Horse Riding Hotels
In our hyper-connected world, the call of the wild has never been more compelling. There’s something profoundly restorative about being surrounded by ancient trees, breathing in forest air, and falling asleep to the whisper of leaves.
These ten exceptional hotels offer more than just proximity to nature—they provide gateways to transformative forest experiences, where luxury meets the primordial magic of the woods.
1. Marbella Club Hotel · Golf Resort & Spa, Marbella, Spain
Nestled at the foothills of Sierra Blanca’s pine-covered slopes, Marbella Club Hotel offers an unexpected forest sanctuary on Spain’s sun-drenched Costa del Sol. While the Mediterranean shimmers just steps away, the hotel’s position allows guests to venture into the fragrant pine forests that cascade down the mountains. The property itself is enveloped in 42,000 square meters of subtropical gardens where century-old trees create cathedral-like canopies.
After morning hikes through mountain trails fragrant with wild rosemary and pine resin, return to the award-winning Thalasso Spa where treatments incorporate botanicals from the surrounding landscape. The resort’s commitment to preserving its natural setting means you’ll encounter pathways shaded by towering palms, secluded corners beneath flowering jacarandas, and terraces where forest and sea converge in perfect harmony.
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2. Domaine de Locguénolé & Spa – Relais & Chateaux, Kervignac, France
This romantic château sits within a 120-hectare private estate in Brittany, where ancient woodland meets the tidal waters of the Blavet River. The surrounding forest is a tapestry of oak, beech, and chestnut trees, some centuries old, creating an enchanted setting that shifts with Brittany’s dramatic light. Guests can wander forest trails that wind past moss-covered stones and hidden clearings, or kayak along the river where overhanging branches create tunneled passageways.
The property’s spa harnesses the forest’s restorative powers with treatments using local botanicals and forest bathing experiences. In autumn, the woods blaze with copper and gold, while spring brings carpets of wildflowers beneath the canopy. The Michelin-starred restaurant showcases wild mushrooms, game, and herbs foraged from the estate, creating a complete immersion in the forest’s seasonal rhythms.
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3. El Silencio Lodge & Spa Costa Rica, Toro Amarillo, Costa Rica
True to its name, El Silencio Lodge offers profound quietude within 500 acres of private cloud forest reserve in Costa Rica’s Central Valley. This eco-luxury retreat is completely enveloped by primary and secondary forest where mist drifts through the canopy and the air vibrates with the calls of over 180 bird species. Each of the sustainable suites features floor-to-ceiling windows that dissolve the boundary between interior and forest, allowing guests to wake to toucans and hummingbirds just meters away.
The property’s extensive trail system leads to hidden waterfalls, suspended bridges swaying high in the canopy, and meditation platforms built around ancient trees. The on-site spa specializes in forest bathing therapies and uses volcanic clay and indigenous plants in its treatments. As night falls, the forest comes alive with a different symphony—howler monkeys, tree frogs, and countless nocturnal creatures creating nature’s most immersive soundtrack.
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4. Domaine Le Mouflon D’Or, Zonza, France
Perched at 1,000 meters altitude in the heart of Corsica’s Alta Rocca region, Domaine Le Mouflon D’Or is embraced by one of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular forest landscapes. The surrounding Bavella forest is a realm of ancient Laricio pines, some reaching 50 meters tall, interspersed with granite pinnacles that pierce the canopy. This is walking country par excellence, with trails leading through fragrant maquis scrubland into deep forest where wild mouflon sheep still roam.
The hotel serves as an ideal base for exploring the legendary GR20 hiking trail and the Aiguilles de Bavella, where forest meets dramatic mountain scenery. After days spent beneath the pines, the hotel’s wellness center offers a heated pool and treatments inspired by Corsican botanical traditions. The restaurant celebrates the island’s forest bounty with chestnut-fed pork, wild boar, and chestnuts prepared a dozen different ways.
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5. Grand Hôtel du Lion d’Or, Romorantin, France
In the heart of the Loire Valley’s Sologne region, the Grand Hôtel du Lion d’Or offers refined elegance surrounded by France’s largest forested area. This region of dense woodland, marshes, and countless lakes has retained its wild character, home to deer, wild boar, and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife. The forest here is a patchwork of oak, birch, and pine, interlaced with heathland where heather blooms purple in late summer.
The hotel, a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux association, arranges guided forest walks, mushroom foraging expeditions in autumn, and wildlife observation tours. Chef Didier Clément’s Michelin-starred cuisine showcases the forest’s gifts—game prepared with wild mushrooms, freshwater fish from forest-fed streams, and dishes that change with the woodland’s seasons. The surrounding landscape offers endless opportunities for cycling through forest trails or simply finding a quiet glade to reconnect with nature’s rhythms.
