Nestled in the natural splendor of South Tyrol in northeast Italy, Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort (www.preidlhof.it/en) is a spa hotel dedicated to the health, happiness and well-being of its guests. The award-winning, adults-only property touts its services as “an opportunity to regenerate and to heal.”
Surrounded by 127 square miles of preserved Mediterranean Alps, lakes and natural parks, Preidlhof features more than 59,200 square feet of wellness space, including 71 rooms, a spa with nine treatment rooms, a medspa, two garden suites, outdoor lounges and a spa suite. Guests can also enjoy the six-story Sauna Tower with 16 distinct sauna experiences, 10 pools and whirlpools, and a gourmet, locally sourced restaurant.
To learn more about this iconic wellness destination—the first spa resort to be awarded the ISO 17679 Hotel Wellness & Spa certification—WellSpa 360 sat down with Preidlhof’s spa director and wellness creative, Patrizia Bortolin, who spoke about the property’s wellness philosophy and the secrets to its immense success.
Tell us about Preidlhof’s approach to wellness.
“The Preidlhof Way” is the resort’s guiding wellness philosophy. It focuses on two types of well-being: hedonic and eudaemonic. This wholly original wellness concept is dedicated to the positive interaction between hedonic well-being—focused on beauty, relaxation, fun and sensations—and eudaemonic well-being, which focuses on more long-term, healing principles. When balanced, these two facets of wellness enable guests to regenerate and truly flourish.
What sets Preidlhof apart?
The resort’s signature wellness retreats embody the equilibrium between its pillars of Pleasure & Enjoyment and Healing & Value. The resort benefits from the expertise of medical doctors, renowned healers and exceptional therapists trained in the fields of trauma healing, complementary medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and shiatsu to help guests regain balance in their bodies and minds. As a result, guests receive treatments and learn wellness practices that have lasting effects long after leaving the resort.
The resort is also located in a particularly calming locale, which contributes to restoring inner peace and joy of being, due to its proximity to nature and certification as a Quiet Stay by Quiet Park.
How do you choose treatments for your menu?
Preidlhof’s retreats are the main focus of the resort, all designed to help guests find balance between hedonic and eudemonic well-being—to heal from the past, enjoy the present and welcome the future. The treatments focus on holistic wellness with a strong emphasis on lasting transformation, and they are personalized through the expertise of the therapists and the sensorial nature of the complementary classes and leisure wellness activities.
In addition to enhancing overall well-being, the retreats also target specific concerns, including sleep disturbances, trauma, weight loss, relationships, menopause and grief.
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How do you stay competitive in your area?
Preidlhof carries an established reputation as a holistic, preventive and medical health resort—much more than just a place to relax. It is greatly benefitted by word-of-mouth recommendations, which bring people to Preidlhof from all over the world.
We also recently launched a signature clean skin care line and added healing thermal water to the spa’s offerings.
What’s your most successful retail strategy?
Preidlhof has recently launched its own skin care line, with an online shop soon to come. The entire resort team and I tested the line for over a year to ensure its efficacy, personalization and full satisfaction. Our focus on quality and individualization has repeatedly proven to be the resort’s strongest strategy.
How are you retaining repeat clients?
Many of Preidlhof’s guests return once or twice each year to re-experience their favorite retreats or try new ones with family and friends. Our caring and attentive reservation manager, Carmine, makes a special effort to remember each guest and personalize each interaction and booking. The resort’s goal and constant practice is to match and exceed expectations at every visit.
How do you hire quality staff?
Preidlhof’s multi-generational team is made up of a variety of trained holistic wellness experts. With the aid of my consultancy team, I select staff and work to create a cohesive alchemy among the team, while providing a personalized path for each member.
The resort prioritizes specializations in TCM, shiatsu, trauma management, yoga, mindfulness and complementary medicine. The team is comprised of some of the world’s most skilled wellness gurus, including internationally renowned therapist Stefano Battaglia, who specializes in trauma touch skills; Dr. Med. Alexander Angerer, who specializes in complementary medicine; Martin Kirchler, the resort’s TCM master; Andrea Martinelli, an international shiatsu expert; and Irmgard Moosmair, an award-winning expert in forest bathing.
What do you do to retain quality spa professionals?
At Preidlhof, we focus on creating purpose by stimulating a strong sense of responsibility; offering them support at all and especially difficult times; personalizing their benefits, contracts and training paths; and nourishing a positive workplace and an occasion to improve, heal and transform at work.
What is your most popular wellness offering?
The Ancient Healing Session, delivered by exceptional local expert Martin Kirchler, is our most popular offering. Based on the concepts of ancient medicine and TCM, this highly personalized treatment can include deep massages, personalized breathwork and Dao yin yoga. As the team focuses on creating lasting effects through treatment, this session also provides individualized exercises that they can practice at home to continue cultivating a strong and stable mind-body connection.
What is most important for running a successful wellness facility?
It takes the right people on the team, an open-minded owner and a meaningful marketing strategy to commit to a smart concept. As far as experiences, it’s important to focus on true transformation. Without prioritizing transformation, spa treatments have limited impact. Preidlhof accomplishes such transformative wellness by providing guests with intuitive experiences, enlightened techniques, new places and new perspectives. The team dedicates their time to guests’ reflection and self-discovery, customized to the history, struggles and goals of each particular person.
