Best hotels in Italy

Villa San Sanino, a small luxury farmhouse , is located in one of the oldest and most evocative places in Tuscany, land of the Renaissance, of proportions and balance, in the wine-growing area of ​​Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti Classico. Only 4 luxury suites , each unique. At Villa San Sanino, you'll find a romantic retreat with a relaxing atmosphere, tranquil pace, and a personal welcome, where you'll feel right at home.

Here in Umbria, overlooking a romantic view of the Duomo of Orvieto, along the route of the ancient Via Francigena, where pilgrims refreshed themselves before journeying on to Rome, you will find elegant suites restored in the authentic style of the 14th century. At the Locanda Palazzone, surrounded by vineyards, guests can discover the flavours of Umbria in the Enoteca, dine on the terrace on summer evenings, and swim in the pool

If walls could talk, the frescoed ceilings of this 1870 grande dame would have stories that'd make your head spin. Picture this: Christian Dior taking his final breath in one of the suites, Grace Kelly swanning through the lobby, and a young Puccini composing at the piano whilst Marie Curie debated radioactivity over aperitivos. This isn't just any old Tuscan pile - it's where Italian Art Nouveau maestro Galileo Chini went properly wild with his paintbrush in 1901, creating celestial ceilings populated by floating cherubs and ethereal figures that still stop guests mid-stride today.Set bang in the centre of Montecatini Terme (yes, that's thermal springs central), the hotel sprawls across 20,000 square metres of century-old parkland. The 120 rooms maintain their period swagger with antique Liberty furniture and marble bathrooms that wouldn't look out of place in a Visconti film. But don't mistake all this historical pomp for dusty museum vibes - there's a thoroughly modern 800-square-metre spa lurking beneath all that Belle Époque beauty, complete with Rasul baths and enough treatment rooms to keep a small army of stressed executives purring.

La Roqqa is a destination within a destination, a project of land regeneration, a luxury boutique hotel where "new simplicity" is the stylistic signature. The warm, welcoming hospitality and the extraordinary views invite you to immerse yourself in the beauty of the place, savouring every moment.

Right at the heart of dreamy, pastel-coloured Positano is Le Sirenuse, a Pompeii-red palazzo that the Sersale family opened to guests back in 1951. What started as a summer abode has become one of Italy's finest and most recognised hotels, though it still feels wonderfully like someone's home, albeit one filled with Neapolitan antiques, contemporary art and the family's own fragrance line. With a Michelin-starred restaurant lit by four hundred candles and complimentary boat trips along the coast, this really is la dolce vita done properly.

Rome has no shortage of fancy hotels, but few feel as alive as this one. Occupying three connected palazzi on Via Sistina, literally at the top of the Spanish Steps, the building spent centuries hosting European nobles on their Grand Tours before becoming a hotel in the 1920s. In 2019, Rocco Forte gave it a head-to-toe transformation that's bold, colourful and full of wit, without ever losing touch with its magical 18th-century bones. Celebrity chef Fulvio Pierangelini runs the kitchens, the rooftop draws Romans and visitors alike, and the location is within a few minutes' stroll of pretty much everything. It's polished, buzzy and thoroughly Roman.

Ca Maria Adele is without a doubt one of the world's most romantic boutique hotels. Set in a 16th-century palazzo at the tip of Dorsoduro, just beside the Salute basilica, the hotel was opened in 2004 by brothers Alessio and Nicola Campa. Heirs to a Murano glass-making dynasty (their grandfather built the largest chandelier in the world), they named the hotel after their grandmothers and designed every inch themselves. The 12 rooms are draped in Venetian velvet and gold leaf, with plenty of Moorish carvings and Asian antiques in a nod to the city's old trading routes. It's adults-only, deeply intimate and fabulously, outrageously theatrical.

Hospitality is an art, and Portrait Firenze has made of it a masterpiece. In a new concept of bespoke tourism, Portrait has taken uniform luxury and turned it into spontaneous personalisation. Portrait is not a luxury hotel in Florence; it is an incredibly personal place, an all-suite property, where discerning travellers find the exclusivity they relish

Hailed as one of the best new stays around by the sort of magazines well-heeled travellers peruse, Sikelia Luxury Retreat on the tiny Italian island of Pantelleria is well deserving of the hype. An elegant white-washed outpost on the wild and windswept isle, whose name is derived from the Arabic for 'daughter of the winds', Sikelia's a first-class escape amid the farmsteads and their rough-hewn volcanic-rock walls. Outside, the traditional dammuso-style structures with their domed roofs have an archaic appeal; indoors, the style is contemporary, the spa treatments serene, and the creative cuisine is the island’s very best.

