CHRISTMAS IN THE PEAKS

We took a trip to the Italian Dolomites for a festive break never to be forgotten

- LESLEY JONES

Driving through the snowy Dolomites, we arrived at the Hotel Sassongher to be warmly greeted by the Pescota family and their amazing staff. Just imagine being welcomed to your Italian nonna’s house for Christmas – if she happened to own a super-stylish hotel in the mountains, complete with rooftop spa and haute-cuisine home cooking.

Our room was huge, with a squishy bed and plump duvet perfect for sinking into after a day of snowy adventures. The view from our balcony over the town of Corvara below was the stuff of Christmas magic, with fat snowflakes falling over fairy-lit trees and church bells ringing in the distance.

CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND

Wondering if we’d miss a home-style Christmas, it was a delight to see that the Sassongher had really pulled out the stops to make every area as festive as possible. With gala dinners on Christmas eve and the big day itself, every guest was made to feel special, with a “buon Natale!” (good Christmas) at every turn.