Since June this year, Cortina d’Ampezzo’s iconic hotel, Cristallo Resort & Spa, has been affiliated with The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of the Marriott International group. The announcement was made by the international brand, which includes the world’s top luxury hotels. Owned and managed by the Gualandi family, Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Cortina d’Ampezzo, is the first hotel in Cortina to qualify for this status, and The Luxury Collection’s very first ski resort.
Set in the spectacular scenery of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage zone, Cristallo, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, is a hotel for all seasons, and is about to reopen after an initial phase of refurbishment of its rooms and suites and many of its public areas. A further phase of renovations will be completed by December, in time for the establishment’s official reopening for its first ski season as part of the Luxury Collection brand. The hotel’s extraordinary geographical position and the fabulous backdrop of the Dolomites were two decisive factors that led the group to select the Cristallo as a new member. With this relaunch, The Luxury Collection extends its presence to 8 hotels in Italy, consolidating the brand’s commitment to grow its European portfolio.
“The iconic Cristallo hotel is perfect for The Luxury Collection, as it wholly defines the destination in which it’s located” says Mitzi Gaskin, Global Brand Leader, The Luxury Collection & JW Marriott. “Italy is a key market for our brand, and the opening of this hotel marks our eighth destination in the country, besides signifying the achievement of the great goal of being the world’s first Luxury Collection ski resort.”
Each one of the hotel’s 74 rooms, including 20 suites and 2 Presidential suites, offers wonderful views of Cortina and the magnificent Dolomites all around. The restyling was accomplished in full respect of the hotel’s traditional character: the light-coloured wooden panelling is embellished with a motif of wild flowers and delicate appliqués, trypical decorative elements in the local area. Every room has been furnished with an exclusive Luxury Collection bed, bathrooms are in Carrara marble with underfloor heating, and all accessories use state-of-the-art technology.
The hotel’s four restaurants offer guests a wide choice of Italian specialities and welcoming atmospheres. La Stube 1872, with cosy wood-panelled walls and an antique maiolica wood-burning stove, gives an intimate fine-dining experience featuring local specialities. In Il Gazebo, a circular room with 360-degree views of the mountains, guests can sample the very best of Italian cuisine. La Veranda is an inviting room, open for breakfast and lunch, and home to the Chef’s Table, for an up-close gastronomic experience immersed in the most authentic of flavours. During the summer months, La Terrazza opens its doors, offering guests the opportunity to enjoy lunch in the open air, surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery.
The Cristallo’s ULTIMATE SPA, home to the Transvital Swiss Beauty Centre, uses only top-grade local materials for its treatments, and offers detox, anti-ageing, relaxing and après ski sessions. With a reinvigorating hammam, a sauna and a large indoor swimming pool inspired by Romanesque style, the SPA occupies 1,600 square metres and includes the FitWell Club – spacious and scenic, containing state-of-the-art fitness equipment and a virtual trainer.
The resort also boasts a venue for private events: a golf course partnered with the Golf Club Cortina, where guests can compete on a nine-hole course against the backdrop of the Dolomites. The alpine-style Club House is the perfect place to relax, eat and drink, just a few minutes’ drive from the hotel.
“Since 1901, the Cristallo has always been a family-run hotel” states Paola Gualandi, owner and Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Cristallo Resort & Spa. “Our partnership with The Luxury Collection will allow us to continue the tradition of warm family hospitality, while at the same time being included in a worldwide portfolio of establishments that share the highest standards of luxury”.
A genuine icon of Italian hospitality, the hotel opened for the first time in 1901, and in the course of its history has hosted the Winter Olympics and welcomed countless illustrious guests, film crews and famous figures such as Frank Sinatra. Cortina has always been one of Italy’s most sought-after tourist destinations, thanks to its ski facilities in winter, outdoor activities in summer and high-class cuisine all year round. As a new affiliate of The Luxury Collection, the Cristallo will continue to offer its guests an elegant ambience in classic style, with period chandeliers and frescoes on the walls, combined with cutting-edge technology, in order to provide an experience of contemporary luxury.
