Must-see hotels in Italy

  • AdAstra

    Oltrarno

    There is no other address quite like it in Florence. Seductively at home in a 16th-century palazzo overlooking Europe's largest private walled garden,…

  • RomeHello

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Funnelling all of its profits into worthy social enterprises, this street-art-adorned hostel is the best in the city. Opened in 2018, it offers 200 beds,…

  • Residenza Amblingh

    Abruzzo

    Don't even think about leaving Vasto off your itinerary when you can stay at this debonair accommodation offering four beautifully decorated suites (two…

  • Prendiparte B&B

    Bologna

    You will never – repeat, never – stay anywhere else like this. Forget the B&B tag: you don't just get a room here, you get an entire 900-year-old tower …

  • Barbialla Nuova

    Northwestern Tuscany

    Creamy Chianina cows graze on the hillside and wild boars ferret for white truffles between tree roots on this heavily wooded, 500-hectare biodynamic farm…

  • SoprArno Suites

    Oltrarno

    This boutique gem, tucked in a quaint Oltrarno courtyard, creates an intimate home-from-home vibe while making each guest feel special. Thirteen designer…

  • La Minerva

    Capri

    This gleaming establishment is a model of Capri style and considered by many to be one of the best hotels in Italy. The 19 rooms, which cascade down the…

  • Villa Spalletti Trivelli

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Furnished with 16th-century tapestries, antique books and original period furnishings, this mansion was built by Gabriella Rasponi, niece of Carolina…

  • Student Hotel

    Florence

    Designed for anyone with a fun 'student-for-life' spirit, this hostel-hotel hybrid embodies 21st-century living – in a historic palazzo from 1864. Sharp…

  • Lido Palace

    Lake Garda

    If you're flush with euros, Riva's captivating Lido Palace is the place to offload them. The exquisite building dates back to 1899 when it opened as a…

  • Hotel Palazzo Murat

    Positano

    Positano personified. Hidden behind an ancient wall away from the tourists who surge along the pedestrian thoroughfares daily, this magnificent hotel…

  • Sextantio

    Abruzzo

    This enchanting albergo diffuso, with 28 distinctive rooms and suites scattered throughout the village, was what helped rescue Santo Stefano from oblivion…

  • Capri Palace

    Capri

    This really lives up to the 'palace' in its name – a regal mix of chicness, opulence and unashamed luxury that takes the concept of la dolce vita to…

  • Mezzatorre Resort & Spa

    Ischia

    Occupying its own promontory above the sea, this luxurious resort is surrounded by a 2.8-hectare pine wood, with sitting rooms and some guestrooms located…

  • Castello di Monterone

    Perugia

    This fairy-tale castle comes with all the turreted, ivy-clad, vaulted trappings you would imagine. Its 18 individually designed rooms have been finished…

  • Belmond Hotel Caruso

    Ravello

    There can be no better place to swim than the Caruso’s sensational infinity pool. Seemingly set on the edge of a precipice, its blue waters merge with the…

  • Agriturismo Vultaggio

    Western Sicily

    Head 15km south of Trapani, into the countryside, to find this outstanding farm retreat. Four of its 13 attractive rooms have sea views and there are…

  • Villa Franca

    Positano

    Cue a fanfare of trumpets. Even by Positano standards, the Franca is high-class: an operatic mix of stylish white minimalism with a few regal touches…

  • Gritti Palace

    Venice

    Guests at the Gritti Palace on the Grand Canal don't need to leave their balconies to sightsee. This landmark 1525 doge’s palace features Grand Canal…

  • Casa Maria Luigia

    Casa Maria Luigia

    Modena

    Aiming to capitalise on the worldwide foodie frenzy created by Osteria Francescana, top chef Massimo Bottura and his American wife, Lara Gilmore,…

  • Hotel Davanzati reception on first floor.

