Best hotels in Italy

Positano and Amalfi might draw the crowds, but the hilltop town of Ravello is the coast's quieter, more cultured little sister — a place that seduced Richard Wagner, Gore Vidal and Virginia Woolf into staying for a lot longer than planned. And right at its highest point sits Hotel Caruso, an 11th-century palazzo originally built by a noble family shipwrecked on their way to Constantinople. Opened as a hotel in 1893 by a local vintner named Pantaleone Caruso, it was lovingly restored by Belmond and reopened in 2005, complete with stunning (and original) 18th-century frescoes, centuries-old terraced gardens and an infinity pool so photogenic it has its own fan base.

It might seem that Rome really doesn't need another luxury hotel, but the Six Senses brought something the Eternal City was genuinely missing — a place to properly decompress without leaving the centro storico. Tucked into the 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini on a quiet piazza just off the Via del Corso, you're a five-minute stroll from both the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, yet the moment you step through the discreet entrance, the chaos evaporates. The interiors are warm and peaceful, whilst suspended greenery and plenty of natural light keep things fresh. The spa, centred around a reimagined Roman bathhouse, is a real draw — and it's absolutely superb.

Venice's Dorsoduro district is the city's arty, quieter side that the Venetians prefer to keep for themselves. And right at its southern tip, where the Grand Canal opens into St Mark's Basin, sits this top-tier palazzo with one of the most enviable waterfront positions in the city. Built in 1892 for the Genovese family on the site of a medieval monastery, its Gothic facade now conceals boldly contemporary and fabulous interiors. With the Peggy Guggenheim Collection next door and the Basilica della Salute as a neighbour, the location alone is worth the visit... But the food and the staff seal the deal.

Lake Como's villas have always attracted the sort of people who make for interesting company, and this 18th-century Moltrasio beauty is no exception. Count Lucini-Passalacqua built the place, composer Vincenzo Bellini wrote two operas between its walls, and Napoleon and Churchill have both popped by. Today, the De Santis family have poured three years of love (and a lot of antique-market hauls) into transforming it into a 24-room hotel that somehow still feels like a private home. Seven acres of terraced gardens cascade to the shoreline, Murano chandeliers drip from the frescoed ceilings and the whole thing is gloriously, unapologetically over the top. It was winner of the World's Best Hotel in 2023, no less.

Tucked behind Piazza della Signoria, practically leaning on the Uffizi, the Hotel Bernini Palace is a 15th-century palazzo with hospitality in its bones. Back when Florence briefly served as Italy's capital in the 1860s, parliamentarians and senators would pile in for backroom dealings over dinner – and you can still feel that buzz of importance today. Now a polished five-star with 74 rooms adorned in antiques and Murano glass, it's elegant, un-showy and thoroughly Italian. The concierge team (Les Clefs d'Or, no less) know every cobblestone in the centro storico, and the location genuinely couldn't be better for getting to know Florence on foot.

With its Arab-Norman cathedrals and raucous street markets, Palermo has an infectious, sun-soaked energy. And right in the middle of it all, on the beautiful Via Roma, stands the Grand Hotel et Des Palmes, a palazzo with a past to rival the city. Built in 1874 as the private residence of the Ingham-Whitaker family — English Marsala merchants who all but ran Sicily — it was transformed into a hotel in 1907 by Art Nouveau architect Ernesto Basile. Wagner stayed to finish Parsifal, Poet Raymond Roussel checked in and never left, and the mirrors, marble and sweeping staircases have seen it all.

The dusky-pink Baroque villa at the estate's heart houses Locanda Nerello restaurant, stuffed full of antiques, art and neon signs and offering a fabulous 0-kilometre menu of dishes like albacore tartare with Salina capers, risotto with fennel and orange zest, and homemade cannoli. Below it, the Convivium Bar occupies the old stone cellar – well-stocked and ideal for an aperitivo – and outside, there's a solar-heated infinity pool framing panoramic views of both Etna and the sea. There's also a small spa, and a larger menu of in-room wellness treatments.

