223 Best Hotels in Italy

At this hotel—once home to the Santa Croce branch of the Mocenigo family, which counts a few doges in its lineage—a columned courtyard welcomes you, and guest room decor nods to the building's history, with canopied beds, striped damask fabrics, lustrous terrazzo flooring, and gilt-accented furnishings. Indeed, the whole interior has been meticulously renovated to incorporate exposed-beam ceilings, Murano chandeliers, fireplaces transformed into writing nooks, and other distinct architectural features. A sauna is nice for unwinding after a day of sightseeing. The hotel is on a side canal convenient to any number of sights, cafés, restaurants, and shops. It's deservedly very popular, so book well in advance.

Its design is more "international style" than "rustic Pugliese," but this hotel offers superb value, combining contemporary creature comforts with fancy tech. Guest rooms have comfy mattresses, sleek bathrooms, and fancy mood lighting; public spaces include a chic lounge bar and the “Enjoy Area,” replete with game consoles.

This traditional stone house has been turned into an intimate bed-and-breakfast with three mini-apartments offering colorful, contemporary style while retaining evocative historical elements, including vaulted ceilings and exposed stone walls.

Artist Luca Giannini has designed two beautiful apartments in Modica Alta, oases of calm and style, which include an eclectic mix of traditional craft and modern art, serene outside spaces, and sleek modern kitchens. Compact but chic two-bedroom Casa Kimayà has intimate terraces with gorgeous views and cozy, understated rooms; while Residence Hortus marries 1554-built stone architecture and high-end detail with its botanical courtyards and three luxurious bedrooms, one with a round bed and corner tub.    

This simple and utterly charming inn is a stone's throw away from the main train station (Piazza Principe), and is handily located near most sights. Rooms are large, beds are comfortable and many look out onto a very quiet courtyard, and there's an ample buffet breakfast. There's no on-site parking, but guests receive a discount at a local garage.

Although it lies just a five-minute drive from Porto Empedocle, and less from Marinella beach, Borgo delle Pietre feels as if it is in a world apart, set among olives and vineyards, with the only sounds those of birdsong and goat bells. A former inn, it is built of the same stunning white stone as Scala dei Turchi and the cliffs of Torre Salsa—some of the stones are encrusted with glinting crystals of salt and selenite. There are just eight minimalist rooms, with white walls, biscuit-glazed terra-cotta floors, custom-built natural wood beds, majolica tiled, resinated cement bathrooms and beautiful heavy handmade linen upholstery and cushions in subtle shades of blue, bronze, sage and ocher. The central courtyard is a wonderful place to sit with an early morning coffee or predinner drink, though other outdoor spaces appeal as well—such as the pool, with a shaded pavilion for summer lunches, and a tiny hidden away courtyard perfect for a quiet solo read in the shade. The restaurant is open to clients only, with daily changing fish and meat menus. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free menus are available on request.

Beautifully restored trulli complex set within wild-flower meadows, wheat fields, and woods, wonderfully warm host Marilù's agriturismo offers instant relaxation, simple yet cozy, rustic domed-ceiling rooms and a flowery courtyard and kitchen for all to use at any time. Here you'll find simple rural Pugliese life and pleasures, exploring the fields and country lanes on foot or bicycle, and perhaps popping by the local farm for fresh cheese and eggs.

Set on the fringe of the Kasbah and built within the Norman fortifications, this quirky, unconventional little hotel is ideal for anyone who wants to inhabit a piece of Mazara’s multilayer history. It still retains a secret passage leading straight to the port (though sadly this is closed for safety reasons) along with a medieval chapel, and it's been built around an Arabic-style garden courtyard with whitewashed walls, ceramic tiles, and a well. Part of the house is Renaissance, part of it Art Nouveau, with rooms decorated throughout in the style of a shabby chic Sicilian stately home. Breakfast is served in the courtyard in good weather and in the Renaissance dining room in bad. This will appeal to adventurous travelers who value authenticity and quirkiness over faultless functionality, power showers, and super-fast Wi-Fi.

You don't have to venture far out of Nuoro to appreciate its magnificent mountainous setting, and mountain views don't get much grander than from this excellent lodging immersed in the oak forests of Monte Ortobene. Despite its simple rural character, you'll find all the comforts you could wish for, with bright, spacious guest rooms and modern en suite bathrooms. Two of the rooms have access to a broad terrace with far-reaching views across the valley—perfect for relaxing with a book or for a spot of yoga. The delicious breakfasts include homemade pastries and yogurt, and the hospitable Sard-French hosts are full of advice for explorations farther afield.

