585 Best Hotels in Italy

The idea that the Campanati sisters named the 15 rooms in their renovated 17th-century locanda after the stars and constellations of the highest magnitude in the Northern Hemisphere says something about how personally this place is run. That's a real plus, as is the location on one of the brightest, most tranquil canals in the Dorsoduro area, but only two minutes from the Salute, the Accademia, and the Guggenheim Museum, and also handy to the Zattere promenade. The cheeriest rooms are on the top floor overlooking the canal.

This boutique property inside the former residence of opera composer Gaetano Donizetto aims to be a restaurant with rooms above rather than a hotel with a restaurant below. In fact, you have to walk through the restaurant to check in at the reception desk. The design is inspired by English colonial clubhouses, with plush banquettes and gallery walls featuring Old Master–style paintings with a humorous twist. Rooms have plush beds with oversize headboards, bold colors, and luxe marble bathrooms.

Inside this faithfully restored palazzo dating from the early 1900s, spaciousness is accentuated with soft white interiors, muted fabrics and marble, and contemporary lines. An understated entrance leads into what seems more like a sophisticated, upscale residence than a hotel—which is precisely the feeling the designers were striving for. Massive mirrors don't hang, they lean; baths are almost as spacious as the living areas; a refined hush prevails. Though there's no restaurant or breakfast room, if you wish you can dine in privacy with room service for breakfast (for an extra fee).

Up a narrow calle and across the bridge from the bustling Strada Nova, this 15th-century palazzo sits by a tranquil canal and an evocative little campo; inside you'll find traditional Venetian decor and guest rooms featuring silk damasks tufted onto multiwindowed walls. Standout options include a suite with a columned balcony overlooking the Priuli Canal, or the hideaway attic mansarda, with sloping ceilings and a rooftop view from several windows.

The first luxury hotel built on the Via Veneto, in 1889, the luxurious Majestic was long a favorite among Roman nobility and high society (it served as a backdrop in Fellini's La Dolce Vita). Today, the Majestic holds onto its grand old-world splendor with luxurious art deco furnishings, spacious rooms, up-to-date accessories, and white marble bathrooms. The wonderful restaurant with a Sicilian menu and bar has a delightful terrace that overlooks the Via Veneto and excellent people-watching potential.

Right in front of the Plan de Corones chairlift, this is a great base for a skiing or hiking vacation, with bus service to the ski slopes and a spa and pools on-site to unwind after a big day out. The hotel can help to arrange discounted ski passes with advance notice. In the warmer months, staff can help you find the best hiking in the area; the hotel even has its own guides. The decor is typical of the region, with warm wood and fabrics, and plenty of amenities. Some rates include breakfast and dinner, which are rotated regularly for variety, and discounts are offered for stays longer than four nights.

The nine 19th-century villas that comprise this Lake Como outpost of the extravagant Mandarin chain have been thoroughly updated for the 21st century, offering a quiet setting (just north of the busy town of Como) and luxurious amenities that include a 14,000-square-foot spa and a swimming pool that "floats" above the lake. Public areas, guest rooms, and suites have beautiful lake views; some accommodations also feature floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces or gardens. Dining options include the lakefront L˜ARIA restaurant, which serves Mediterranean cuisine, and the more casual CO.MO Bar & Bistrot. There's a car service available from the hotel to Como town and other destinations (for a fee), though it's first come, first served; since taxis on the lake are in limited supply, it's best to have your own car if you plan to explore the rest of the lake.

You can do your sightseeing from the rooftop terrace of the Marcella, a midsize hotel with the feel of a smaller, more intimate establishment, where staff go the extra mile to make your stay pleasant. Many rooms also have good views, and all are decorated in tasteful color schemes, some with floral prints and mirrored walls. The spacious suites are ideal for families. The hotel is 10 minutes from Via Veneto and Termini Station.

This central downtown hotel has a reassuringly old-fashioned style, with its grand, columned exterior and elegant neoclassical lobby hung with chandeliers. The staff are professional but friendly, while the well-kept, comfortable rooms have lovely wood or marble floors, solid wood furniture, striped bedding, and efficient bathrooms. There's an internal garden, and the hotel's brick-vaulted Blao restaurant pulls in the locals.

