My Arbor is a five-star, adults-only "tree hotel" on stilts in the forest above Brixen, and it might be the best place in the Dolomites to recover from a big day on the bike. We stayed three nights for the Sellaronda Bike Day, and the spa alone made it worth it.
It isn't the easiest base for the Sellaronda itself, and you'll need a car. But if you want the hard day followed by a properly good evening, this is the place.
At a glance
Where: Plose mountain, about 1,070 m above Brixen (Bressanone), South Tyrol
Style: contemporary "tree hotel" on stilts, 104 suites, adults only (16+)
We stayed: Nest Suite, 3 nights in September 2025, bed and breakfast
Price: top end. Roughly €600 a night for two on bed and breakfast when we went; rates vary by season
Spa: 2,500 m² over two floors: five saunas, indoor-outdoor pool, whirlpool, cold plunge
Best for: couples after a big active day who want a serious spa and good food
Getting there: you'll want a car, and there's plenty of parking at the hotel. Brixen is about 16 minutes away; Val Gardena about 48 minutes.
The room
We had a Nest Suite, the entry-level suite at 38 m². It doesn't feel entry-level. Floor-to-ceiling windows look straight out across the Eisack valley, there's a daybed built into the window, a walk-in rain shower and a balcony.
Every room faces west or south-west, so you get the sunset whichever you book. Spa bags with robes and slippers are waiting in the room, which matters here: you'll live in them.
The bigger Hangout Suite (46 m²) and Treetop Suite (100 m²) are there if you want more space, but for two people the Nest was all we needed.
The spa
The spa, Spa Arboris, is the reason to come. It covers 2,500 m² over two floors, with five saunas, an indoor-outdoor pool, an outdoor whirlpool, a cold plunge and plenty of places to lie down and do nothing.
After the Sellaronda we went straight down for the sauna and steam room. The highlight was the Aufguss, a guided sauna session. A sauna master pours scented water on the hot stones, then waves and spins a towel to push the heat around the room, sometimes to music. It's half ritual, half performance, and surprisingly fun. The tradition comes from the German-speaking Alps, which is why you'll find it all over South Tyrol. Some sessions are lively; others are calm and quiet.
A heads-up: the sauna floor is textile-free. That means naked, and it's mixed. We didn't know until we checked in and looked over the balcony to see people floating in the pool below without a stitch on. It's completely normal here, and not remotely creepy. You get towels, and the one firm rule is that your skin never touches the wooden benches. It's all about hygiene, and the place was spotless, far cleaner than any UK spa I've been in. After the initial surprise, it's genuinely freeing.
If that's not for you, there's a separate pool area where you wear swimwear, though it doesn't have the saunas.
There are also ten "cuddle nests": private, hanging nest-shaped loungers you book in two-hour slots. Booking through Mr & Mrs Smith got us a full day in one by the outdoor pool as a free extra.
For cyclists and active types
Like most hotels in the area, My Arbor is set up for people who ride. There's bike storage and cleaning, a bit like a ski boot room, so if you fly in with your own bike you can rebuild it there. The hotel also runs free guided e-bike tours and hikes.
Right behind the hotel is the Brixen Bikepark on the Plose, with downhill and flow trails. I didn't make it there this time, but it's top of my list for next time.
The gym is more than adequate: plenty of free weights, some machines, and an outdoor area if you'd rather train in the fresh air.
For the big events, though, you'll be driving. Val Gardena is about 48 minutes away, and the Sellaronda towns further still. On Bike Day that means an early start, booked parking and a drive back on tired legs. It's worth it for the spa, but go in knowing it.
We didn't hike from the hotel, but you can, and with easy parking it's simple to drive to a trailhead too. The Dolomites is a huge area. The famous views and best-known hikes are in the east, but there are good hikes everywhere, and this side is a great way to avoid the summer hotspots.
In winter the Plose gondola is close by, with a ski trail down to the valley station, and the free Brixen Card covers the gondola.
Food and drink
Breakfast is the highlight. It's served in a big, open, sunny room, with a full continental spread plus cooked options like eggs. There was plenty for me as a gluten-free eater, and it's a genuinely great way to start the day.
Dinner was good rather than memorable. The menu is extensive, mixing South Tyrolean and Italian cooking, it's popular, and people around us were clearly enjoying it. It isn't the reason to stay, but there's lots of choice if a big dinner is your thing, plus a cocktail bar and wine cellar.
Gluten-free was handled properly, not as an afterthought, and vegetarian and vegan diets are covered too.
We booked bed and breakfast and didn't eat lunch at the hotel. Half board (adding dinner) is popular and worth considering if you'll be too tired to drive anywhere after a day in the mountains.
The downsides
It's not on the Sellaronda loop. For Bike Day, stay in Selva, Corvara, Arabba or Canazei, then come here afterwards to recover.
You need a car. It's hard to get anywhere without one.
It's not cheap. It's a top-end price, and the Mr & Mrs Smith rate we booked was non-refundable.
The textile-free sauna will be a surprise if no one warns you. Consider yourself warned.
Our verdict
If your trip is built around a big day in the saddle, My Arbor is how you want to end it: a serious spa, a room made for watching the sunset with your legs up, and a kitchen that takes dietary needs seriously. Just don't treat it as your Bike Day base. Stay on the loop for the ride, then come here to recover.
How to book
We booked through Mr & Mrs Smith, which added a free extra (a day in a cuddle nest). Check it against the hotel's own rates before you book. Check-in is 2pm, check-out 11am, and there's a local tourist tax of €3.60 per person per night, paid at the hotel.
Pair it with: the Sellaronda Bike Day in June or September, or a winter ski trip on the Plose.
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