Masseria San Domenico retains all the architectural features of an ancient fortified farmhouse, with large spaces featuring star-shaped vaults. The main core of Masseria San Domenico dates back to the 15th century and consists of a watchtower belonging to the Knights of Malta. Guests have access to a spectacular saltwater swimming pool surrounded by natural rocks, a modern thalassotherapy center, two tennis courts, and an 18-hole golf course.

Perched among rolling hills and ancient vineyards, this 1000-year-old castle has perfected the art of combining historic grandeur with laid-back Italian charm. Think exposed stone walls, beamed ceilings, and the kind of views that make you want to quit your job and become an olive farmer. The castle's courtyard feels like it's been plucked straight from a Renaissance painting, while the Michelin-starred restaurant proves that modern-day pleasures haven't been forgotten. Whether you're hunting for truffle-laden pasta or simply fancy a splash in the panoramic pool, this pocket of Tuscany knows how to deliver the goods.

Perched on the breathtaking Alpe di Siusi – one of Europe's most dramatic high-altitude plateaus – this architectural gem delivers mountain luxury with impeccable credentials. The elegant structure seems almost to emerge organically from its UNESCO-protected surroundings, with floor-to-ceiling windows that brilliantly frame the jaw-dropping Dolomite peaks at every turn. Recently awarded a prestigious One MICHELIN Key, the property blends South Tyrolean warmth with the exacting service and wellness philosophy that defines the brand. Here, tradition meets contemporary flair in a setting that will have you constantly reaching for your camera – or simply standing in slack-jawed wonder as the light transforms the iconic limestone cliffs throughout the day.

The only 5-star luxury hotel in the historic centre of Assisi, a charming and spiritual city in the heart of Umbria. Historically home to the ancient monastery of Santa Caterina, the Nun Relais is the result of a brilliant renovation that has maintained a skilful balance between the original Roman remains and the lightness of a contemporary architectural vision.

Just when you think you've seen every iteration of the Tuscan spa hotel, along comes this Belle Époque beauty to prove you wrong. A stone's throw from Montecatini Terme's train station (the proper one, mind you - there are two), this Art Nouveau palazzo has been keeping the same family busy for over a century. And when we say family, we mean it - young Fabio used to play hide and seek in these very corridors whilst mamma Luciana worked, and now here he is, running the show with the same enthusiasm he had as a kid racing through the halls.

The 81-room property occupies a handsome 19th-century building that wears its Liberty-style credentials with proper pride - think high ceilings, period furniture that's actually from the period, and enough architectural flourishes to keep your eyes entertained over breakfast.

Casa Monti is the Rome you picture when you close your eyes — cobblestones, sage-green shutters, artisan workshops and gelato on every corner — yet inside, it's a different world entirely. An old 18th-century palazzo, Parisian designer Laura Gonzalez has turned it into a maximalist love letter to Roman craftsmanship. Think hand-painted frescoes, Murano glass, Pompeian-red tiles, artfully clashing fabrics and colour. All the colour! It's vivid and personal, and the location is just as fantastic. Slap bang in the middle of the city, on a quiet stretch of Via Panisperna, it's in the heart of the city's coolest boutiques, galleries and bars.

A luxurious perch on one of Sicily's most captivating coastlines where two worlds - and two star ratings - collide in spectacular fashion. Nestled in the Caldura bay just a stone's throw from Cefalù's UNESCO-protected historic centre, this boutique resort has been beguiling visitors for over half a century. The Mediterranean architecture follows the natural contours of the coastline, with whitewashed buildings that tumble down the rocky slopes towards the crystalline waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Nestled along the crystalline waters of the Bay of Mazzarò, this century-old residence whispers tales of aristocratic summers past while offering thoroughly modern indulgences. Dating from 1919, when a noble family built their dream escape amid subtropical gardens, the property retains that unmistakable ambience of a private coastal villa rather than a hotel. The secluded shoreline setting creates a haven of tranquility, yet adventure lies just moments away via the cable car that whisks you up to the cultural treasures and boutique-lined streets above. It's the perfect harmony of isolation when desired and accessibility when needed – a rare combination that keeps devotees returning year after year.