Not only is this handsome hotel at the top of Via Veneto and next to the Villa Borghese park something of a beacon on the Rome landscape, but its guest rooms are among the largest in the city. The design of the rooms feels distinguished, and many face the enchanting gardens of the Villa Borghese, including the suites, each of which is unique and has carefully chosen antiques. On-site amenities include a fitness center and a lovely rooftop restaurant.

Small and select, this hotel enjoys one of Palermo's best locations—opposite the Teatro Massimo, on the border of the old and new towns—and has guest rooms that are spacious, comfortably furnished, and well insulated from the noise on pedestrianized Via Maqueda. The service is personal and polite, with breakfast served in your room or in the lounge, which has limited capacity. Book in advance for one of the seven rooms that have theater views.

Though given a stylish modern makeover, the courtyards, vaulted brick lobby, and breakfast room of this 15th-century palazzo retain much of their lordly Renaissance flair. Guest rooms are a little more down-to-earth, but standard doubles and some of the enormous bi- and tri-level suites have dark wooden floors, exposed roof beams, and cozy antique furniture. Top-floor rooms and suites—some with terraces—are roomy and especially good for families. Everything here, including room service, is impeccable. The location is quiet but fairly convenient.

This outpost of the Spanish hotel brand ME by Meliá has a lively party atmosphere, with rousing music playing in the lobby, a design-conscious vibe, and a happening rooftop bar with panoramic city views. Rooms have a dark and moody feel, done up in browns and neutral colors and hung with oversized arty photographs. The hotel includes modern steak house STK restaurant, complete with its own DJ after 10 pm, while Radio Rooftop Bar is the perfect place for an aperitivo while mingling with a fashionable crowd.

Modern, bright, and sleekly decorated guest rooms and the on-site gourmet restaurant add allure to this five-star chain hotel in the modern part of the city. The wide variety of amenities includes plasma TVs and some Jacuzzi tubs, but all of this chic luxury is relatively inexpensive for hotels in the area. Breakfast can be omitted from your booking, if preferred.

Set in a restored 19th-century palazzo, this Bergamo Basso hotel has modern comforts and a friendly, efficient staff, making it a good choice for both business and leisure travelers. Although rooms can be a bit dark, they're quite spacious, and some have views of the old town.

Right off Piazza Municipio, in the shadows of Castel Nuovo, this popular hotel is a good choice if you're taking a boat from Molo Beverello. The lobby is sober yet luminous, and the rooms are quiet and tastefully appointed. Breakfast is served on a delightful third-floor terrace with views over the castle.

Atmosphere prevails in this labyrinth of opulent, intimate spaces featuring classic Venetian decor combined with Eastern influences: common areas and guest rooms are filled with an assortment of antiques and curiosities. The best rooms are up on the roof, where there are also two spacious terraces. Suites feature sparkling mosaic sunken baths, Fortuny fabrics, and other notable architectural details.

Far from the madding, sunburned crowds—in a sleekly renovated former fortress on Punta Cornacchia above the Bay of San Montano—this luxurious getaway (part of the chic Pellicano Hotels Group) tempts its privileged guests to stay put and relax, with a glamorous heated pool overlooking a storybook cove, fine restaurants, spa treatments, and hundreds of pretty pine and pomegranate trees. Inside, everything is white-on-white, accented with charming retro details, like brass lamps and illustrated matchbooks. Most guest rooms are in the 16th-century Aragonese tower. The restaurants—La Torre and the more laidback, alfresco La Baia—are open to nonguests by reservation.

Opened in 2021, this impressive Neoclassical building near the santuario now houses a well-thought-out hotel that fuses comfortable contemporary design with historic decorative touches. Three chic restaurant hangouts—Circolo, Roof, and RAW—cover social-club pizzeria to rooftop lounge bar to refined gourmet, while the understated but stylish rooms offer ample options for couples and families. 

This delightful hotel has a creaky old feel to it, but that's part of the charm—the lobby area, scattered with books, magazines, and tchotchkes, calls to mind an elderly relative's living room; but the rooms themselves are simple, light, and comfortable. There's a lovely roof terrace with panoramic views—a great place to start the day with breakfast or relax in the evening with cocktails—and a well-known restaurant serving seafood pasta, couscous, and homemade desserts.