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6. Relais & Châteaux Gut Steinbach Hotel Chalets SPA, Reit im Winkl, Germany
Tucked into the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border, Gut Steinbach sits within a landscape where Alpine meadows give way to dense mountain forest. The surrounding Chiemgau Alps are cloaked in mixed woodland of spruce, fir, and beech, creating an evergreen sanctuary that’s equally magical whether dusted with snow or carpeted with wildflowers. The hotel’s architecture celebrates its forest setting with extensive use of local wood, and many suites feature private terraces or balconies extending into the tree canopy.
An extensive network of forest trails begins at the hotel’s doorstep, ranging from gentle walks suitable for forest bathing to challenging mountain hikes. The spa’s signature treatments incorporate Alpine herbs and pine essences, while the indoor-outdoor pools offer the unique experience of swimming while surrounded by forest. In winter, the snow-laden trees create a fairy-tale landscape, while summer brings the intoxicating scent of sun-warmed pine needles.
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7. Hastings House Country House Hotel, Ganges, Canada
On Salt Spring Island in British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, Hastings House is enveloped by 22 acres of forest, meadow, and seaside gardens where ancient Douglas firs tower overhead. This Relais & Châteaux property embodies the Pacific Northwest’s unique character, where temperate rainforest meets the sea. The forest here is primordial—moss-draped trees create hushed glades, and forest trails lead to hidden beaches where driftwood sculptures tell stories of storms and tides.
Eagles nest in the tallest firs, while deer browse peacefully in morning mist. The property’s English manor-style buildings nestle into this landscape with grace, offering forest and ocean views from elegant guest rooms. The restaurant’s farm-to-table philosophy extends to forest foraging, with seasonal menus featuring wild mushrooms, berries, and edible plants gathered from the surrounding woodland. This is a place where you can kayak through kelp forests in the morning and hike beneath towering conifers in the afternoon.
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8. Hotel Dollenberg, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach, Germany
For over 300 years, the Dollenberg family has welcomed guests to their forest sanctuary in the Black Forest, and today’s Hotel Dollenberg represents the perfect evolution of that tradition. Situated at 750 meters in a landscape of dense coniferous forest, this is the Black Forest of fairy tales—deep, green, and mysterious.
The hotel’s position at the edge of the national park provides access to hundreds of kilometers of forest trails, from gentle walks past traditional farmhouses to challenging routes to mountain peaks. The Black Forest’s famous wellness culture is celebrated in the hotel’s extensive spa, which features a forest sauna village where treatments harness the healing properties of local herbs and forest air.
The region’s culinary traditions shine in the restaurant, where Black Forest ham, wild game, and foraged mushrooms take center stage. Four seasons bring four completely different forest experiences, from spring’s explosion of wildflowers to winter’s transformative blanket of snow.
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9. Hotel Grad Otočec – Relais Chateaux, Otočec, Slovenia
Slovenia’s only castle hotel occupies a small island in the Krka River, surrounded by the riparian forests of southeastern Slovenia. This 13th-century castle is embraced by mixed woodland where the river’s influence creates a uniquely lush ecosystem. Ancient oaks and willows line the riverbanks, while the surrounding hills are covered in beech and chestnut forests that glow golden in autumn.
The castle’s island setting creates an extraordinarily peaceful atmosphere—the only sounds are birdsong and the gentle flow of water. Forest trails along both riverbanks offer opportunities for walking, cycling, or simply finding a peaceful spot to watch the river flow.
The hotel arranges forest foraging experiences, mushroom hunting expeditions, and guided walks focusing on the area’s rich biodiversity. The restaurant showcases Slovenia’s culinary traditions with forest-foraged ingredients and game from sustainable local sources, all served in the romantic ambiance of candlelit stone halls.
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10. La Chapelle Saint Martin, Nieul, France
In the Limousin region of central France, La Chapelle Saint Martin occupies a 3-hectare park that seamlessly blends into the surrounding oak and chestnut forests. This elegant country house hotel, part of the Relais & Châteaux collection, embodies the quiet sophistication of rural France while offering deep forest immersion.
The Limousin forests are among France’s most extensive, a rolling landscape of deciduous woodland broken by clear streams and traditional farms. The hotel’s grounds feature centuries-old trees, manicured lawns that fade into wild woodland, and paths leading into the deeper forest.
This is prime mushroom territory, and autumn brings foraging expeditions guided by local experts. The restaurant’s Michelin-starred cuisine celebrates the forest’s bounty with dishes that change according to what the woods provide. The spa offers treatments using local botanicals, and the outdoor heated pool is positioned to offer views into the forest canopy—swimming here at twilight, as the forest settles into evening, is unforgettable.
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These ten forest hotels offer more than accommodation—they provide portals into the profound experience of forest immersion. Whether you’re seeking the misty cloud forests of Costa Rica, the ancient woodlands of France, or the Alpine forests of Germany, each property understands that true luxury lies not just in thread count and amenities, but in facilitating a genuine connection with the natural world.
In an age of digital overwhelm, these forest sanctuaries remind us of something essential: that we belong to nature, not apart from it. The simple act of walking beneath trees, breathing forest air, and allowing woodland rhythms to reset our own can be the most transformative journey we take. So turn off your devices, step into the woods, and rediscover what it means to be truly, deeply present.