Hotel Hubertus, a 75-key wellness resort in Olang, South Tyrol, has completed a 2026 expansion centred on a panoramic sauna built into its Dolomites setting. The family-run hotel has also introduced a new entrance, redesigned lobby, panoramic bar and meditation room following construction from 7 April to 13 May.
The latest work extends the pared-back architectural language established by the hotel’s cantilevered Sky Pool in 2016 and suspended Heaven & Hell wellness structure in 2022. Timber, herringbone details and broad windows connect the new interiors with the mountains, while the sauna sits beneath a green roof extending from a large grass terrace.
“It looks like one piece of architecture now,” second-generation co-proprietor Markus Gasser said in an interview with Design Milk, which reported the expansion on 22 July. “We made sure these enhancements stayed true to the surroundings but have a contemporary look and feel.”
A panoramic sauna overlooking the valley
Set into the hillside at Hotel Hubertus, the new sauna area replaces smaller cabins with a more spacious design overlooking the valley and surrounding peaks. Herringbone-patterned wood panelling brings warmth to the restrained interior, while the green roof reduces the building’s visual presence when viewed from the terrace above.
The principal panoramic sauna operates at 82°C and hosts guided infusion rituals in the hotel’s outdoor nude area. A gentler biosauna runs at 55°C, while a steam bath is maintained at 45°C. The hotel has also created a meditation room intended for quiet relaxation away from the heated facilities.
According to the hotel’s published sauna information, professional infusions are offered daily in the panoramic sauna at Alpenreych Park. An outdoor fireplace provides another place to rest between sessions, with open views towards the mountains.
The new facilities join a wider wellness collection that includes indoor saunas, outdoor pools, relaxation rooms and the elevated Heaven & Hell spa. Access to the outdoor nude area is limited to guests aged 14 and over.
The lobby and bar gain a calmer identity
At the entrance to Hotel Hubertus, the redesigned lobby creates a clearer transition between the resort and its east-facing mountain position above the valley. The interiors use natural materials and subdued finishes, allowing the changing alpine views to remain the main point of focus.
The adjacent panoramic bar has been planned as a sociable counterpart to the quieter spa. Large windows frame the Dolomites and Kronplatz, with seating arranged for evening drinks and conversation. Signature cocktails form part of the new offering.
Local architects and locally sourced materials were used across the project, according to Hotel Designs. Herringbone elements recur through the reworked spaces, visually connecting the bar and lobby with the timber-lined sauna.
The 2026 programme also brought full air conditioning to the Corones room category. A new arrangement with Golf Club Pustertal gives hotel guests complimentary access to its golf experience.
Architecture built around the Dolomites
Hotel Hubertus occupies an east-facing mountainside near Kronplatz, a South Tyrol ski area that becomes a base for hiking and mountain biking during the warmer months. Guest rooms and wellness spaces face across the valley, making the view a consistent part of the resort rather than a feature reserved for one terrace or pool.
The approach first gained international recognition with the Sky Pool, an 82-foot cantilevered swimming pool completed in 2016 by the noa* network of architecture. Timber beams taken from the region support the pool as it extends beyond the hotel towards the valley, while a glazed section beneath the water reinforces its connection with the landscape.
In 2022, the Heaven & Hell spa extended that idea with a two-level wellness platform raised 15 metres above the ground. Reached by a suspended walkway, the structure runs parallel to the Sky Pool and rests on a cantilevered steel slab supported by two larch-clad columns.
Its upper level contains whirlpool baths, panoramic showers and changing facilities. Below, enclosed gabled forms hold saunas and showers, while an outdoor cold pool provides the contrast referenced by the Heaven & Hell name. The hotel links the structure to a relaxation room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The new sauna takes a less conspicuous approach. Instead of projecting over the hillside, it recedes beneath planting, using its wide glazing to maintain the visual relationship with the valley.
Five decades of family-led expansion
The property began in 1968, when Franz Gasser acquired the Höhenrain house in Geiselsberg. His son Christian took over the two-star guesthouse in 1984, before gradually adding rooms, pools, wellness facilities and energy infrastructure.
“Hotel Hubertus began as a place for my grandfather to gather with friends after a day of hunting,” Markus Gasser told Design Milk. Daniela and Markus Gasser assumed management in 2020, continuing a series of phased renovations rather than pursuing a large increase in accommodation.
The hotel renovated its existing 400-square-metre spa and added a garden cold-water pool in 2024. Further changes followed in 2025, when the indoor wellness area and spa reception were expanded and the Dolomites Garden was installed.
“While we’ve expanded over the years, we’ve kept the room number below 75,” Gasser said. He linked that scale with the family’s ability to approve new projects without a supervisory board or outside investors.
The spring 2026 work continues that incremental model, adding new reasons to return while keeping the resort focused on its mountain setting. As Gasser said, “The idea is to have our most loyal customers come back time and time again and have something new for them to discover each time.”
