Ample space to spread out

We stayed in a Family Room Amethyst, which ticked all the boxes – spacious, Scandi-chic and properly thought through for families. Ours had a cosy master/living space with a cubby perfect for stashing snow gear (we visited in November, which meant layers galore), a separate kids’ room with sweet wooden bunks and room for a cot, plus a balcony that served up some seriously dreamy mountain views

Most family rooms here follow a similar layout – ideal for families of 4 or 5 – with Quarzit, Serpentin and Larimar being slightly larger, but in all honestly we didn’t lack space (I travelled with my partner, 3 yr old and 1 yr old). If you’re after a little more room (or a bathtub), check out the suites. Chalet options come with kitchenettes and roll-out-of-bed access to the natural swimming pond. Just the two of you and a babe in arms? The Double Room Glimmer or Dolomit might be all you need

Keeping little ones engaged

If you’re travelling with kids of any age, Feuerstein sets the gold standard. The complimentary, Montessori-inspired childcare runs a generous 70 hours a week for ages 0–16, and the spaces are so thoughtfully put together that even my two (usually firmly in the “no thanks” camp) were happily skipping in each morning. Split into two zones – one for littles (0–4) and one for the bigger crew (5+) – it’s all kinds of wonderful. The younger lot get a just-renovated space with a two-storey walk-in dollhouse and bobby car racetrack, while older kids dive into cookery sessions, crafting corners and beautifully curated wooden games. But as brilliant as the supervised care is, it was the set up for time spent together that really stole our hearts. The 24/7 play barn, with its bouldering wall, hay loft and fancy dress stash, was a huge hit (and genuinely hard to leave), and the adjacent baby room was perfect for slower, toddler-paced play. My son still waxes lyrical about the mud room and painting studio, and while we didn’t personally try them ourselves we’ve heard fab things about the evening kids’ discos and magicians. The icing on this magical mountain cake? It’s an-activity-all-inclusive – which isn’t the case in all alpine hotels – and something your bank balance will be very grateful for

For under 5s: Feuerstein nails it when it comes to travelling with under 5s — in fact, we’d go as far as saying it’s one of the best resort setups we’ve ever come across for babies and toddlers, with complimentary, Montessori-inspired care is built in from day one. As a smaller, boutique-feeling resort, everything is perfectly paced and spaced for tiny legs and thoughtfully geared towards making your life as a parent that little bit easier. The rooms come pre-kitted with all the essentials, while the hotel can loan you anything from baby carriers to prams, bottle warmers to baby monitors. And when it comes to food, you’ll find jars at the buffet, porridge ready to go, and fresh purees happily made to order

For 5-10s: The Kids Club here really comes into its own for this age group, with a separate zone for 5+ and evening sessions running from 6-9pm—ideal for grown-ups hoping to sneak in a spa session or relaxed dinner. Children can also sign up for a huge variety of complimentary afternoon activities (with their parents), from woodwork and bungee trampolining to pony rides, climbing, pottery, handicrafts and more. Outside bookable sessions, the fun just keeps going – from the mini zoo and horse stables to the adventure playground, ride-ons and football pitch.

For tweens and teens: Tweens and teens at Feuerstein are treated to their own spaces, their own schedule, and a whole lot of autonomy. Think: a parent-free chill zone (open 24/7, room card access only) with gaming consoles, movies and a reading nook. Then there’s the action room, featuring a full-blown Ninja Warrior course, interactive Valo Jump trampolines, and games on the iWall. Outdoors, things get even more exciting. Feuerstein lays on forest hikes, alpine hut sleepovers, campfire stories, movie nights and team sports tournaments—but it’s worth knowing many of these only run during the school holiday periods. Older teens can make use of the complimentary local bus pass to ski, hike or explore independently, giving them just the right level of freedom

