585 Best Hotels in Italy

The quarters might be snug and simply furnished, but many have balconies with gorgeous sea and sky vistas framed by the palm trees of the Villa Rufolo, just below the hotel. D.H. Lawrence worked on Lady Chatterley's Lover during his 1926 visit (in Room 423), so it might be fun to revisit the novel's groundbreaking love scenes while at this hotel run for generations by the Schiavo family. Author Gore Vidal could often be seen strolling along the path beside the hotel—he owned La Rondinaia, the villa at the end of the path, and lodged here after selling to a private investor in 2006.

Set in a molto charming garden atop the Aventine Hill, this refurbished 19th-century villa is a romantic retreat. One of the perks of staying here, apart from the peace and tranquility, is the close proximity to Rome's gems, like the famous keyhole of the Grand Priory of the Knights of Malta where you can catch a tiny glimpse of St. Peter's dome. The decor blends bits of antique Baroque flair (such as period chandeliers) with contemporary touches like the in-room portable handset loaded with data and maps. Each guest room is uniquely designed to follow a particular theme, like the "Room of the Poems," which features verse beautifully scrawled onto the walls.

The only hotel located in Alghero's central Catalan quarter occupies an ex-convent once attached to the church of San Francesco. The somewhat cramped and cell-like guest rooms are ranged around the atmospheric 14th-century cloister where breakfast is taken. Though short on comforts, all accommodations have air-conditioning and private bathrooms, and are surprisingly quiet considering the central location. There's no elevator, and a three- to seven-night minimum stay in summer.

This high-end hotel retains hints of its former life as a Franciscan monastery, with a small lobby that leads to narrow corridors whose doors seem as if they would open into cell-like quarters but instead lead to surprisingly spacious, simply decorated, majolica-floor-tiled rooms, many with their own hot tubs and furnishings no monk would dream of. The hotel's two restaurants offer regional specialties, and its two terrace bars serve up drinks and views of the city below and the bay beyond.

Within the town's medieval walls, this convent-turned-hotel has wood-beam ceilings, graceful archways, and terra-cotta floors, with nice contemporary furnishings and ironwork in the rooms. Sip a beverage or write a postcard on the small terrace filled with potted geraniums; the pool area is framed on one side by a church with a stained-glass window of The Last Supper.

Cortona might tempt you to step back in time and stay there awhile, and the spacious, beamed, richly furnished rooms in this 15th-century town-center palazzo provide the perfect hideaway. Many rooms and the terrace take in sweeping views of tile roofs and the valley below, and the stage-set streets and squares of the medieval town are just outside the door.

Surrounded by luxuriant gardens, in a large cream-color villa, the San Michele offers solid comfort and good value, along with spectacular views from sky-high Anacapri. The showstopper here is the vast pool—the largest on Capri—surrounded with tables for fine dining and lounging. Interiors are modern, with some Neapolitan period pieces adding atmosphere; most rooms have a terrace or balcony overlooking either sea or island. One of Anacapri's best nightclubs, La Lanterna Verde, is also here.

It's a revelation to find this smart boutique hotel, a former convent, buried within Trapani's rather neglected former Jewish neighborhood close to the port. Once within its doors, though, you'll find everything clean, calm, and orderly, with soothing colors, contemporary furnishings, and bathrooms with spacious walk-in showers. Breakfast, which is an optional extra, is served in the courtyard and includes fresh fruit and croissants with honey. The reception staff is quick to recommend and book a spot for your evening meal, and can arrange to have your vehicle parked in a secure garage and delivered when needed.

Tucked behind the beginning of Corso Umberto I, this pleasant boutique hotel has a soothing lobby and a large bar area filled with plush sofas, antiques, and Art Nouveau works. Some rooms are a little on the small side, but are comfortable and airy—the larger, superior rooms have balconies. The hotel's best feature is the roof, where there is a bar and where breakfast is served, with great views of the dome of next door's Basilica of Santissima Annunziata Maggiore.

