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.
The communal spaces are pure belle époque grandeur: white marble columns, gilded furnishings and a red-carpeted staircase winding through four levels. The flagship restaurant, I Carracci, serves refined Emilian cuisine under a magnificent Renaissance-era vaulted ceiling, while Cafè Marinetti is a retro piano bar that pays tribute to the Futurism founder who once staged an exhibition in these very rooms. For something cosier, the Enoteca Morandi wine cellar has candlelit tables, over 300 labels and a rustic regional menu. Breakfast is also just as lavish with mortadella and prosecco served alongside live music in the trompe l'oeil-decorated Winter Garden. Downstairs, a compact wellness area includes a hammam, sauna and chromotherapy shower.
Each of the 106 rooms is individually furnished in opulent Venetian style. Think four-poster beds, silk wall coverings and Carrara marble bathrooms stocked with ETRO products. Classic rooms are a decent size for a European city hotel, but the Deluxe level and above are really fabulous, with original antiques, stuccoes and museum-quality oil paintings. The showstopper is the Art Déco Terrace Suite; accessed by private lift, it comes with a hot tub, fireplace and an enormous rooftop terrace overlooking the neighbouring cathedral.
Bologna rewards wandering. The medieval food market is minutes away on foot, the iconic Two Towers a short walk beyond, and the city's famous porticoes (now a UNESCO site) thread it all together. The hotel can also arrange gourmet walking tours through the historic delis and taverns, complemented by wine tastings in the atmospheric Enoteca. Further afield, Motor Valley puts Ferrari, Lamborghini and Ducati within easy day-trip reach, while food pilgrims can head to Parma for prosciutto producers or Modena for balsamic vinegar acetaie. During truffle season (September to January), the kitchen goes suitably wild!
Dinner at I Carracci, beneath a 16th-century painted ceiling depicting the fall of Phaethon. The tortellini in capon broth alone is worth the trip to Bologna.
Head downstairs to the candlelit Enoteca Morandi for a sommelier-led tasting from over 300 labels. Pair it with handmade tagliatelle and you've got one of Bologna's best evenings sorted.
The décor is unashamedly traditional, full of gilded mirrors, rich, brocade fabrics and Venetian antiques. If minimalism is your thing, this probably isn't the place for you.
Discover la dotta, la rossa and la grossa of Italy’s most underrated city.
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