‘Feuerstein is absolutely sensational. It truly is a family-centric hotel and it meant we got to actively engage with our daughter in lots of new ways over the course of our trip. Our 2 year old absolutely adored going to the farm every morning and stroking the horses and alpacas. She also loved the family spa (including awesome slides) and the mud room, paint room, trampolines and sand pits. We put in the creche for a couple of hours a day and she would have a massive smile on her face at pickup. I truly felt like this was a holiday focused on my daughter. We’d previously gone to Ikos Oceania and felt disappointed by how little they offer for very young children (other than a creche). As a result we only appreciated Feuerstein more. The food was also excellent and we would particularly recommend luxury board as dinner was sensational every night’ Mama @wheaty92

‘We used a 5% Tiny Travelship discount code, plus their autumn deal which had one night free. On top of that we got upgraded from a family room to a chalet, which was so spacious. Our son has just turned two and did a whole morning in the mini room with no issue, loved it. The spa was unbelievable. Plus they’d thought of everything for kids – even the banisters and the windows were child height. The new swimming pond was beautiful. Our son went to the woodcraft workshop, the paint room, the mud room and played in the 3 separate outdoor play areas – there wasn’t a screen in sight. Food was top notch – we didn’t try the kids separate dining room as our toddler is only two, but we definitely would if we went back. Yes it’s pricey, but the service was impeccable and we hope to go back!’ Mama @emilymayemilymay

‘The Feuerstein is one of those places where you almost don’t want to leave the hotel, even when a full day of skiing is waiting outside. The food is excellent, with plenty of options ranging from generous buffets to à la carte dishes, and a great variety for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone with food intolerances. After hitting the slopes, my son couldn’t get enough of the water slides in the pool area. The resort is clearly designed with families in mind, offering a wide range of activities and playrooms that keep children happily entertained in the evenings. Nestled in a breathtaking alpine valley, it offers stunning views all around—though you can find yourself in the shade a bit sooner than expected’ Mama @lucapu1984

Fantastic full board foodie fare

Luxury Board is the standard at Feuerstein – and honestly, we found it to be fantastic value for money. The food offering is generous and thoughtfully timed, starting with a standout breakfast spread that runs until 11am. Lunch runs from 12.30 right through to 4.30pm, which we loved – we’d usually eat early, then pop back in around 3pm for a dessert plate. Dinner opens at 6.30pm and is a five-course à la carte affair, served at your own pre-assigned table – a detail that made everything feel a little more personal and we were pretty much best friends with our waiter by the end of our trip. The menu changes nightly, with plenty of variety, and there’s also a generous buffet of hot and cold starters and kids’ classics. If you were looking to keep costs down (and were happy to go relatively teetotal for your trip), it would be easy to get away with not spending any additional money on food or drink during your stay. Personally, I really appreciated the low-key luxury vibe in the restaurant. Dinnertime with my kids can feel a lot like feeding time at the zoo, but no one blinks an eye at the mess made. We fed our kids breakfast and dinner in their pjs, while a lot of adults dine in their gym gear or robes from the spa. We definitely never felt bored of the dishes on offer at Feuerstein on the Luxury Board plan, but should you wish to up the epicurean ante a little, guests do have the choice to also dine at Artifex – the hotel’s uber gourmet outpost – for an additional charge. Currently Artifex is an adults only affair (apart from on Fridays), but starting from May the hotel will also offer family evenings with fine dining menus for the kiddies too 

Making a splash!

My two could’ve happily spent the whole day pool-hopping (and, truthfully, so could we). There’s a main indoor pool that’s perfect for proper swims and dive bombs, a toddler room tucked into a quieter corner with two shallow splash zones and a dinky slide, and a flume room with three gentle slides we rode on repeat – even with our 18-month-old on our laps. Then there’s the big daddy slide, a spiralling flume that’s ideal for bigger kids (and my husband, who was on a mission to beat the leaderboard). But the true star of the show? The steamy indoor-outdoor infinity pool, which looks straight out to the mountains. Even though it was snowing when we visited in November, the water was gloriously warm – we honestly spent more time swimming there than we have on some summer holidays. All the pools are surrounded by generously sized, super-comfy family loungers, which we really appreciated. If you visit during the warmer months, there’s also the swimming lake, open from June – October

As for the spa setup – it’s just as well thought-out. There’s a dedicated Mountain Spa for adults, with traditional saunas, a rooftop whirlpool, and proper grown-up treatments, alongside the family spa, with a temperature friendly (and clothes allowed) sauna, steam room and a dreamy Snoezelen room (a darkened, sensory nap space that our toddler loved and I wish I could recreate at home!)

