Uno by one of the several fireplaces there, as the space came alive with the tunes of Mauro Rinaldo, Rosa Alpina’s piano player of 25 years.

The next day, a group of longtime Rosa Alpina devotees hiked with the Pizzininis to lunch at the Ütia Bioch hut, a mountain rifugio with a 12,000-bottle wine cellar and sweeping views of the UNESCO-protected Dolomites, which shimmered in a fresh coat of snow.

Over freshly made mushroom ravioli, we chatted about the new Aman Rosa Alpina. “I think it’s a perfect match because you have the family-run hotel together with the world-famous brand, so you have the best of both sides,” said Hugo, who grew up in the hotel, just like his father before him, and is now raising his three children there. Ursula explained it was time to evolve the property for a new generation of travelers, and that their discerning clientele had mostly supported “their vision for the future.”

Though there were some hints of nostalgia for the old hotel, everyone agreed that Rosa Alpina’s charm has always been about more than the brick-and-mortar property. It’s the way this family lifts the curtain on their beautiful world and invites guests to step inside. And with a new Aman manager in place, the Pizzininis have now been freed up to do more of what they do best, and with that, the magic will surely grow.

Below, my full review of Aman Rosa Alpina.

The Rooms

Aman Rosa Alpina’s 51 guest rooms range from a 430-square-foot Superior Room to the 1,700-square-foot Aman Suite, an airy two-bedroom apartment with a six-person dining area, huge living room, and balcony views of the San Cassiano church. All are sleek, spacious, and outfitted in locally sourced wood, stone, and soothing earth tones, embodying “Aman’s philosophy of serene luxury,” Gathy says. Most have balconies and all feature glass-enclosed fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and iPads with 24-hour chat access to the front desk, which comes in handy, say, when you are exhausted from 24 hours of travel with two young children and need an extra pillow at 10 p.m. (Said pillow arrived stat).

Our Junior Suite had an oversized king bed and a sofa bed, along with ample closet space, comfortably accommodating a party of three. After a day hiking, the bathroom’s huge, freestanding tub was divine, though my daughters opted for the walk-in rain shower. There were complimentary snacks in the mini bar—the dried apples were a hit—and sparkling wine in the fridge from Ferrari, one of the most prestigious wineries in the region.

Food and Drink

Gianluca Salvato oversees the hotel’s four dining venues: Il Salotto, The Grill, Heritage Room, and Enju, a Japanese hot pot restaurant. Salvato leans on local, seasonal ingredients in his dishes, adding an Alpine twist to Italian classics. I still think about the breakfast spread in the Heritage Room: freshly baked pastries of every variety, chocolate and apple cakes, homemade jams, and made-to-order omelets.

But it was the pizzas in Il Salotto that stole our hearts. Denis Lovatel, one of the world’s foremost pizza chefs, consulted on the thin-crust pies. His secret recipe is said to use water from a nearby stream. Whatever the magic, it worked, and the classic Margherita was a staple in our Alpina diet.

For something truly special, book a bespoke tasting experience with the expert sommelier at Di Vino Room. The beautiful private dining room has 25,000 bottles of wine, and the sommelier will guide you through a tour of some of the finest and most obscure labels in Europe, such as Weingut Abraham, a South Tyrolean vintner who makes Hugo’s favorite pinot noir.

The Spa

Light-filled and clad in blond wood sourced from the region, Aman Spa at Aman Rosa Alpina is an 18,000-square-foot paean to wellness, with a cold plunge, hammam, and sauna. Though the spa itself didn’t change drastically in the renovation, in true Aman fashion, the hotel doubled down on its wellness offerings. It now features a robust menu of signature holistic offerings, inspired by Eastern spiritual practices. Think Tibetan aromatherapy massages and facials with crystals designed to balance mind, body, and soul.

There are also more conventional options. The 60-minute Nourishing massage used locally-sourced peppermint oil to help restore my middle-aged lower back and weary mom spirit after an action-packed day with my girls. Seven en suite treatment rooms, a Zen garden, and a beauty salon round out the offering. An assortment of clean Aman products—freshly pressed and wildly harvested—are available for purchase.

Accessibility

The hotel has elevators and six ADA-compliant guest rooms.

How to Book

Aman Rosa Alpina is a part of American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts. Guests who book with an American Express Platinum Card receive a room upgrade when available, a $100 dining credit, early check-in, and late check-out.

Nightly rates at Aman Rosa Alpina start from $1,800, including breakfast.

Every T+L hotel review is written by an editor or reporter who has stayed at the property, and each hotel selected aligns with our core values.