SILENA is a truly “soulful” escape tucked in the remote alpine valley of Vals, South Tyrol. Run by the Messner family, this adults-only (14+) hotel artfully fuses South Tyrolean and Southeast Asian influences – think tatami mats and dragonfly motifs alongside local loden fabrics and pine wood. The result is a design hotel that feels like a monastery in the mountains: tranquil, introspective, and nourishing for the spirit. Built in 2018, SILENA followed strict building biology and Feng Shui guidelines. Its striking façade of laser-cut aluminum trees and living green walls mirrors the surrounding forest, while the interior structure incorporates untreated regional wood, clay paint, and stone to ensure healthy air quality. The hotel is powered entirely by renewable energy: it buys 100% green electricity from Alperia (Bolzano’s hydroelectric provider), and its heating/hot water come from a biomass district heating plant and solar panels on the roof. SILENA’s ethos is holistic well-being in harmony with nature. The rooftop Onsen pool and panoramic sauna use water heated by the sun and wood pellets, and guests are encouraged to cool off naturally in the adjacent peat bog (a protected high-moor known for its healing properties). The hotel’s literature lounge houses hundreds of books in multiple languages, inviting guests to unplug (rooms intentionally have no TV to encourage mindful relaxation). The cuisine at SILENA is both indulgent and healthful: the menu is 100% organic and seasonally local, with an Asian twist. You might start your day with a Japanese-style tea ceremony using herbal infusions from the hotel’s herb garden, then enjoy a breakfast of alpine porridge with mountain honey. Dinner might feature creative fusions like Sushi tirolese (nori rolls filled with barley, speck, and pickled radish) alongside vegan green curry made with local vegetables and lemongrass. Sustainability is woven into every detail – linens are organic cotton, bath amenities are refillable and made from alpine herbs, and a natural reed-bed system filters greywater from the spa. By night, SILENA truly shines: the absence of light pollution reveals a breathtaking star canopy, which guests can admire from the rooftop while sipping on a tisane of local mint. With its mix of wellness practices (yoga, Qi Gong, guided meditation) and eco-conscious operations (guests receive a discount if arriving by train, and an electric shuttle brings them up the valley), SILENA offers a sanctuary where one can “sleep, eat, breathe, and reflect” in tune with the earth.