Right on Puglia's Adriatic coast, near the fishing village of Savelletri, is the dreamily beautiful Borgo Egnazia. Built by the Melpignano family from scratch to resemble a traditional Puglian village, the hotel opened in 2010, and is all flawless tufo limestone, hidden pools and blooms of rosemary and jasmine around every corner. There are of course, some spectacular added extras too, including a Michelin-starred restaurant, a spa rooted in ancient Puglian wellness traditions, an 18-hole championship golf course and two private beaches. It's big (183 rooms across three different areas), but the winding alleyways, candlelit corridors and bougainvillea-draped piazzas make it feel surprisingly intimate.

Somewhere in the rolling countryside southwest of Siena, down a long gravel drive lined with cypresses, sits an 800-year-old villa that once nursed medieval pilgrims back to health. Today it performs a similar service, albeit with Michelin-starred dinners and a spa that produces its own skincare line. Danish owners, Claus and Jeanette Thottrup, have spent two decades transforming the estate into a 300-acre working farm with vineyards, an artisan dairy, kitchen gardens and even alpacas. The result is a place is lived-in rather than designed, where the flowers on your bedside table were picked that morning and the cheese at breakfast was made down the hill. And it's all effortlessly lovely.

Built into the hillside of Anacapri, this is the kind of place that makes you want to don your biggest sunglasses and order an Aperol spritz, pronto. Think white-washed walls that could tell a thousand tales of Hollywood starlets, contemporary artwork that wouldn't look out of place in a gallery, and views stretching across the glittering Med to Ischia and Procida that will stop you in your tracks. The whole place positively oozes Italian elegance, from the gold chandeliers and antique wooden furniture to the mosaicked pool that winks at you through peekaboo windows as you float through reception.

Sirmione is a curious thing: a long, narrow peninsula jutting into the southern end of Lake Garda, topped with a 13th-century moated castle, the ruins of a grand Roman villa and natural sulphur springs that have drawn visitors since antiquity. The Villa Cortine Palace Hotel sits at its highest point, neoclassical palazzo set behind wrought-iron gates in five hectares of private parkland. Built in 1898 by a lovestruck German count for his ailing wife, today it's a Relais & Châteaux outpost with stunning, frescoed salons and Murano chandeliers. The gardens, however, full of centuries-old conifers, marble statues and ornamental pools, remain the biggest triumph.

Right on the main boulevard, in an enviable position opposite the cathedral, the Grand Hotel Majestic già Baglioni occupies an 18th-century palazzo commissioned by a cardinal who'd later become Pope. Beneath the lobby, a stretch of Roman road from 187 BC is still visible, proof that this city has layers, quite literally! It opened as a hotel in 1912 and has been the undisputed address in town ever since, with its exquisite Renaissance frescoes, Murano chandeliers and sumptuous suites. Even the restaurant has stunning Carracci school frescoes adorning the walls - and it's recently become a foodie destination in its own right, no mean feat in a city known for its memorable cuisine.

Liberty-style splendour awaits the moment you cross the threshold into this delightful time capsule of Neapolitan Belle Epoque. While the façade still proudly displays its 19th-century decorative elements, step inside and you'll be transported to a world of refined elegance that has attracted the glitterati for over a century. Originally designed as a residential building, this masterpiece by acclaimed architect Giovan Battista Comencini was transformed into a luxury hotel in 1906 and has been playing host to writers, musicians, actors and other luminaries ever since. The recently renovated rooms and suites offer a contemporary take on classic style, many boasting views that sweep across the Bay of Naples with mighty Vesuvius looming in the distance and the majestic Castel Dell'Ovo standing guard in the foreground.

The Pizzinini family have been welcoming guests to the little village of San Cassiano since 1939. Tucked into a quiet Ladino-speaking pocket of the Italian Dolomites, the hotel spent decades earning a devoted following under the Rosa Alpina name before a top-to-bottom Aman renovation by architect Jean-Michel Gathy. And whilst the bones might be sparkly and new, the warmth remains: Hugo and Ursula Pizzinini still greet guests in the lobby, the resident pianist still plays nightly, and the mountains still turn pink at sunset. In winter, you're 11 minutes from some of the finest skiing in Europe and in summer, the hiking is endless. Oh, and the spa is exceptional, year-round!

A tiny Ligurian fishing village with a harbour full of superyachts and pastel buildings, Portofino is a postcard come to life. And looking down on all of it from a terraced hillside is Splendido, a 16th-century Benedictine monastery that the monks abandoned after one too many Saracen pirate raids. In the 1800s, Baron Baratta turned it into his summer pile, in 1902 it became a hotel, and, since then, it's been the Riviera's hideout for Hollywood, European royalty and everyone in between. A multi-year refresh by designer Martin Brudnizki came to an end in 2025, and today, the hotel is light, fresh, and irresistibly glamorous.