    Hotel Davanzati

    Duomo & Piazza della Signoria

    Twenty-six steps lead up to this family-run hotel. A labyrinth of enchanting rooms, frescoes and modern comforts, it oozes charm – as do Florentine…

  • Palazzo San Niccolo, doorbell

    Palazzo San Niccolò

    Boboli & San Miniato al Monte

    Country-style contemporary decor marries with lovingly restored vintage inside this 14th-century palazzo, named after the 'hood in which it slumbers and…

  • The charming palace entrance to Hotel Nani Mocenigo

    Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace

    Venice

    Live like a doge in a 15th-century Venetian-Gothic palace that once belonged to one of the most famous of them: Agostino Barbarigo, who was responsible…

  • Al Benefizio

    Northwestern Tuscany

    Squeeze your car along the narrow road to this farm, framed by fig trees, olive groves, vines, acacia and chestnut woods on a steeply terraced hillside…

  • The Church

    Naples

    On the 4th floor of an anecdote-rich 16th-century palazzo, this intimate, cultured B&B is decorated with contemporary Neapolitan photography and cleverly…

  • Das Wanda

    Trentino & South Tyrol

    Verena Huf is a third-gen hotelier and her gorgeous 12-suite place combines that rich lineage with youthful enthusiasm and a relaxed style. Rooms are…

  • Miramonti

    Merano (Meran)

    This extraordinary small hotel, a 15-minute drive from Merano, nestles high on a secluded mountainside at 1230m. Run by an incredibly vibrant young couple…

  • B&B Al Salvatore di Lipari

    Lipari

    Once you reach this peaceful hillside oasis 2km south of town, you may never want to leave. Artist Paola and physicist Marcello have transformed their…

  • La Sosta di Ottone III

    Monterosso

    Up in the hills between the beautiful, almost Cinque Terre, beach town of Levanto and Monterosso, La Sosta di Ottone III is a lovely hideaway that's also…

  • Atelier Inès

    Naples

    A stylish, eclectic oasis in the earthy Sanità district, this three-suite B&B is a homage to the late Neapolitan sculptor and designer Annibale Oste,…

  • Parkhotel Laurin

    Bolzano (Bozen)

    Set in its own lush gardens in the centre of town, this five-star hotel has large rooms overlooking the Dolomites or the Duomo, all endowed with a weighty…

  • Niedermairhof

    The Dolomites

    Niedermairhof is a delightful meeting of family B&B and stylish boutique hotel, set in a rambling old 13th-century farmhouse on Kathrin Mair and Helmuth…

  • Beehive

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    More boutique chic than backpacker grungy, this small and stylish hostel has a glorious summer garden and a friendly traveller vibe. Dynamic American…

  • Hotel Greif

    Bolzano (Bozen)

    The Greif's pedigree dates back to its founding in 1816 as one of Bolzano's original hotels; Ezra Pound even immortalised it in poetry (his quote adorns…

  • Il Ghiottone Umbro

    Todi

    What a delight! Danish duo Thomas and Lisbeth bring together old-stone farmhouse charm with Scandi cool at their gorgeous boutique B&B. The rooms combine…

  • Ottmanngut

    Merano (Meran)

    This boutique hotel encapsulates Merano's beguiling mix of stately sophistication, natural beauty and gently bohemian backstory. The remodelled townhouse…

  • Palazzu Stidda

    Catania

    Creative hosts Giovanni and Patricia Manidoro have poured their hearts into creating these four family-friendly apartments on a peaceful dead-end alley,…

  • Alla Corte degli Angeli

    Lucca

    This four-star boutique hotel sits in a couple of terraced 15th-century town houses on a peaceful lane. Its 24 sunny suites and doubles – named after…

  • B&B Crociferi

    Catania

    Perfectly positioned on pedestrianised Via Crociferi, this B&B in a beautifully decorated family home affords easy access to Catania's historic centre…

  • Villa Rosmarino

    Camogli

    Villa Rosmarino's motto is 'you don't stay, you live' and it's apt. Simply taking in the views here is life affirming. This elegant pink 1907 villa is a…

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