151 Best Hotels in Italy

Monti's first true luxury boutique hotel is a tribute to the artists and craftsmen that populate the neighborhood, with a whimsical design full of nods to ancient Rome. Rooms and suites feature colorful prints on the headboards, curtains, and walls, as well as bespoke furniture, Nespresso machines, and hand-painted espresso cups. A breakfast buffet with high-quality products is set up in the ground-floor restaurant, which serves excellent Roman and Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner, while the rooftop bar is a charming spot for creative cocktails. The sunny yellow spa has a Jacuzzi and treatments using Susanne Kaufmann's holistic skincare line.

This Anacapri icon with unique design, spa, exquisite food, and luxurious retreat atmosphere throughout has amassed a noted art collection and even launched a fashion and home line and hosted A-list cultural events. Accommodations are individually designed; some pay tribute to fashion inspirations, from Monroe and Callas, others honor famous artists, and still others may have private pools or gardens. The on-site Capri Medical Spa offers both one-off treatments and multiday programs targeting wellness, diet, posture, leg health, and more. Along with a hopping bar and a casual bistro, the dining options include the two-Michelin-star L'Olivo, the rooftop Japanese restaurant Zuma, and Il Riccio Restaurant & Beach Club overlooking the sea.

Offering guests comfort, style, luxury, and sigh-inducing views since the 19th century, this hotel is a short walk from the piazzetta—near the action, but not quite in the thick of it. All 23 suites have private terraces, but the clincher is the 1950s Hollywood–inspired Bellevue Suite, with its 360-degree-view rooftop terrace and plunge pool. Three salt-filled golden bowls in the lobby extend a traditional island welcome, and elsewhere Regency-style decor combines local color with international chic. The Terrazza Tiberio restaurant is a local-meets-international gourmet experience, and the white grand piano in the Jacky Bar evokes times past. There's a renowned spa with sensory showers and adjoining gym, or you can simply relax, enjoying the view, drink in hand, immersed in the indoor-outdoor swimming pool.

With handblown chandeliers, sumptuous textiles, and sweeping canal views, this grande dame (whose history dates from 1525, when it was built as the residence of the prominent Gritti family) represents aristocratic Venetian living at its best. Although renovations have been done since the palace became a hotel in the 19th century, many original architectural details remain, including wooden ceilings, patterned flooring, and—depending on the room category—flourishes like 18th-century Murano wall lamps, silk damask Rubelli fabrics, and traditional Venetian stucco. If you enjoy executive chef Alberto Fol's locally influenced menus at one of the Grand Canal–view restaurants, you can enjoy a Chef's Table experience with the master himself. The Gritti Epicurean School hosts cooking classes and wine tastings. The treatments at the Gritti Spa -- Sisley Paris incorporate the Italian-made line's aromatic scents, each named after a different region of the country.

When it comes to million-dollar views, the best place to stay in the whole city is the Hassler, so it’s no surprise many of the rich and famous (Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez, and the Beckhams among them) are willing to pay top dollar for a room at this exclusive hotel atop the Spanish Steps. First opened in the late 1800s and run by the sixth generation of Swiss hoteliers—making it Rome's only luxury property to remain in private hands—the Hassler hits you with old-world elegance, exclusive clubhouse vibes, and refined service the moment you enter. The quiet hallways have an air of discrete opulence, but the lavish rooms are decorated with art and antiques, plus some whimsical touches. One penthouse claims the largest terrace in town (and a €10,000-per-night price tag), while the other goes one better with two terraces, not to mention butler service (€18,000 per night). More standard rooms at the back will spare you and your wallet the VIP prices, but they don't offer the coveted vistas across the Roman skyline. The Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant, Imàgo, is world-famous for its view and gets top marks for a menu that reinterprets seasonal Italian cuisine. There's also a spa, gymnasium, and salon on-site.

Situated in a stately 16th-century building and founded in 1845, this storied hotel served as a guesthouse for aristocratic travelers visiting the noble Torlonia family (who still lives across the cobblestone street) and has since been the home away from home for various monarchs, movie stars like Elizabeth Taylor, and several great writers—Lord Byron, John Keats, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway among them. A top-to-bottom renovation kept the British influence as an homage to the hotel's Grand Tour–era heyday, while upgrading the rooms and suites as well as the public spaces, including the sidewalk-facing restaurant and intimate English-style bar.

Hard to spot from the street, this sumptuous place provides all the comforts of a luxe home away from home—expect soothing earth tones in the guest rooms, free minibars, crisp linens, and room service offering organic dishes. A library serves as the reception room, and buffet breakfast is served on a gleaming chestnut table in an interior atrium; a rooftop terrace makes a perfect setting for an aperitivo, as do the ground-floor sitting rooms with their large, pillow-piled couches.

Europe's rich and famous have long favored this hotel, one of Italy's grandest, where rooms are done in Empire style; a broad veranda sweeps out to the lakefront; a swimming pool extends above the water; a restaurant offers top-notch views and cuisine; there are four private villas; and pavilions, miniature forts, and other follies ensure whimsical garden walks. Built on the site of a former nunnery as Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio's summer residence, this lakeside retreat has had a checkered history since its completion in 1568, swinging between extremes of grandeur and dereliction. Its life as a private summer residence ended in 1873, when it was turned into a fashionable luxury hotel.