On the southeast coast, where the scent of pine mingles with salty sea breezes, lies a delightful retreat that's equal parts secluded haven and sun-drenched paradise. Pink-washed walls hint at the warmth that awaits inside, while expansive gardens dotted with swaying pines and rolling lawns lead the eye toward a private sandy cove that could have been plucked straight from a picture postcard. Just a short jaunt from Cagliari's airport (how convenient!), yet worlds away from any hustle and bustle, this lovely spot manages that rare travel trick – feeling utterly remote while being rather accessible. Stroll to nearby beaches, explore the local marina, or simply stay put and soak up the Mediterranean magic from a lounger strategically placed beneath the Sardinian sun.

One of Sorrento's most elegant hotels (and it's only Relais & Châteaux property), the Hotel Bellevue Syrene inhabits a timeless, 2nd-century Roman villa, its ancient nymphaea still visible beneath the building. Opened in 1820, every corner is as stylish as the owner (who genuinely adores the property). Think Neapolitan antiques sharing wall space with contemporary Italian art, calming sherbet-coloured interiors, freshly-cut flowers in beautiful vases and pretty balconies overlooking the Gulf of Naples. The staff have been here for decades and treat every guest like family. Oh and, it also happens to boast one of the most spectacular breakfast settings on the coast...

Aware of the magic of fully experiencing the microcosm of Castello di Ama, there are now five luxurious suites available to guests. Those who stay at Villa Ricucci will not have a "hotel", but will experience the privilege of entering a unique dimension where time seems to have stopped.

Due to its intimacy, Ama is a place that touches each of us directly, without the need for mediation. The owners have therefore decided to leave the word to the village and the wines, accompanying you on visits+tasting inspired by the themes that they feel closest to.

Italians call Umbria the Green Heart of Italy, and once you've wound your way through its olive-stuffed valleys and medieval hill towns, the nickname makes perfect sense. There are fewer tour buses than Tuscany, a wilder countryside (and food to match) and, 25 minutes southwest of Perugia, Borgo dei Conti Resort. A 13th-century fortified hamlet, it once belonged to the noble Raspanti family and was later reimagined as the neo-Gothic country residence of a 19th-century painter. Restored top to toe by Milanese studio Spagnulo & Partners and relaunched as Relais & Châteaux in 2024, it now combines Renaissance-hued interiors and terracotta floors with a serious spa, two restaurants and 16 hectares of olive groves and forests.

Tucked into the golden curve of Procchio Bay on Elba, the largest island jewel in the Tuscan Archipelago, this family-run hotel has been welcoming sun-seekers since 1955. Back then, it was the haunt of Nobel Prize-winning poets and Italian artists; today the De Ferrari family (four generations of hoteliers, no less) keep things polished but refreshing. With its private stretch of sand, seawater pool and Mediterranean gardens shaded by pines and oleanders, it's a proper Italian seaside retreat. Add two excellent restaurants, a clutch of bars, and an island small enough to explore in a day but interesting enough to fill a week, and you've got yourself a winner.

Follow a winding road up through Moscato vineyards to the hilltop village of Santo Stefano Belbo, and you'll find this handsome former monastery surrounded by centuries-old parkland and vine-striped hills. Cistercian monks founded the place back in 1619 on the old salt road from Liguria, and you can still feel that contemplative calm, even as you're sipping a Barolo in the candlelit cellars or soaking in a repurposed wine barrel at the spa. Firmly rooted in the UNESCO-listed Langhe region, it's a stone's throw from Barbaresco and Barolo country, with the truffle capital of Alba just fifteen minutes away. For food and wine lovers, this is the true epicentre.

Bang in the centre of Montecatini's fashion district, this 102-room Art Deco revival takes the whole spa hotel thing rather seriously - we're talking 400 square metres of wellness wizardry spread across two floors, including an honest-to-goodness salt cave. It's the kind of place where they've named their spa experience "Emotion Time" without a hint of irony, and somehow made it work. The property underwent a complete Art Deco makeover that gives it a distinct 1920s movie-set vibe - each room decorated differently, like someone went wild with a vintage furniture catalogue and a bottomless budget. But here's the kicker: they've also got a sister property, Collina Toscana Resort, tucked away in the Tuscan hills 8km away, where hotel guests can escape for the day with access to the outdoor pool and proper countryside views. It's like getting two holidays for the price of one, if you don't mind the short shuttle ride.

