In short… A luxury family-only, all-inclusive resort in Italy’s South Tyrol expertly designed around the needs of youngsters and their parents looking for an indulgent, restorative break. AKI Plose Family Resort caters to both exceptionally well.
The surroundings…. The modern, glass-fronted resort, designed by Igor Comploi, sits high above the charming Alpine town of Bressanone (Brixen in German). You can get there by a 40-minute drive from Bolzano or a beautiful 1.5-hour drive from Innsbruck, which takes you across the Brenner Pass.
The hotel is surrounded by pine forest to the back and expansive gardens to the front, and offers panoramic views of the Italian Dolomites from every single one of its rooms and public areas. Thanks to its remote positioning and sweeping vistas, there is a notable sense of spaciousness throughout, which ensures the hotel never feels crowded, even when fully booked as it was during our stay.
Although we had little urge to leave the hotel, there’s plenty to do nearby. South Tyrol is a year-round destination with a wide range of activities on offer, from hiking, biking and forest bathing in summer to tobogganing and skiing in winter. The child-friendly slopes at Plose Resort are just a 10-minute complimentary shuttle away.
The backstory… AKI, which opened at the end of 2024, is the first dedicated family resort from ADLER Spa Resorts & Retreats, a group of luxury family-owned and run hotels across Italy known for their holistic wellness philosophy, nature-led experiences and commitment to sustainability.
ADLER has taken the group’s established approach to design, food, wellness and sustainability and applied it a new brand of family hotel where everything, I mean everything, is included, and every detail has been thoughtfully designed to make family holidaying as easy, fun, and stress-free as possible. Think little wooden steps at check-in, lifts for every set of stairs, toys wherever toddler patience might wear thin, bathrooms with mini-WCs throughout, a 24-hour baby bar stocked with formula, purees and fresh milk, and a laundrette you can use whenever you like.
The hotel is named after Aki, a little eagle who has served as the mascot of the ADLER Spa Resorts & Retreats kids’ clubs for many years. Knowing this explains the abundance of eagle mascots dotted around the hotel, which your children will undoubtedly want to hug at any given opportunity.
The vibe… Despite its child-oriented focus, AKI doesn’t feel overwhelming or chaotic. Colors are muted, indoor areas flow seamlessly into outdoor areas, and the decor is sleek and pared back to create a sense of calm. AKI is deeply committed to preserving the natural environment, so you can expect wooden toys and play equipment throughout, seasonal food made with local produce and responsible resource and energy use. This is a place to kick back and relax, reconnect with nature, and make precious memories with your brood. Though I’d highly recommend sneaking in some alone time, too.
The rooms… All of the 70 spacious family suites have the same pared-back interiors seen throughout the hotel. Think natural spruce, locally sourced materials, and earthy tones that echo the colors outside. They all have floor-to-ceiling windows, and a private balcony or terrace with sweeping mountain views. The lighting is soft, making the interiors feel warm rather than stark.
The 40 Family Suites have two bedrooms, a chill-out area which is perfect for story time, and a large bathroom that easily accommodates a cot, in case, like us, you want to separate baby and toddler. You’ll find all the expected five-star amenities like fluffy bathrobes for adults and children, ADLER toiletries, a complimentary minibar, and a smart TV, as well as a ton of thoughtful extras, including a stowaway baby changing table, a child-size sink, a microwave and a clothes’ drying rail outside. If you want a bath, book into one of the 22 Family Superior Suites. The eight Family Homes have three bedrooms, making them a great base for a multi-gen getaway.
The food & drink… All food (except the bar menu) and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the room rate, which is a huge relief for families with children who sip and peck all day. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style, while dinner is a mix of buffet and à la carte dining. All meals are enjoyed in the main restaurant, which has the hotel’s trademark floor-to-ceiling windows with views across the valley. To one side is an open kitchen where you’ll find dozens of gleeful kids (and parents!) gawking at the team of 20+ chefs at work.
Just off the main restaurant is AKI bistro, a children’s dining area with lunches and dinners supervised by the kids’ club staff. This is a godsend for parents, like us, looking for a break from the meal-time grind. Just let the team know at drop-off if you’d like your children to eat there with them.
The buffet far exceeded expectations and recalibrated my preconceptions of what buffet food can be: there was no limp looking lettuce, recycled veg, or silver troughs with sweaty meat inside. Instead, cold portions were beautifully presented, while warm dishes were finished fresh and seasoned to taste. Not surprisingly, there’s an emphasis on Italian fare, so expect a wide selection of cheeses, pastas, breads, pizzas and cold meats. A special mention goes to the pastry chef, whose choux was the best I’ve ever had.