Step out of this charming, clean, well-run hotel, and you'll feel like you've landed in the middle of an ancient imperial stomping ground; a stone's throw from the Forum, it's surrounded by the breathtaking splendor of ancient ruins. Guest rooms are on the small side but are modern and offer good value for the location; they feature large comfy orthopedic beds with hounds-tooth-plaid headboards, parquet flooring, marble baths, air-conditioning, and soundproof windows. The Aurora Bistrot & Bar, located in the lounge of the hotel, serves brunch every day and aperitivo in the evenings.

It would be hard to find a modern hotel closer to the Roman Forum—the ancient ruins are practically right outside the door. Rooms feature sleek contemporary furniture and wallpaper stamped with villas from Rome's past. Don't miss drinks on the rooftop terrace, which provides bird's-eye views of Piazza Venezia, Trajan's Column, and the domes of the Santissima Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano Church.

The genial Viti family oversees this property with clean and simple rooms near the train station and well within walking distance of the sights. Air-conditioning and triple-glazed windows ensure quiet nights. Some rooms can accommodate extra beds.

For great views of Etna, this centrally located hotel overlooking Catania's main shopping street has a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy breakfast or take in the scenery during happy hour over a cocktail and antipasti buffet. Although it has a bit of a chain-hotel feel, the friendly service makes the experience feel more personal—you can even leave your car in front of the hotel, and they'll park it for you. Upgrading to a larger executive room is highly recommended: it includes anything you want from the minibar.

The only hotel in Italy outfitted by famed French designer Philippe Starck boasts a clubby atmosphere, over-the-top contemporary rooms lined with Murano glass, and so-close-you-can-touch-them Grand Canal views. Sleek white guest rooms feature Carnival mask motifs on the lamps, large-size TVs hidden inside mirrors, and plenty of comfy couches and chairs to relax in; some have their own balconies or terraces. The Restaurant offers modern versions of traditional Venetian cuisine, or you can sip some bubbly in the intimate Krug Champagne Lounge, with mesmerizing Grand Canal views, before dining on the impressive roof terrace, open from May through September. For a decadent oasis within a short stroll of St. Mark’s Square, the Palazzina can’t be beat.

At this atmospheric late-16th-century palazzo, you can experience warm hospitality, a lush private garden, and unusually spacious guest rooms well appointed with antique-style furniture, frescoed or stuccoed ceilings, and silk fabrics. The location is remote enough to escape the San Marco masses while still within striking distance of major sights, and there's a private dock for taxi arrival. In summer, breakfast is served in the gorgeous garden.

This former palace was formally named Palazzo Barbarigo della Terrazza because of its unique open-air terrace. While it is not unusual to find an opulent hotel along the Grand Canal, it is unusual to discover black marble, matte lacquer, indirect lighting, and 1940s design perfectly ensconced in a 16th-century Venetian palace. Massive mirrors soar from floor to ceiling to create a feeling of spaciousness. Each room, whether suite or standard, feels like a refuge; a long, ultra-chic bar runs the length of the piano nobile (principal floor) to a balcony above the canal, just large enough for a table and two chairs.

Set in a historic, central palazzo, Bezzi is the best bet in town for reliable, friendly customer service, and a comfortable stay amid modern surroundings, a quiet garden, and panoramic rooftop solarium. Guest room and suite decor is mainly muted, whitewashed and minimalist with parquet flooring, while some have accented, striped wallpaper.  

Once home to the Malaspina family who hosted high-society gatherings throughout the 18th century, this former Roman villa has public spaces that are sumptuously decorated with chandeliers, velvet curtains, and eclectic artwork. Rooms feature tasteful navy blue, taupe, or green details against white backdrops, with comfortable beds and minimal furniture. Some suites offer incredible details like beamed ceilings, terraces, design books, and prints by noted photographers. The gorgeous outdoor garden features olive and lemon trees, and a pool with sunbeds.

Occupying a 19th-century villa up the steps from Atrani's harbor, this hotel has unrivaled beach vistas and a pop-art design-theme, evident in both the modern lobby and in the colorful, individually designed guest rooms, each one dedicated to a movie actress. The star attraction, though, is the Nel Blue beauty center, with its mosaic walls, infused lighting, and selection of massages. Climb to the top-floor solarium for a 180-degree view over Atrani.