From its 1939 beginnings as a modest family inn to its newest incarnation as a luxe Aman property, the Rosa Alpina offers an intimate home-away-from-home feel combined with top culinary and wellness experiences. Each of the rooms has a unique layout; the two Aman Suites measure 1,615 square feet. The spa has doubled in size since its early days, with two indoor pools plus an outdoor pool and Jacuzzi, and the extensive menu of holistic spa treatments focuses not only on physical but also emotional and spiritual wellness.

This fabled medieval monastery was lauded by such guests as Longfellow and Wagner, and after a luxurious overhaul by the esteemed Anantara hotel group, it still retains its historic charm and features, including a celebrated Arab-Sicilian cloister and Baroque church. Once-stark monk cells are now comfy contemporary guest room cocoons, some with vibrant artworks and terraces (one suite features a vaulted ceiling with a 700-year-old fresco) and two restaurants provide fine dining and gourmet pizzas. The stunning terrace promenade, more than 1,000 feet long, holds the small yet glorious infinity pool, narrow herb gardens, and lemon groves, and time-burnished columns and clouds of bougainvillea frame timeless views of Amalfi's harbor. There's also an Anantara Spa with indoor and outdoor treatments, and staff can arrange visits to the neighboring town of Ravello, as well as sunset boat excursions along the coast toward Positano.  

This minimalist boutique hotel looks like it has been plucked from the pages of a sleek magazine, and it should: it was designed by fashion icon Giorgio Armani to evoke the same sculptural, streamlined aesthetic—and tailored comfort—as his signature clothing. Room types range from deluxe (with metallic roll-top desks and soaking tubs) to posh two-story suites (replete with central staircase and living room). All have Armani bath amenities, and many have balconies; an iPad controls lights, curtains, and other tasks like ordering room service. Every guest is treated like a VIP, with extras like a "lifestyle manager"—appointed to each guest upon arrival to accommodate any request—and complimentary minibars stocked with soda, juices, and snacks. The restaurant affords floor-to-ceiling views of Milan's rooftops, and the spa encourages guests to customize their experience.

Just a short stroll from Piazza San Marco—though on a quiet side street that seems a world away—this charming hotel will please those seeking traditional, though freshly updated, Venetian decor in an ultraconvenient location. Each room is done up differently, though all feature period furnishings, Murano glass chandeliers, and patterned wallpaper. To truly feel like royalty, stay in the Sansovini Lagoon View or San Giorgio Terrace suites; they contain enormous private terraces where the views of rooftops and water last for miles. All gleaming marble and with double sinks, some bathrooms have deep soaking tubs or even double showers. Dellaluna bath products amp up the sophisticated feel. Canova Restaurant by Sadler offers a Venetian tasting menu with some creative flourishes as well as a vegetarian tasting menu, along with a large selection of à la carte dishes. There's also a brand-new spa with steam baths, a relaxation area, and massage rooms.

On a princely perch overlooking the town, the Greek theater, and the bay, this truly grand hotel, Taormina's oldest, wears a graceful patina that suggests la dolce vita, with a splash of Baroque and a dash of Mediterranean design in the lobby, which has tile- and brickwork walls and vaulted ceilings. Fine linens and drapes, Oriental rugs, and gilt-framed prints decorate the rooms, which all have balconies or terraces—many with a panoramic outlook. A meal at the restaurant or a drink on the terrace also comes with one of Italy's most memorable vistas.

With amazing service, wonderful rooms, fab restaurants, and a large pool and spa—all just a five-minute boat ride from Piazza San Marco (the hotel water shuttle leaves every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day)—the Cipriani is Venetian luxe at its best. Those craving A-lister exclusivity can splash out on a lavish suite facing San Marco in the adjoining Palazzo Vendramin.

In a prime location on its own private beach at Taormina Mare, this elegant hotel in a late-1800s villa offers phenomenal views of the water, attentive service, and luxurious and comfortable guest rooms. The main perk is access to a glorious private beach; cabanas are available to rent for a fee. Sparkling off-white guest rooms all have balconies or terraces, most with sea views. There's also a heated infinity pool, a small spa, and a fitness center. A free shuttle service runs to Taormina (about 15 minutes away) every half hour in season, and there are free boat tours in summer.

Spread across five buildings, this elegant lodging used to be a small medieval town, but now it's given over to luxury, which is immediately apparent upon entering the reception area—white walls, high vaulted ceilings, and furniture covered in exquisite chintz prints mingle with tasteful etchings and watercolors. Rooms have tile floors, spacious bathrooms, and windows that open out onto peace and tranquillity. The Michelin-starred restaurant, Il Poggio Rosso, serves Latin-influenced Italian cuisine.