Most visitors to Tuscany head for the well-trodden hills of Chianti or the honeypot towns further north. But those in the know make a beeline for the Maremma, a wild, sun-drenched stretch of southern coastline where cowboys still herd long-horned cattle and the beaches remain gloriously empty. It's here, on a 500-hectare estate of vineyards, olive groves and cypress-lined avenues, that you'll find the former summer residence of Grand Duke Leopold II, L'Andana. The Moretti family (of Bellavista and Petra wine fame) have turned it into a refined country retreat with a Michelin-starred restaurant, ESPA spa and the Tyrrhenian Sea just a few kilometres down the road.

Atop Ischia's Monte Vico, just above the village of Lacco Ameno, sits the elegant San Montano Resort & Spa, revived by the De Siano family in 2008 and polished anew in 2025 alongside its induction into Relais & Châteaux — the first on the island. Seven acres of lemon groves, lavender and bay scatter down to a private cove, with eleven thermal pools dotted between them and sweeping views over the marina to Mount Vesuvius. Combined with inimitable hospitality and a location away from the crowds, it really does feel like its own little slice of heaven.

Perched on a dramatic promontory just south of Positano, this family-owned Relais & Châteaux landmark has been seducing guests since 1970. The brainchild of local visionary Carlino Cinque, the entire hotel was, incredibly, carved into the cliff face by hand and every terrace, pathway and tumbling garden feels as though it grew naturally from the rock itself. With a Michelin-starred restaurant stocked with produce from the terraced gardens, a private beach reached by an elevator drilled through 88 metres of solid cliff, and views that stretch from Praiano to Capri, this is the Amalfi Coast at its most glamorous.

Rome doesn't lack grand hotels, but few have earned the kind of devotion that the Hotel de Russie inspires. Designed in 1818 by Giuseppe Valadier, the same architect responsible for the neighbouring Piazza del Popolo, it has welcome Russian royalty, Picasso and Cocteau through its doors (the latter famously declaring it "paradise on earth"). Restored by Rocco Forte in 2000, the hotel sits on Via del Babuino between the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo, with the Tiber, Trevi Fountain and Villa Borghese all within easy walking distance. The real showstopper, though, is the terraced Secret Garden — 2,800 square metres of orange trees, roses and trickling fountains climbing the Pincian Hill, which makes it genuinely hard to believe you're in central Rome.

Of the hundreds of palazzi lining Venice's canals, only eight earn the title palazzi monumentali — and Aman occupies one of them. Set on the Grand Canal in the quieter San Polo sestiere, the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli has belonged to the same noble family, the Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga, for over a century. And the count and countess still live above those beautiful Tiepolo ceilings! This was Aman's first Italian outpost (opened in 2013), and the interiors are pure Jean-Michel Gathy: pared-back, considered, and completely in harmony with all the Baroque excess. Completely the entirely luxurious picture are 24 exquisite suites, two private gardens, and a team who learn your coffee order overnight.

Lake Como has never been short of grand old dames draped in neoclassical finery, but Il Sereno flipped the script entirely when it opened in 2016. Built on the foundations of a centuries-old stone boathouse in the peaceful village of Torno, it's luxury through and through — but it looks nothing like its neighbours. The clean-lined design is all about walnut, stone, bronze and copper, letting the jaw-dropping lake views do the talking. With just 40 suites, a Michelin-starred restaurant and an infinity pool that practically floats on the water, it's intimate, effortlessly stylish and the epitome of modern Italian design.

The story of how this place came to be is almost too good. In the late 1860s, when Florence was briefly Italy's capital, a German banking baron built an outrageously opulent villa for his Florentine bride — then very nearly burned it to the ground in a jealous rage. He didn't, thankfully, and Villa Cora is today one of the city's finest spots to stay. Tucked into rose-filled gardens on the south side of the Arno, a short stroll from the Boboli Gardens and Piazzale Michelangelo, it feels a world away from the tourist crush of the Duomo. The staff are genuinely lovely, the interiors are gloriously eclectic, and there's a heated outdoor pool. In Florence. Year-round.