The Hotel La Perla is exactly the kind of place we love to go to unwind. Set in the beautiful Italian Dolomite mountains, it has a feeling of being between countries, with Swiss and Italian style combining to create an atmosphere which is distinctly Tyrolean.
We opted for a Romantik room; spacious, beautifully decorated with oil paintings, wood panelled walls and a divinely comfortable bed with plump pillows and a big duvet - perfect for chilly nights. We loved the handmade woollen rugs and the brightly coloured cushions - which you can buy in the charming and eccentric gift shop. The finishing touch for us was a wooden rocking horse - the owners have a real eye for country style.
“Character and charm combine with great food and fabulous surroundings.”
We particularly liked the fact that single rooms were on offer, and that they are spacious and charming. The single traveller would feel as welcome and pampered as those travelling in couples and groups - and that isn’t always the case. A word of warning, some rooms are over the piano bar, and can be a little noisy at night, so if you like an early night, make sure you ask for a quiet room when you book.
The breakfast room stands out as a place where you can have eggs cooked in any style in front of your eyes, and you can even cut your own ham and salami. We groaned with pleasure every day at the range of fair trade and local foods; the yoghurt, preserves and bread are outstanding, as is the marvellous coffee. It’s a place to linger and enjoy the stupendous views of the mountains.
During the day, we had fun exploring on the state of the art ebikes which the hotel provides. The staff have plenty of suggestions for routes you can travel, for everyone from the super fit to the frankly fairly lazy (us!). Given the amazing food, it’s just as well that the beauty of the countryside tends to draw you on to go just a little further, so that ample calories are burnt, and you can sit down to dinner with little or no feelings of guilt.
The Michelin starred La Stua de Michel restaurant was an amazing culinary experience. We loved the bar, and the aperitivo which appeared as if by magic in the early evening.
Altogether a delightful atmospheric hotel, family run by the Costas for many years, and as a result the place has a distinctive feel of being loved – by staff and guests alike.