Long a magnet for the beautiful people, this hyperglamorous Marriott Luxury Collection hotel was designed by Jacques Couëlle to evoke a traditional Mediterranean village, complete with its own bay and covered bridge; the exterior is complemented by a rustic-elegant interior with beamed ceilings, terra-cotta floors, Sardinian arts and crafts, and porticoes overlooking the Cala di Volpe Bay. There's an Olympic-size saltwater pool, boat service to a private beach, and access to the Pevero Golf Club. Summer prices are high (€1,000 and up), but discounted rates are available with loyalty points and in low season.

For the cognoscenti, famous or otherwise, this is the place to stay in Anacapri, thanks to its spa, designer boutique, exceptional restaurants, suites with private pools, and rooms with art or film themes (ask for the Monroe, Callas, or Warhol). The Capri Beauty Farm operates from here. If you can tear yourself away from the hotel, you can avail of one of their private boats. The entrance is hidden behind a long hedge as you leave the town for Villa San Michele, with a corridor of windows showing underwater swimmers and an installation by sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro.

This 11th-century monastery has been transformed into a luxurious hotel with, among other things, a large spa, indoor and outdoor pools, two restaurants (Cantina, serving traditional Tuscan food, and the more upscale Contrada), and expansive guest rooms featuring beamed ceilings and wallpaper showing local landscapes. There are also tennis courts and an open-air gym.

Consisting of a former convent (dating from the 1300s) and a Romanesque church, this rustic yet elegant lodging has rooms with canopy beds, chiseled-stone fireplaces, and massage-jet tubs (in suites). Windows look out on the hills, woods, and vineyards. Dine by candlelight in the courtyard on sophisticated classics—carrè di agnello in crosta di noce (walnut-coated rack of lamb), for example—at the first-class restaurant.

With delicate wooden balconies and an eye-catching wooden gable, the pink Cavallino Bianco (Little White Horse) looks like a gigantic dollhouse, and it is, in fact, marketed toward families. Beyond this facade lies a sprawling all-inclusive modern resort, but the cozy bar—with its large, handcrafted fireplace—retains some old-fashioned charm. Guest rooms have upholstered furniture with cheery large-scale plaids and honey-color wood accents. The hotel is only a five-minute walk from the main ski facilities; ski guides are available.

This architecturally stunning property in the Alpe di Siusi, with a facade of wood and quartzite, has three restaurants, a serious spa area, and its own ski rental service. Spacious rooms, in light blue tones with wood floors, all include Dolomites views and oversized bathrooms. The Sassolungo restaurant serves Mediterranean and international plates with local ingredients, while Trattoria Dell’Alpe offers dishes from the Veneto region; there’s also the Alpina Chalet Grill and Bar for casual cuisine on the slopes. The large spa area has both an indoor and heated outdoor pool, saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation rooms; there’s also a good-sized gym. For even more exercise in the warmer months, opt for an e-bike tour with one of the hotel guides. The kids aren't left out with their own club for ages 4 to 12.

This luxury grande dame, now run by Marriott, is lauded for its service, spa, and more—the architecture was immortalized in 1963's The Pink Panther. Guest rooms are furnished in handwoven fabrics and wood paneling typical of the region, but with an attention to elegance and detail that clearly define the resort's level of excellence. The prestigious bar and spa have both set the precedent for other properties in their class around Europe.

Overlooking the Bay of Naples, this luxurious Belle Époque dream has been in the same family since 1834, which means that public spaces are virtual museums—with elegant Victorian love seats and stile liberty (Art Nouveau) ornamentation—and guest rooms are spacious, with soigné furnishings and balconies and terraces that overlook gardens or the bay. Dine in the open-air seaside Bosquet restaurant or the magnificently grand Vittoria. Grounds lined with arbored promenades, shaded by orange trees, and studded with statues contain a giant pool.

Atop a cliff at the end of a rocky track on Sardinia's southernmost tip, a working lighthouse dating from 1856 contains this unusual hotel—a self-described "door suspended between the sky and the sea"—where it's easy to switch off and tune out amid luxurious surroundings. It’s small and select but still has space for lounges and a library, all blending vintage furnishings with elegant modern pieces. Some guest rooms are in a separate annex. It's a bit of a trek to go out in the evenings, but top-notch four-course dinners are available in the dining room for €100. A wide terrace with gazebos and an infinity pool overlook the sea, and a Jeep is on hand for shuttling you to nearby beaches.  Request a Sea View Suite for 360-degree coastal vistas.

It’s all about the views at this minimalistic yet quietly luxurious retreat (for guests age 14 and over) high up in the mountains at 1,800 meters (5,900 feet), reached by winding roads through the pretty forest—rooms in the main building exude cozy mountain chalet vibes, while those in the Tower have a more polished feel along with astounding Alpine views in the suites and penthouses, two of which boast their own fireplace, sauna, and outdoor pool. The restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling views of the majestic Dolomite peaks, serves up an innovative nightly changing seven-course dinner menu using local ingredients. The lovely spa includes saunas, steam rooms, an indoor/outdoor pool, and relaxation areas, and daily scheduled activities include yoga, sauna treatments, and DJ nights. An added perk: ski-in, ski-out access to the Plose ski and hiking area, small but less crowded than other Dolomites standbys.