“You’ll find all the baby purees you need in the restaurant”. Puzzled, I looked at my husband. “Oh, no”, we said. “He doesn’t eat purees”.
It’s understandable the receptionist assumed that my son, who is technically still a baby, would eat baby food. But he is not your average 13-month-old. He eats whole plates of pasta, he climbs ladders (mostly with supervision) and he sleeps very little. Why sleep when you could be emptying glass jars out of cupboards or shouting over the fence at the neighbours?
While he may sound like a small-sized hurricane, my son does, thankfully, have a lovely personality. He “talks” to everybody, hands out free hugs and kisses and is very smiley. But he also has a lot of energy. So when we heard about Das Mühlwald – a resort dedicated to giving families quality time together – we were intrigued.
Most travellers go to hotels to relax and switch off. Given Santiago’s loud, tearaway nature, I always fear he may spoil the tranquil atmosphere that most hotels are going for. At Das Mühlwald I didn’t once think about whether he was disturbing anyone else – because everyone was there with kids.
When Santiago decided to experiment with how close to the edge of the table he could balance a plate and it, surprise surprise, smashed onto the floor, the waiting staff quickly cleaned it up without any fuss or scowls. When he splashed around in the pool, nearby children joined in. Das Mühlwald gave us space to be a family in all our loud, exhausted, unpredictable messiness.
The Dolomites provide the perfect backdrop to the play area
Das Mühlwald is in Trentino, the north-easternmost province in Italy. Though, with only four per cent of the population here speaking Italian, you feel like you’re in Germany.
Once checked in, we were rewarded with a breathtaking view of the majestic Dolomite mountains, while stopping Santiago squeezing himself through the bars of the balcony. The still-snow-topped mountains are the backdrop to the outdoor pool, play area and petting farm. We spent most of our time in the gardens as it was 30C while we were there. But it was easy to see how this area would be brilliant year-round, popular as it is with skiers and snowboarders.
Our room was fairly standard but what made it stand out was the care that had been taken to kit it out with everything we needed – a cot, nappy bin and poncho for Santiago as well as fluffy robes for us parents. At check-in we were handed a long list of items that you can borrow from the hotel. For babies, monitors, bottle warmers and kettles are available. While for older kids, pool equipment, a back carrier and buggy could come in very handy.
Five floors of indoor soft play and two pools
Santiago needs a lot of movement and stimulation. It can be challenging to give him what he needs at home but there was so much to entertain him here that the days flew by and, thank the lord, he was knackered by the evening.
Indoor soft play is spread across all five floors, with slides and ropes for older kids to climb between the floors. We loved the huge indoor race track where Santiago could hurl himself on and off two-, three- and four-wheeled vehicles with no (serious) injuries sustained. The ping pong table was very popular with Dads who seemed to be training their offspring to join the Chinese Olympic team.
The outdoor and heated indoor pools were brilliant, as well as the huge water slide which, despite the signage advising otherwise, my husband delighted in taking Santiago down. It’s worth noting that there weren’t any lifeguards or staff around so you do need to keep a close eye on your kids. Each area having a water station and toilets was a nice touch – much more relaxing than having to cajole your kids back to the room.
We took turns to enjoy the adults-only spa area and excellent massages. If your child is older than two, you won’t even have to tag team it as you can leave them in the kids club all day – they’ll even feed your kids so you can enjoy a meal in peace.
If you fancy a half or full day out, the brochure you’re given at check-in has detailed information on the local area. We borrowed e-bikes and had a lovely ride through the nearby apple orchards, produce South Tyrol is famous for, and up and down some gently undulating hills. Santiago loved his seat on the back and we felt safe and comfortable as the local area is quiet with very little traffic.
The restaurant was more relaxed than I expected
I had imagined that the restaurant would be loud and chaotic but aside from smashed plates and squished food, mealtimes were actually a fairly serene affair. Each family has the same table for every meal, with a high chair and bib already in place for us.
Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style with plenty of healthy options, including a juice machine so you can make your own smoothies, and more indulgent choices. I loved the homemade German bread and pretzels, served warm out of the oven. The mid-afternoon dessert buffet was a highlight. A plate of treats enjoyed by the pool was perfect to refuel Santiago and give us the sugar hit we needed to make it til dinner time.
Dinner starts with a salad buffet for everyone then kids can move on to pasta, chicken nuggets and, of course, ice cream. For the adults, you choose your starter, main course and dessert from a menu handed to you during breakfast. We were served a delicious range of German and Italian dishes, with good vegetarian and meat options.
Family-run and family-friendly
Das Mühlwald is owned and run by the Tauber family and they were very much present. Their three kids were often running around and Mum Sara even served me at the bar one evening. Knowing that parents who “get it” are behind the hotel, it makes sense why Das Mühlwald makes it so easy to be there as a family.
While having a child who doesn’t sleep can lead to delirious chaos, it’s also, obviously, exhausting. Being around other knackered parents, on a joint mission to keep your children happy, safe and entertained, creates a great sense of camaraderie and shared compassion.
Now for the million dollar question: did Santiago sleep through the night? Unfortunately, not. But to go from three hours to 12 in the space of a weekend would have been a big ask. We still celebrated the wins of easy bedtimes because he was so worn out, and less midnight one-man dance raves.
Ruth Wright and family were guests of Das Mühlwald. Rooms with full board and childcare start from €150 per adult, with 30-80% off for children depending on their age.
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