Skiers will have a new five-star hotel to choose from in the Dolomites this coming winter season, with the opening of The First Cortina, planned for 4 December 2026.
The 76-room hotel is part of the Pavilions Hotels & Resorts group and is located on Corso Italia, the main shopping street in the heart of the famous Italian ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Studio Marincola Architects have completely revamped the building, designing it to give the UNESCO-listed Dolomites centre stage. They have used Dolomia stone and fir wood, and large windows that turn the mountain landscape into living wallpaper inside the hotel itself.
Each room and suite has a private balcony from which guests can admire the stupendous views: snow-covered mountains in winter and pink and orange hues at sunset in summer.
International travellers can reach Cortina from Venice Marco Polo and Treviso Canova airports, both of which are around a two-hour drive away.
The town has long been a favourite among skiers and mountaineers. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956, and returned to the international spotlight earlier this year as one of the host destinations of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games.
The property offers a variety of room and suite categories, including family suites, a Wellness Suite with a terrace view and a Jacuzzi Suite with a balcony view.
Topping the hotel is the 140 sqm Enrosadira Penthouse, which has three bedrooms, a 50 sqm terrace, a sauna, a Turkish bath, living and dining areas, and a fully equipped kitchen. Guests have the option of hiring a private chef.
Zuma, the contemporary Japanese restaurant that originated in London, will reopen at the hotel for its second winter season. It will serve aperitifs and dinner, and there will be live music and DJ sets at the bar late into the night.
Alongside Zuma, the hotel will feature Velo, its signature restaurant offering Italian cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea, homemade pastries and chocolates.
The wellness facilities will be operated by REVĪVŌ Spa, the group’s luxury wellness brand. Alongside treatment rooms, the two-storey spa will feature a panoramic swimming pool with an outdoor area, a sauna, a hammam, a gym, a hair salon, and beauty services.
The property will also have a dedicated ski room where guests can arrange ski and alpine guides, book instructors, and rent equipment ranging from hiking and trekking gear in summer to skis and snowboards in winter. E-mountain bikes will also be available for guests wishing to explore the area on two wheels.
The Dolomites have attracted a lot of attention this summer, with hundreds of visitors flocking to the Friedrich August mountain refuge in Val di Fassa to sample its freshly made krapfen, an Alpine doughnut-like pastry which has gone viral on social media.
This sudden surge in popularity has led to long queues and renewed concerns about overtourism in the mountains. No such risk at The First Cortina, where even the opening offer starts at €663 per night for two. The ‘Cortina Premiere’ package includes breakfast, afternoon tea at Velo and a complimentary room upgrade, subject to availability.
