There are places that are not just destinations, but experiences to be lived and cherished. The Hotel Lac Salin Spa & Mountain Resort****S in Livigno is one of these: an elegant retreat in the heart of the Rhaetian Alps, where the connection with nature, family history, and the art of hospitality blend harmoniously. Here, at 1,816 meters, nature is not just a backdrop but takes center stage: it enters the spaces, inspires the cuisine, and shapes the gestures of hospitality. In Livigno, the Giacomelli family's Lungolivigno project has built a small universe of hotels, boutiques, and restaurants that speak with one voice about the bond between tradition and the future.
The gentle dance of hospitality
The story begins in the 1960s, when Emilio – known as Milio – and his wife Domenica recognized the potential of a town that was then still a mountain village. From the first Concordia hotel to the Renna Sport leather goods boutique, to the creation of Lungolivigno SpA, every step taken by the family has been driven by vision, courage, and love for their land.
The Lac Salin Spa & Mountain Resort is the perfect expression of this: a place that interprets the mountains with the delicacy of a “dance of kindness.” The bright, wood-paneled rooms interact with the surrounding landscape. The common areas invite silence and conviviality. Every detail seems designed to help guests rediscover the pleasure of the essential.
In addition to wellness and relaxation, the resort also stands out for its services dedicated to sports enthusiasts, making Livigno a prime destination for outdoor activities. In winter, ski and snowboard lovers can count on fully equipped ski rooms and quick access to the lifts, while in summer the resort becomes the ideal base for hikers, cyclists, and trail runners. There is also a heated bike room with a dedicated workshop, a technical laundry service, and personalized routes designed for those who want to explore the valley in an active way. It is a form of hospitality that focuses not only on comfort but also on performance, enhancing the sporting vocation of a territory that has always been a natural gym of excellence.
The Spa: rejuvenate yourself in the heart of nature
If the hotel is a refuge, the Lac Salin Spa is its beating heart. Over 1,200 square meters dedicated to wellness, inspired by the element that gives the structure its name: a saltwater mineral lake at an altitude of 3,000 meters, which has always been a symbol of purity.
Here, water becomes a ritual: the indoor pool, saltwater bath, and heat paths mark a slow and regenerating pace. Alpine herbs, harvested and processed in the in-house “Apotheke,” transform massages and treatments into olfactory and sensory experiences that evoke the surrounding forests. It is a different way of experiencing the mountains: not only by walking along its paths, but by breathing it in, savoring it, letting it get under your skin.
Stua da Legn: the breath of the mountains on your plate
Within the Lungolivigno universe, cuisine plays a central role. The Stua da Legn restaurant, led by Executive Chef Andrea Fugnanesi, is unique in Livigno: it is the first 100% vegetarian and vegan restaurant in the valley. Here, the mountains are expressed through the world of plants. Vegetables from the alpine garden, wild herbs, and local products become the living ingredients of a plant-based cuisine that combines creativity, aesthetics, and awareness. It is a journey that does not compromise on technique and elegance, but keeps the purity of the ingredients intact.
The Menu Cima is a journey that explores biodiversity and seasonality with a holistic approach. The double-cooked egg with Castelmagno fondue and puffed buckwheat is a combination of comfort food and technical precision: contrasting textures that create a reassuring yet surprising balance. The eggplant yakitori wrapped in naan bread with purple basil gel and mountain pine teriyaki is a statement of intent: cultural fusion and Alpine roots in a single bite, with delicate smokiness and balsamic aromatic notes.
Felicetti's Spaghettone Monograno alla brace with cardoncelli umami and 36-month Grana zabaglione brings the power of the forest to the table, amplified by techniques that concentrate the flavor. Grilled lettuce with fava bean purée and parsley gel shows how a humble ingredient can become the star of a play on textures and freshness. Finally, the Variations of Parsnip are pure poetry: from creamy velvety to crispy chips, to refreshing and surprising birch ice cream, all made even more elegant by sanded hazelnuts and chocolate leaves.
The journey is accompanied by a unique offering: herbal teas created in collaboration with the hotel spa, ideally linking cuisine and wellness. Completing the picture is the wine list curated by restaurant manager Giuliano Cava, which alternates iconic labels with refined selections. The dining room itself is an integral part of the story: the majolica stove, the fragrant woods, and the cozy atmosphere evoke the ancient tradition of the stua, a place of warmth and sharing in Alpine homes. Here, every meal becomes a ritual, an authentic connection with nature and time, in a blend of memory and modernity.
Stua Noa: taste becomes art
Alongside Stua da Legn, the Lungolivigno family has created another exclusive experience: Stua Noa Fine Dining, with just five tables and an intimate, visionary approach. The name means “New Room” in Livigno dialect, but it echoes the ancient peasant stues, where people would gather at the end of the day. Today, that same atmosphere has been transformed into a refined setting, where Executive Chef Andrea Fugnanesi's cuisine pushes the boundaries towards more daring results, bordering on contemporary art.
Here, tasting menus become stories: the Concordia Experience, the Mountain Experience, or the Menu a Mano Libera offer a blend of tradition and innovation. The dishes are works of balance and surprise. The four-month dry-aged fillet carpaccio with plum umeboshi and lovage chips expresses the technical precision of the aging process and the use of calibrated acidity. The char tataki with grape must and savoy cabbage chips is a meeting of freshness and depth, where the Alpine territory meets Japanese influences.
Felicetti's Pacchero Monograno pasta creamed with missoltino cheese and apple kimchi foam is perhaps the signature dish: memories of the lake and contemporary fermentations, combined in a savory and umami-rich creation. La Lepre andata e ritorno (The Hare Round Trip), between rolls with a herb filling and wafers stuffed with chicken livers, is a double story, almost theatrical, which brings together two souls of the same subject. To finish, i Sapori di Montagna (Mountain Flavors) transforms the local confectionery tradition into an evocative dessert, with bisciola, dried figs, and walnuts to recall the rhythm of the seasons.
Stua Noa is a place that demonstrates how cuisine can become an artistic language without ever severing its ties with tradition. A subtle balance between memory and vision, which makes each dish a fragment of a story enriched with just the right amount of madness.
A common thread between hospitality and cuisine
At the Hotel Lac Salin and in the Stua da Legn and Stua Noa restaurants, hospitality and gastronomy intertwine in a coherent narrative. On the one hand, there is the alpine refuge that invites you to slow down and relax; on the other, there is Andrea Fugnanesi's cuisine, capable of transforming vegetables and local products into unique sensory experiences.
It is a model of hospitality that celebrates the mountains in all their forms: in architecture, wellness, and cuisine. A rare balance that puts Livigno on the map not only as a tourist destination but also as a laboratory for the future, where nature and innovation go hand in hand in both hospitality and food and wine.
CONTACTS
Hotel Lac Salin Spa & Mountain Resort
Via Saroch, 496/D, 23041 Livigno, SO
Phone: 0342 990166