This authentic rural accommodation on the Centonze olive oil estate rings is a short drive from the coast and from the temples of Selinunte. The two big pools—one with a 500-year olive tree beside it—along with the children’s pool, small playground, and little farm zoo (home to geese, goats, tortoises, chickens, and ducks) make this an ideal choice for families. Rooms are in clusters of whitewashed outbuildings, each with its own terra-cotta-tiled terrace. The restaurant is open every evening and for Sunday lunch, with a daily changing fixed menu, and olive oil tastings can be arranged.

This atmospheric, 12th-century castle 15 km (9 miles) from Gubbio has spacious, antiques-filled, individually decorated rooms—some with decorated or beamed ceilings and stained glass, many with whirlpool tubs—as well as excellent in-house breakfasts and dinners. In the evening, the menu in the stone-walled dining room, where there's a roaring fire in colder weather, features regional specialties, including many dishes prepared with Chianina veal raised on the castle grounds, as well as a special menu of medieval dishes.

The owners of De Gregorio Winery have opened a quaint inn above their city restaurant, Le Stranizze, offering large rooms, fast Wi-Fi, and a central location that is perfect for a small family or any traveler looking for a comfortable, convenient place to rest after a day of exploring. The rooms sit on the top floors of a row house tucked into one of the pedestrian shopping streets, offering some nice views of Sciacca. Although the inn does not offer in-house breakfast, it gives you a breakfast voucher good at several local cafés, which allows you to experience something different without the extra cost. 

On Ortigia's eastern shore, this hotel, in an unusual twist, is owned by Ursuline nuns, who help to make the mood placid and peaceful, but the accommodations are simple rather than monastic. Guest rooms are bright, modern, and decent for pricey Ortigia; some have sea views, while the others have balconies overlooking the street. There's also a slightly more expensive sister hotel, Domus Mariae Benessere, across the street, with a spa, pool, and fitness room that all guests can use.

Its location—set amid hills of olive trees yet steps from the village center—makes this hotel with bright rooms and contemporary furnishings one of the best places to stay in Lerici. Junior suites have large terraces and spa baths, but any sea-view room is a value. The welcoming, relaxing atmosphere is evident in a sitting area surrounded by a garden, an ideal place for enjoying a bountiful breakfast. The restaurant specializes in fresh seafood.

Close to Randazzo and with stunning views towards Etna, this immaculately restored 19th-century farmhouse is set in beautiful grounds against a backdrop of lava flows. Clustered around the palmento, the imaginatively designed guest rooms feature chestnut beams and furniture and wooden sinks: the accent here is on curves rather than straight lines. Activities such as ambling along on a donkey, saddling up for a horse ride, or olive oil and wine tasting might lure you away from the swimming pool and its shady terraces. The staff couldn't be nicer, breakfast is super fresh and there’s an excellent restaurant to boot. 

A working farm producing almonds, olives, and wine (all of which feature in abundance at evening meals), Feudo Muxarello offers huge vistas toward the Sicani mountains and a to-die-for night sky. Rooms are of the very highest standard, both in the main farmhouse and in the adjoining outhouses. There is an ample swimming pool and the owners have gone out of their way to document footpaths and excursions from the farmstead. The evening meal comes via a single menu, affordably priced and served in one sitting, eating together with the owner and staff.

Rooms at this comfortable full-service hotel—a five-minute walk from the train station and right in front of the city walls—are ample in size, with a mix of contemporary and traditional accents. A 2017 face-lift added marbled and mirrored swagger to some public areas, including the bar and spacious lobby, as well as to some suites and bathrooms.

In a pedestrianized piazza in Marsala's old town, this former convent has been turned into a stylish and atmospheric lodging. Public rooms are of a stately size, including the extensive lounge bar area that boasts oriental carpets, brick walls, a large old fireplace, and lofty arches. Guest rooms come in varying sizes but are all clean and well-equipped. There's a pleasant cloister garden, and a wide-ranging spread is available in the frescoed breakfast room. Check-in early to bag one of the limited parking spaces right outside the hotel.

The sleek, contemporary guest rooms at this hotel in an imaginatively renovated 1915 palazzo are warmed up a bit by fabrics with bold prints; fabulous public areas include a spacious, chic roof terrace and cocktail bar that serve aperitivi.