Set in the shadow of St. Peter's, this small hotel is a good value, with simply decorated, ample guest rooms that feature wood-beam ceilings, parquet floors, and comfy beds. The spacious attic rooms also have tiny terraces. Frescoes in the vaulted breakfast room, as well as the fountain in the courtyard, are romantic touches.

Masterfully designed by local architect Antonio Scala, formerly of New York City, this concept lodging combines the ultramodern with a playful, at times arcane, take on Neapolitan tradition. The main sitting room proves that with the right lighting and furnishings, the color gray can both soothe and fascinate. In line with a wall quote that declares, "This evening I'm a prince, tomorrow a king," breakfast—including home-laid eggs—is served in tiny white bowls fit not just for a king, but a latter-day Chinese emperor. The guest rooms are well lit and full of playful design touches such as a bathtub in the center of the room and a shower head that changes color with the water temperature. Add in silk sheets and cashmere curtains, and the result is a magical, dreamlike lodging experience.

Owned by the Gargano family for generations, this quietly elegant, supremely comfortable hotel has long been one of the treasures of the coast; indeed, it once served as a romantic escape for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Just outside Amalfi proper, giving it a grand vista of the town, the Santa Caterina takes full advantage of its hillside location. There are vast, terraced gardens and orchards overlooking the sea, and down by the water is a luscious seawater-pool area, complete with an idyllic thatched-roof, open-air café. The lobby is charmingly coved, while decor is unobtrusively traditional, with Belle Époque accents. The luckiest guests are allowed to book the hotel's extraordinary, 19th-century hunting-box chalet, set at water's edge at the far end of the hotel's romantic orchards.

A Trastevere treasure with a pedigree going back four centuries, this ivy-covered, mansard-roofed, rosy-brick-red, erstwhile Renaissance-era convent—just steps away from the glorious Santa Maria in Trastevere church and a few blocks from the Tiber—has sweet and simple guest rooms: a mix of brick walls, "cotto" tile floors, oak furniture, and matching bedspreads and curtains. Surrounded by towering tenements, the complex is centered on a monastic portico courtyard, lined with orange trees—a lovely place for breakfast.

The central courtyard of this boutique hotel near Milan's fashion district is covered in a layer of water, a cheeky nod to the Naviglio Grande canal that once ran in front of the 19th-century palace, which now has a sleek, minimalist design and artsy touches like brass ginkgo biloba–leaf lamps, serpentine mosaic floor patterns, and flowers and music selected by curators. Relatively simple white-on-white guest rooms have black and gray accents, high ceilings, oak parquet floors, and white Carrara marble bathrooms; try for a room with a private terrace overlooking the peaceful courtyard. Though there's no formal restaurant, the Senato Caffè offers small plates and aperitivo. A seasonal rooftop sundeck is perfect for chilling and has a phone for placing drink orders with the Caffè.

Sun-filled and immaculately landscaped terraces and gardens, perfumed by citrus trees and honeysuckle, anchor this luxury property in Malfa. Here, the rooms are light and airy, and many have private balconies and sea views. The comprehensive spa's treatments incorporate the botanicals of the island (prickly pears, capers, Malvasia wine, bitter orange). The hotel's excellent restaurant (open for lunch and dinner), helmed by chef Martina Caruso, tells the story of the island's flavors with loving refinement.

Rooms in this 15th-century palazzo, entered via a courtyard with potted plants and sculpture-filled niches, are simply furnished; some have Arno views, others have stuccoed ceilings. Breakfast is served in a room that preserves an Empire feel (including two chandeliers from the early 19th century). When it's warm, a large, sunny terrace is the perfect place to read.

A homey feel with comfortable beds and upholstered furnishings with matching drapery, along with access to a luxurious thermal spa included in the rates, keeps many guests returning year after year. The location is perfect: just inside the city walls, near the Castello, set amid lakeside gardens and terraces.

