5 Best Hotels in Genoa, The Italian Riviera

As you enter this 1890s-vintage hotel above Piazza Acquaverde, you’ll be transported from the modern city to a more glamorous era, thanks to details such as the original marble floors and lush gilt and richly colored velvet furniture in common areas. Traditionally styled guest rooms have details like steamer trunks, wooden minibars that evoke an age of grandeur, and artwork that depicts Genoa’s maritime history. Some rooms have soaking tubs, and there are also a fitness room and a small spa with a private waterbed and a hot tub room.

At this good-value chain offering in the heart of the city, an ordinary apartment-building exterior gives way to a polished lobby and modern rooms, some with spectacular views. The location is ideal—near Via Roma, the grand shopping street, and one block from Piazza de Ferrari, which divides new Genoa from old Genoa. A choice of pillows, coffee makers in all rooms, a gym, and a spa are added bonuses. Some rates include breakfast.

One of Europe's gracious 19th-century grand hotels, the Bristol Palace guards its reputation for courtesy, service, and elegance, offering mostly spacious, handsomely furnished, high-ceilinged guest rooms and lovely public spaces. Some of the rooms have original multicolor inlaid marble floors and other period details. Surrounding the hotel's central oval staircase, the welcoming salons set the tone: they are comfortable, small, and pleasantly discreet, with paneled walls and soft lighting. Booking online can result in great deals.

Formerly the Grillo family palace, this sumptuously comfortable boutique hotel integrates architectural details from the 1500s to the 1700s—like an original marble entryway and staircase, frescoed ceilings, and frieze details in some rooms—with clean-lined modern luxury. All of the furniture has been handpicked and combines vintage pieces with those from some of Italy's best designers, with an emphasis on minimalism and surprising pops of color. Public spaces such as the ballroom-size living room, billiards room, and top-floor terrace add to the appeal.

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.