This tastefully renovated convent right nearby Ascoli Piceno’s historic center includes everything you need for a pleasant stay—a well-regarded restaurant, a relaxing spa, and modern guest rooms that have comfy beds and bathrooms with showers. Ristorantino Cibo serves well-prepared regional dishes for lunch and dinner. The Seta Spa includes treatment rooms, a whirlpool tub, saunas, and a pool. The hotel also offers guided tours of Ascoli Piceno on Sunday.

Hand-painted friezes decorate the walls of the spacious guest rooms, and elegant comfort is the grace note throughout—you can sip afternoon tea in oversize armchairs by the fireplace or take a walk in the sweet-smelling rose garden. The service is very gracious, and the attention to detail includes a generous selection of up-to-date magazines for your reading pleasure. The staff will give you route maps or help you book a guided bicycle tour. Enjoy an ample breakfast buffet, including homemade cakes, served in a cheerful room facing the courtyard.

Befitting its location on Murano, this well-situated hotel is in a former glassmaking factory and has vitreous works of art throughout; it also has spacious, contemporary guest rooms with dark-wood floors and brown-and-cream color schemes. The Osteriva restaurant, open for lunch and dinner daily, serves regional cuisine, and the Rivalonga Bar + Lounge is a delightful place for both guests and nonguests looking for an evening drink after sleepy Murano shuts down.

Friendly and energetic Federica has transformed this three-story property, owned by her family (of De Rossi patisserie fame), into some of the most stylish contemporary apartments—and one of the best values—in Verona, complete with kitchenettes. It's just out of town, in the Veronetta district, and these rentals offer oodles of Veronese neighborhood atmosphere: lots of students live here, and there are interesting local shops and eateries at the doorstep, yet you're still only a short walk to the banks of the Adige and the sights. There are no public areas—from the entrance it's straight upstairs to the apartments—but Federica is always helpful with tips, and she even runs small cookery courses and excursions for keen foodies.

This agritourismo, a pretty stone masseria (Sicilian farmstead) is in a beautiful, secluded location that feels as if it is miles from anywhere yet within easy driving distance of most of central Sicily’s points of interest, including Caltagirone, Piazza Armerina, and Enna. Inexpensive, welcoming, and unpretentious, it is hard to think of a better place to base yourself in the region. The 33 rooms are simple but comfortable, and there is a hot tub and a large swimming pool for all guests to share. The Masseria’s produce, including olive oil, jams, and pestos, is available to buy in a small shop and forms the basis for the evening meal, a fixed menu that changes every day. Breakfast is a triumph, with lots of fresh fruit, nuts, artisan compotes, yogurt, and homemade cakes. A small children’s playground and the general feeling of friendliness make this a good choice for families, too, and there are lots of trails to follow on foot or bike in the surrounding woodlands.

Although just steps from the bustling Cattedrale area, this small, beautifully restored B&B is enveloped in complete calm. The lodging is named for its five lush roof terraces, all with sublime views, where breakfast is served in fine weather. When you're not on the roof taking in the vistas and admiring the owner's green thumb, you can pore over the collection of books about Sicily in the sitting area (including one by the owner). Guest rooms, furnished in period style, are a major draw, and discounts are offered for stays of four nights or more.

In the early 18th century this lodging began life as a convent (later suppressed by Napoléon), but now it's a delightful city-center bed-and-breakfast, popular with performers at the city's Teatro Comunale. Filippo Orlandini is the resident proprietor—very hands-on and eager to make your stay as wonderful as possible. The living room, temporarily transformed with linen tablecloths, doubles as the breakfast room. Guest rooms have comfortable beds and flowers in the window boxes. When it's warmer, you can sit outside on a small terrace with a pergola. One self-catering apartment is also available.

Situated at the bottom of the Sassi ravine on Via Fiorentini (limited car access), the Locanda is a more upscale cave-dwelling hotel, with all modern comforts, including an elevator to whisk you up the cliff to your room. The owners have even created underground thermae romanae (Roman-style baths) with a series of pools heated to different temperatures, a dry-heat room, a steam room, and hydromassage. Guest rooms are on four levels and are simply furnished to conform to the original cavern atmosphere—the view from your terrace is like something out of a movie.

In a typical Ligurian terratetto on the old port, this charming locanda, or inn, is reminiscent of old-world voyages but with the amenities to make it a comfortable and relaxing stop for today's traveler. Rooms are decorated in warm tones and outfitted with modern bathrooms, and all offer views on to the harbor or the sea. Breakfast is taken in your room or in the quayside bar.