A 15th-century palazzo in the center of town is the setting for this classic, comfortable, and relatively affordable hotel, where front rooms have terraces with breathtaking lake views and the rooftop terrace is a perfect retreat from summer's crowded beaches.

That this chic city-center inn is owned by an architect's family comes through in details like the custom-designed furniture and paintings by young Milanese artists in the stylish guest rooms. For all its artistic accents, this is still a comfortable, homey base in Milan, with an inviting frescoed breakfast room and many rooms with private terraces. Personal touches—such as wine and snacks in the lobby, eggs cooked to order at breakfast, and free nonalcoholic drinks in the minibars—abound.

Set in a centuries-old palazzo that's just a two-minute walk up from Via Toledo, beside the Teatro Nuovo and not too far from the Centro Storico, this boutique hotel has Spanish-style architectural and design elements and a rooftop terrace.

Two minutes from the Duomo, this good-value, relaxing, little place with a garden, antiques, and a history that includes stays by some illustrious artistic guests (e.g., the composer Edvard Grieg and the artist M.C. Escher) has been family-run for three generations. Grieg wrote in the guest book that he was "molto contento," and Escher's celebrated prints of spiraling staircases were inspired by those he saw in Ravello and Atrani.

This hotel captures the villagelike charm of the Trastevere district and offers basic, clean, comfortable rooms. The entrance hall features a mural of the famous Piazza di Santa Maria, a few blocks away. Hand-painted art nouveau wall designs, open medieval brickwork, and a few antiques add a touch of grace throughout. Most rooms face Piazza San Cosimato, where there's an outdoor food market every morning except Sunday. 

Rooms on the upper floors of this charming 16th-century town house near Piazza del Comune look out over the Assisi rooftops to the valley below, as does the sunny, vine-covered terrace. The tone is traditional, and the owners and staff will go out of their way to make you feel at home.

Just a quick walk from the Spanish Steps, this hotel has captured the hearts of many travelers over the years. Once a convent, this palazzo has seen it all, although now the decor is pure classic hotel decor, with a lot of polished surfaces, mirrors, and fine fabrics. There's also a piano bar, a restaurant with live music, and two panoramic rooftop restaurants, where you can relax after a busy day of sightseeing or retail therapy.

Style, attention to detail, and comfort are hallmarks of this retreat that's furnished like a refined English home. The sitting room has deep-cushioned floral sofas, a library, a collection of bric-a-brac, and windows overlooking an enclosed garden. Fine prints and patterned fabrics abound in the charming, though dated, guest rooms. The well-equipped spa area includes an indoor pool, whirlpool, saunas, and steam room.

This small luxury hotel, in a former noble home a short walk from the center of town, has contemporary accommodations with calming neutral tones and a seamless mix of modern and period furniture, but the true allure of the property is in its incredible rooftop terrace and the attentive staff. Start the day with coffee on your private balcony, move on to breakfast with sea views, and close the evening with drinks by the garden pool.

Suspended over the azure sea and set amid legendary rose-filled gardens, this Gothic-style castle was once home to Lord Grimthorpe and a hideaway for Greta Garbo; since the 1990s, it's been an exclusive if pricey visitors haven, with guest rooms ranging from palatial to cozy. A newer wing has a bevy of options with sea and pool views. Furniture, artworks, and vintage art books that belonged to the lord's daughter still grace the enchanting sitting room and 19th-century music room. Gourmet restaurant Il Flauto di Pan is well regarded.

On a street filled with beautiful old villas, this Victorian-era former residence has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, beautiful gardens, a spa, and well-appointed rooms at reasonable prices. In the back garden, there is a swimming pool and a small playground, making it a good choice for families. The hotel has one apartment.

This hotel's hillside position gives it one of the best views on the island, looking south over Marina Lunga and the castle, and it seems like nearly every part of the hotel (from rooms to common areas) takes advantage of that vista. It's located about 1½ miles from the nearest swimming beach, but they offer a free shuttle service for guests.