The à la carte menu of seasonal local dishes changes daily. Highlights during our stay included spaghettone with morels and miso butter, homemade spinach ravioli, and the South Tyrolean veal with parmesan, pomegranate and mountain potatoes. The ADLER group also produces its own range of wine, vinegar and olive oil under the Aetos brand. We tried the sparkling, white, and red wines and were impressed by all three. Between meals, healthy snacks and ice-cream can be enjoyed at the bar on a self-service basis. Expect to spend a lot of time here—the ice-cream stand is at just the right height for little ones to help themselves.
It’s worth noting that evening service finishes at 8.30pm as families, generally speaking, eat together. Although we did spy a handful of other couples savoring a rare night out thanks to the complimentary baby monitors, most were spooning puree into the mouths of demanding babies in between rushed gulps of wine. Nightcaps are thus best enjoyed in the bar. Though the post-dinner vibe was reasonably relaxed here, you can expect to see a sprinkling of toddlers pootling about or whizzing by on tricycles.
The wellness… This is where AKI really comes into its own. In both summer and winter, you’ll find guests padding about the expansive wellness zone in fluffy robes and slippers, herbal tea in hand. There are four heated pools, including a large indoor-outdoor pool with bubble jets and a jazzy indoor baby pool with water fountains and water slide. There is also a fully equipped Technogym and a family sauna, with daily scrubs and infusions to get children acquainted with the notion of wellness and wellbeing. The daily program of family wellness activities includes yoga and “familates” (pilates for the whole family).
At the back of the hotel, tucked away in amongst the pines, is the ultra-serene adults-only spa, with Finnish sauna (90 degrees), bio sauna (60 degrees), fire pit, cold-plunge pool, yoga pavilion, and suite of treatment and relaxation rooms. In addition to the family wellness program, there is an adults-only program that is designed to help you switch off and reconnect with nature. Expect everything from Nordic walking and energizing yoga to nature sounds and breathwork. The latter saw us hugging trees, foraging for woodland treasures and inhaling the scents of moss and mushrooms.
Just how kid friendly is it? So much so that you can only stay at AKI if you’re checking-in with at least one child. In addition to the family activities and services mentioned above, there is an extensive programme of Montessori-inspired family experiences, which range from arts and crafts in the painting studio to cooking, perfume-making and guided nature walks. Bikes and buggies are also freely available, as is all baby paraphernalia, including monitors, nappy bins and baby baths.
The indoor and outdoor play areas are quite magnificent. Outside, you’ll find climbing frames, adventure trails and a boating lake, as well as a trampoline, sandpit and petting farm with alpacas, goats, ducks and hens. In the winter months, there’s a ‘magic carpet’ snow slope where little ones can learn to ski. Inside, the toddler zone by reception has a race car track with endless bikes, walkers and tricycles as well as a climbing frame and slide down to the floor below. The teen zone one floor down is equally impressive, with a ping pong table, table football and air hockey. Come evening, the indoor sports pitch transforms into a theatre for kids’ disco and movie night.
The real highlight though is the AKI Kids’ Club, which is open daily from 9am to 9pm, and takes children from as young as one month old. There are several spaces within, each catering to a different age group and equipped with quality wooden toys (this is a no plastic, no screen zone) and smiley, Montessori-trained staff who all knew our kids’ names and specific requirements without prompting. There’s also a dedicated nap room and baby changing area. The kids’ club program changes daily and is chock-full of indoor and outdoor activities that encourage collaboration and imaginative play. My children had no qualms at all about being dropped off there each morning. Really!
Extra tip goes to… Luigi, whose knowledge of the local wine and produce greatly enhanced our dining experience. He also clocked that our daughter was a fan of ‘babyccinos’ and so had one whipped up for her as soon as we sat down for breakfast each morning.
Be sure to… experience one of the hotel’s signature sauna infusions, which involves the resident sauna master wafting aromatic scent to energizing music. Swimsuits are not permitted here, though, thankfully for my post-partum tum, hammam-style wraps are.
Parting words…. It can feel overwhelming navigating a resort with so much on offer, but a well-designed app helps you plan your time to get the most out of your stay. We really maxed out on the childcare offering, but it would be possible to do this holiday from the opposite angle and spend all day with your kids doing weird and wonderful things. That’s the magic of AKI. Each family finds its own way of making memories for a lifetime.
Date of stay… September 23-36, 2026
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