Set in the hills above Lake Garda, near Lazise, the fantastic
Relais Forte Benedek looks straight onto the Austrian Fort Benedek. The estate stretches across 70,000 square metres, and the setting mixes open countryside, lake views and that slightly cinematic feeling that northern Italy does so well.
The hotel side leans fully into indulgence. Suites are spacious and art-filled, many overlooking the fort, and each room comes with its own private steam bath, plus an oversized shower with chromotherapy and waterfall effects. There is also a Finnish sauna and tub in the common area, an outdoor pool, and access to the nearby K Club with its thalassotherapy pool - all of it reserved for an adults-only crowd that came here to switch off properly.
Wine tastings take place inside the castle, with bottles drawn from the estate’s own cellar and paired with local products, which makes the experience feel far more rooted than a standard countryside spa break. Add the silence, the history and the proximity to Lake Garda, and this becomes exactly the sort of stay that turns a short weekend into something far more memorable.
9.2 superb
Price from:
$ 321 / night