Furnirussi Tenuta sits at the heart of Europe's largest organic fig plantation — 4,500 trees across 20 hectares of Salento countryside, 12km inland from Otranto. The De Santis family built it from bare land in 2006, and the result is unusually distinctive for the region: clean-lined, minimal and contemporary, where most masseria peers go rustic.

Twenty-nine suites open onto private courtyards or panoramic terraces. There's a lake-shaped 1,000sqm bio-pool, a rock-cut hammam, and a kitchen working straight from the farm next door.

Ever dreamt of living like 16th-century nobility? Step through the doors of this magnificent palazzo and you'll find yourself transported back in time to when members of the powerful Chigi family roamed its hallowed halls. Originally gifted by Pope Alexander VII to his niece as a rather lavish wedding present, today it stands as the only five-star hotel within Siena's ancient walls. Just a stone's throw from the iconic shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and the striking zebra-striped Duomo, you're perfectly positioned to soak up the city's medieval splendour. Inside, original frescoed ceilings, cotto tile floors worn smooth by aristocratic footsteps, and antique chandeliers create an atmosphere that whispers of bygone opulence while catering to modern luxury-seekers.

Step through the gates of this impressive 16th-century Renaissance castle and you'll find yourself transported to a world where history and luxury dance in perfect harmony. As the first five-star hotel in the heart of Bolzano, this meticulously restored architectural gem offers a truly authentic experience. Stone by stone, the castle has been revived to showcase its original character while providing all the indulgences modern travellers crave.

A tangle of ochre alleys, ivy-draped facades and piazzas that buzz until the small hours, Trastevere is the Rome the Romans go to. And tucked away at the quieter end of the neighbourhood, just at the foot of the Janiculum Hill, is Donna Camilla Savelli, a former 17th-century convent designed by Francesco Borromini. Named after the noblewoman who commissioned it in 1642, the building was home to Augustinian nuns for centuries before becoming a hotel. Its chequerboard marble floors, vaulted corridors and pretty gardens also featured in To Rome With Love - and in fact, the whole place really does feel like a beautifully preserved film set.

Pull up alongside that storied waterway and prepare to be transported to a world where cherubs perch on marble staircases and centuries-old frescoes tell tales of nobility past. This 15th-century masterpiece has earned its status as a National Monument, and rightfully so. Each morning, throw open your windows to watch the theatre of daily life unfold at the historical market opposite, as vendors arrange their wares just as they have done for hundreds of years.

In pride of place on the Piazza della Repubblica, amongst the city’s leading landmarks, an iconic Florentine hotel. Dressed Olga Polizzi, in signature prints and Renaissance antiques. Catered by Fulvio Pierangelini, in definitive Tuscan style. Filled with character, a breath of fresh air in a city steeped in history. The Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, Via de Tornabuoni… nowhere has neighbours like Hotel Savoy.

The elegant suites conjure a feeling of serenity that feels a world away from the busy Florentine streets.

A luxury hotel within the valley of the temples. Sicily, dating back millennia, is here. Villa Athena is the only 5-star hotel situated within the Archaeological Park of the Valley of the Temples, which UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site, with an exclusive direct entrance.

The resort’s recent restoration has renovated every environment, including the rooms and the suites, which have a view of the temples and/or of the park of age-old olive trees.

Perched above the shimmering Strait of Messina, this architectural gem was born from the creative genius of Charles Robert Ashbee, a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement. Yet, what began as an English vision in 1908 evolved into something distinctly Greco-Sicilian – and therein lies its irresistible charm. Step inside and you're transported to a world where history whispers through every corridor; from the grand lobby with its sweeping marble staircase to the panoramic terrace that cascades down to tiered gardens and a rather inviting swimming pool. It's the perfect vantage point to gaze across the glittering waters towards mainland Italy, ideally with something chilled and local in hand. And when hunger strikes? The Michelin-starred restaurant oozes high-octane glamour without a hint of stuffiness – just the sort of place where memories are made over lingering, laughter-filled meals.

In the sun-soaked embrace of Puglia's countryside, this 16th-century fortified farmhouse now offers a sublime escape that epitomizes the region's understated charm. Originally built as part of a defensive line against Saracen invasions, the whitewashed tower now stands as a testament to centuries gone by, complete with an ancient pigeon tower once used for wartime communication.