Classic Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me was filmed in this dramatic location among the crag-gazed Dolomite mountains. The Miramonti Boutique Hotel has walls of glass that capture the snow-sweeped mountain views and lets you spot the town of Merano far below.

The hotel is near historical buildings, a theatre, and, in winter, a private ski shuttle will take you to 40 kilometers of piste, a snaking toboggan run, and miles of countryside ready for a snowshoe hoedown. Enjoy warm views from your room’s private balcony if you can emerge from your luxurious memory-foam mattress. And who needs a masseuse when you have the strong watery fingers of a rain shower? The spa has an indoor pool and four types of saunas. Then you can steam yourself fresh and gooey as a strawberry in the outdoor Jacuzzi.

The restaurant serves local delicacies including a mouth-watering cheese-based ritual involving steak and a raclette. The wine list is so extensive you will need to attend the weekly tasting just to sample it all. The next day breakfast eggs are cooked to order.