‘Feuerstein was the most relaxing family holiday I’ve ever had, which includes a precious trip to Marthinal Sagres. In spite of the eye-watering price tag (or perhaps because of it) everything was just impeccable. We stayed in a family room which was a hotel room plus a bunk room on the side where our 3.5-year-old daughter slept. She is very averse to childcare while on holiday, and frankly I want to play with her when we’re away, so it was everything we could have wished for in that regard – endless options for playing which the whole family has access to, from a mud room complete with wellies and a foot-washing station to a two-story play barn with dressing up and slides and a hay loft to jump into from the floor above! For tired parents the spa is second-to-none, including a rooftop hot tub and plunge pool with views over the Tyrolean alps. The food was amazing’ Mama @bdumnro 

‘Feuerstein feels like a cozy, modern mountain lodge — lots of wood, big windows with stunning views, stylish but super warm and family-friendly. This place was made for kids! But for parents who want to have a lovely holiday at the same time. For little ones like ours (3 and 1), Feuerstein has baby pools, soft play areas, a mud room, creative workshops, loads of toys and toddler-friendly spaces — plus childcare, baby gear, and kid-friendly meals so you can actually relax while they play safely. Swimming everyday was a big highlight! The pools are incredible and it never felt overcrowded. The toboggan located at the nearby ski resort was a real hit too! Very family friendly and such a lovely activity to do with the kids, we loved it! I would absolutely recommend! We have booked our next trip back already!’ Mama @amie_townley

‘Whilst there’s a great Kids Club what makes Feuerstein unique is the afternoon parent and child time with a packed schedule of family activities that will leave you with lasting memories. I’ve personally visited both Feuerstein and Naturhotel Forsthofgut. I’d say Feuerstein is the more relaxed of the two, more homely and wholesome, and slightly less luxe. The facilities for kids are amazing. The 3 storey play barn, the huge outdoor area are all stunning. I think Naturhotel is best in the winter for skiing and Feuerstein is best in the summer. Every time we visit it’s so easy to curate a different set of activities that it never feels the same’ Mama @alihilton87

Exploring the area

When the hotel’s as dreamy as Feuerstein, it’s very tempting to stay cocooned in the spa or the soft play — we were there for four days and only ventured out once! That being said, it would be criminal not to make use of the complimentary bus pass (sorted for you at reception) for at least a morning jaunt to nearby Sterzing town (around 20 minutes away). It’s an officially recognised “most beautiful village in Italy,” and for good reason — think colourful medieval buildings, cobbled streets, and hosts a picture-perfect Christmas market in December. We’ve heard fantastic things about the 6km toboggan run from Ladurns too (just five minutes away), and hiking to (and sledging back from) Allriss mountain hut (for some seriously scenic hot chocolate). And what about the ski set up? If you’re looking for somewhere to stretch your ski legs, Feuerstein is definitely a name to know. Ski season typically runs from early December to late April, with three family-friendly resorts within easy reach. Ladurns is just 5 minutes away and ideal for beginners, while Rosskopf (15 mins) and Ratschings (30 mins) offer more variety once you’ve graduated from snowploughing. The hotel sorts your free ski shuttle, and lessons start from age 4 — the best bit? You can leave your little ones in the kids club and the staff will literally ferry them to and from ski school for you. If they’re only doing a half-day course, they’ll slot right back into the kids club until you’re off the slopes. We visited in November so didn’t get to personally try skiing ourselves, but there was a gorgeous blanket of snow that was ideal for riding the hotel’s magic carpet and sledding down the gentle slope together