We need a nice hotel to stay in the night before we leave Italy from Malpensa airport. We will have turned in our car and would like no more than 1/2 hr cab or shuttle ride from and back to the airport.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

There's a longer post on this, so maybe you can search for it, but many people have recommended VILLA MALPENSA which is a very short shuttle ride away from the terminals.

I got a rate of 95 euros per night for a double at the Hotel Ascot Malpensa. (on their website) THey have a shuttle to the airport and it looks to be about a 10 minute ride.

Full disclosure....I haven't stayed there yet so I have only the reservation but not the experience.

Villa Malpensa is very close. Rate quoted for end of May is 170 euro. They make a point of telling you that they do not distinguish between smoking and non smoking rooms.
There is also a Crown Plaza Hotel right at the airport, between terminals 1 and 2. There website was booking at 136 euro for the end of May.