Coolcation in South Tyrol: a fresher kind of summer at Hohenwart above Merano
The way we spend our summer holidays is changing. Many guests are not looking for less sunshine, less warmth or less of that wonderful summer feeling. But they are looking for a summer that feels good. A summer in which they can sleep well, breathe deeply, move freely and truly unwind. A summer that does not feel heavy, but restorative.
This is where the idea of a coolcation in South Tyrol begins. What is now described internationally as a travel trend has long been part of life in South Tyrol: spending summer where the air is fresher. Up in the mountains. Close to water. In the shade. Towards the peaks. In places where summer remains summer, but feels lighter.
At Hotel Hohenwart in Schenna above Merano, this long-standing idea meets a contemporary holiday feeling. Mediterranean warmth, panoramic views, gardens, water, mountain air, passive cooling, morning movement and summer evenings on the terrace. At Hohenwart, a coolcation is not an escape from summer. It is the art of experiencing it well.
What we now call a coolcation has long been part of summer in South Tyrol
South Tyrol is a land of transitions. Between alpine heights and Mediterranean ease. Between vineyards and mountain peaks. Between warm days and cool mornings. Around Merano, this variety is especially tangible.
Below lies the spa town of Merano, with its promenades, gardens, arcades and mild climate. Above it lies Schenna, sunny and elevated, with views down into the valley and up towards the mountains. And in between: Hohenwart. Close enough to Merano to feel the warmth and light of the south. High enough to find space, fresh air and distance from everyday life.
A summer retreat at Hohenwart does not mean that summer has to be any less summer. It simply means that it can feel lighter.
Restful sleep: passive cooling in House Traube and House Christine
A good summer’s day begins with a restful night. That is why, at Hohenwart, it is not only the day’s programme that matters, but also the atmosphere in the room.
In the rooms of House Traube and House Christine, cooling ceilings provide gentle passive cooling. In simple terms, cool water circulates through the ceilings and softly releases a pleasant coolness into the room. No draughts. No cold blasts of air. None of that typical air-conditioned feeling.
The result is a particularly comfortable room climate. The room stays pleasantly cool without the body being directly exposed to cold air. Especially on warm summer nights, this creates a calm, healthy atmosphere that supports restorative sleep.
From March 2027, this technology will also be introduced in the main house. Step by step, Hohenwart continues to develop its special quality of summer living.
Morning belongs to the cool of the day
The most beautiful summer moments often begin early. When the garden is still in the shade. When the air is clear. When the whole day still lies open ahead.
In the high summer months, the 25-metre sports pool in the garden opens from 7:00 a.m. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. For early swimmers, there is an Early Morning Espresso in the adjoining FamilySpa. A first coffee right by the pool, while the garden is still cool and the water lies quietly before you. Sometimes, that is all it takes to begin a summer’s day well.
Aquafit is also part of a fresh start to the day at Hohenwart. Every morning from 8:00 to 8:30 a.m., gentle movement in the water gets the circulation going without strain. Ideal before breakfast. Ideal for anyone who wants to begin the day actively, but without overexertion.
Mountain spring water to take with you
Sometimes, feeling refreshed is very simple. A sip of cool water. A pause in the shade. A bottle to take with you during the day.
At Hohenwart, every guest receives a personal insulated bottle. It can be filled directly in the room with fresh mountain spring water from the tap. The bathroom tap water is drinkable, of excellent quality and stays pleasantly cool in the insulated bottle.
So a little coolness accompanies you out onto the Waalweg irrigation-channel path, into the mountains, down to Merano or to the pool. A small detail that makes a big difference in summer.
Up into South Tyrol’s cooler mountain world
During the summer season, Hohenwart offers three guided hikes per week and one guided e-bike tour. This, too, is a coolcation in the best sense: not staying in your room when the day grows warm, but following the rhythm of the landscape.
With hiking guide Hubert, guests head into South Tyrol’s cooler mountain world. Up there, the air becomes clearer, the views wider and each step lighter. With Mr Mair, one hike leads to the hotel’s own mountain farm, Gsteier: our summer retreat at almost 1,400 metres. Here, you can feel especially clearly what summer in the South Tyrolean mountains means: height, quiet, mountain air and a different pace.
With Stefan, our physiotherapist, a morning walk leads to the Kneipp station on the Schenna Waalweg, not far from Hohenwart. Fresh mountain spring water flows there. Anyone who places their feet in the cool water quickly understands why the simplest things are sometimes the most soothing in summer.
The guided e-bike tour into the mountains belongs to this feeling too. On the way uphill, the motor takes care of the harder work, while the breeze cools you as you ride. Movement, mountain air and lightness come together.
Water, garden and shade at Hohenwart
Not every summer’s day has to take you far away. Sometimes, the loveliest sense of coolness is right here at the hotel.
The 25-metre sports pool in the garden is one of those places. Spacious, calm and ideal for anyone who wants not only to cool down in summer, but to really swim. Early in the morning, it is especially quiet. Later in the day, it becomes a place for movement, refreshment and a clear head.
All around, the garden tells its own summer story. Shaded spots, Mediterranean scents, herbs, flowers, warm stone, cool grass and views towards the mountains. The garden at Hohenwart is not simply decorative. It is a place of retreat, a space to breathe and part of this special balance between southern warmth and alpine freshness.
And sometimes, refreshment is served in the simplest way. When the days are especially warm, our service team brings fresh smoothies to the lawn in the afternoon. A small cooling moment for everyone, fruity, light and full of vitamins. At our afternoon Marende, our South Tyrolean snack, watermelon is a must too: juicy, cool and just right for a summer’s day at Hohenwart.
Spa instead of siesta
When summer feels intense, withdrawing to your room is not the only option. Sometimes, that is exactly the right moment for the spa.
At Hohenwart, many guests choose the spa quite deliberately in summer too. Instead of a classic siesta, a cooled treatment room awaits, along with a soothing massage or a facial that brings new freshness to the skin. Warm hands, cool rooms, calm movements. This is how wellness in summer becomes not heavy, but light.
The fitness room is also a special place in summer. It is cooled and, thanks to its location, is one of the most pleasantly cool areas of the hotel. Anyone who wants to move can find shelter here from the midday heat. In addition, sports classes and gentle exercise sessions keep the body active without overloading it.
Summer at Hohenwart does not mean giving up movement. It means finding the right moment and the right place for it.
When evening makes summer feel light again
And then evening comes.
Perhaps the day has been warm. Perhaps very warm. Perhaps you swam in the morning, rested at midday, enjoyed a massage in the afternoon or spent time moving in the mountains. And then you sit on the terrace, looking towards Schenna and down to Merano. The mountains grow softer. A light breeze begins to rise.
Even when summer feels intense, evening on the terrace makes it feel enjoyable again.
This is one of those Hohenwart moments that are difficult to plan, and yet happen again and again. A glass in your hand. The sky turning pink. The scent of the garden. Voices becoming softer. And suddenly you understand why, after all, summer may still be the most beautiful season.
A summer that lasts
A coolcation at Hohenwart is not the opposite of summer. It is another way of experiencing it.
Cool in the morning. Sheltered at midday. Restorative in the afternoon. Light in the evening. With water, open views, mountain air, passive cooling, gardens, movement and the calm of a house that knows how summer is meant to feel.
A summer that lasts. In the place that lasts.