These Are the 15 Best Hotels in Italy

Romance, history, beauty—Italy has it all. From north to south and coast to coast, the country is a treasure trove of luxurious accommodations that cater to every kind of traveler. As part of Afar’s Hotels We Love series, we’ve curated a list of the 15 most exquisite retreats in Italy, from rustic farmhouses and village boutique hotels to fairy-tale fortresses and seaside escapes. Providing far more than a place to rest, these retreats offer immersive experiences of Italy’s cultural roots, culinary heritage, natural beauty, and more.

Borgo Egnazia

Courtesy of Borgo Egnazia

• Location: Savelletri di Fasano (Puglia)
• Why we love it: A resort modeled on a traditional village that offers a taste of Puglia
• Loyalty program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
• Book now

Trailblazing hotelier Aldo Melpignano put Puglia on the luxury travel map when he opened this rustic-luxe resort modeled on a traditional borgo, or “hamlet.” At the center of Borgo Egnazia is a piazza that comes alive on summer nights with festivals where guests can taste regional specialties and join locals dancing the tarantella. Surrounding the piazza are rooms and villas in stone buildings that recall the farmhouses seen in the area, plus seven restaurants, three bars, the Vair spa, tennis courts, and four pools. A free shuttle takes guests to the hotel’s beach club, Cala Masciola.

Thanks to the vast variety of offerings, Borgo Egnazia is equally suited for honeymooners and families with little kids. Couples can enjoy a romantic dinner at the Michelin-starred Due Camini while kids take pasta-making classes at the kids club and play with farm animals at the on-site Fattoria di Maria. The 182 accommodations range from snug doubles to standalone villas that can accommodate up to 14 guests. No matter which room you choose, you can expect it to be decorated in a chic rustic style and swathed in white linen. All rooms come with stainless steel water bottles (the hotel is single-use–plastic free) and access to bicycles for eco-friendly outdoor explorations. From $464

Borgo Santo Pietro

Courtesy of Borgo Santo Pietro

• Location: Chiusdino
• Why we love it: A sprawling Tuscan estate with its own organic farm and skin-care line
• Loyalty program: Leaders Club
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Spread over 300 acres in the Tuscan countryside, about a 45-minute drive from Siena, Borgo Santo Pietro is the platonic ideal of an Tuscan estate. Centered around a 12th-century stone farmhouse, it has 22 rooms and suites with vaulted wood-beam ceilings, some illuminated with ornate chandeliers and some with private pools.

The property’s garden and farm grow much of the organic produce and herbs used not only in the restaurants—the gourmet Saporium and the casual Trattoria Sull’Albero—but also in the Seed to Skin natural skin-care line at the spa. The farm-to-table ethos extends to making artisan cheese and yogurt at the on-site dairy. Guests are encouraged to wander the gardens, pet the alpacas, and even gather eggs for their breakfast. From $947. Read Afar’s full list on the 15 best hotels in Tuscany.

Bulgari Hotel Roma

Courtesy of Bulgari Hotel Roma

• Location: Centro Storico/Campo Marzio
• Why We Love It: An architectural gem reborn as a luxury hotel
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Thanks to Bulgari Hotels’ four-year restoration of a historic building in the heart of the centro storico, the new Bulgari Hotel Roma is an architectural landmark you can sleep in. Opened in June 2023 within Piazza Augusto Imperatore, the hotel resides in a former social security office—one of many 1930s public administrative buildings designed by notable rationalist architects. Resplendent marbles—a nod to the marbles that line the floors of the Pantheon nearby—flank every doorway, floor, and wall, and an ancient statue of Augustus Caesar from the famed private Torlonia Collection greets visitors at the hotel’s entrance.

The hotel has a team of 400 staff, which averages out to four dedicated people for each of the 114 rooms and suites. Accommodations are styled in light tones and a contemporary design by ACPV architects Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel. The 16,000-square-foot spa is a modern vision of ancient Roman baths, while the enormous rooftop terrace is an ideal spot for watching the sun set over the city. Celebrated Abruzzo-born chef Niko Romito’s culinary talents are on full display at fine dining restaurant Il Ristorante Niko Romito with such dishes as potato ravioli with octopus and milk-fed Milanese-style veal. For bubbles off a Dom Perignon trolley, head for the Champagne Bar, and for a casual meal of such well-executed Roman classics as cacio e pepe or carbonara, snag a table at Il Caffè. From $1,520. Read Afar’s full list of the 15 best hotels in Rome.

Casa Maria Luigia

Marco Poderi

• Location: Modena, Emilia Romagna
• Why we love it: Intimacy, design, and art, and a dining experience curated by one of Italy’s top chefs
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Casa Maria Luigia is a 12-room villa in the Modena countryside conceived and curated by world-renowned chef Massimo Bottura (of three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana) and his wife, Lara Gilmore. The retreat is a foodie destination, a contemporary art haven, and a design lover’s dream all at once. The retreat truly feels like checking into someone’s well-curated Italian home: From the art on the walls and Bottura’s vinyl collection to the homemade cookies in the fridge, the property is infused with Bottura and Gilmore’s personal tastes.

Accommodations blend a countryside-chic aesthetic with contemporary pieces from Italy’s top designers; they overlook the wheat fields and fruit orchards of the Modenese landscape. On the 12-acre grounds, there’s also a three-bedroom cottage for those seeking more privacy (previous guests Harry Styles and Beyoncé love it).

There’s a wood-decked outdoor pool on the grounds, along with a turf tennis court, and a gym in a converted warehouse lined with contemporary art. And, this being a retreat created by a chef, there’s an acetaia where Bottura’s team produces aged balsamic vinegar.

The biggest draw of Casa Maria Luigia, of course, are the dining experiences, and Bottura and Gilmore have mastered the art of hosting (they’re often on-site sharing stories with guests). Mornings are a breakfast cornucopia overseen by chef Jessica Rosval, whose cotechino (smoked sausage) is a highlight. If you’re hungry in the middle of the day, you’ll find a daily selection of snacks in the kitchen. Dinners require advanced reservations, but it’s worth the effort: The newly opened Al Gatto Verde is Bottura and Rosval’s modern on the Modenese trattoria, while the feted Francescana at Casa Maria Luigia showcases the greatest hits of Bottura’s nearby three-Michelin-star Osteria Francescana in a communal dining format. From $650

Forestis

Courtesty of Forestis

• Location: Brixen (Bressanone)
• Why we love it: A sleek spa retreat deep in the forest
• Loyalty program: Invited (Small Luxury Hotels)
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Originally built as a tuberculosis sanatorium for the Habsburgs (back when this part of Italy was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire), Forestis got a new lease on life when it opened as a five-star spa resort in 2020. Three sleek, modern towers house the 62 suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling glass walls that frame views of the surrounding forest.

The main draw here is the 12,500-square-foot spa, with its four saunas, a steam bath, an ice cascade, and an indoor-outdoor pool made from Dolomite stone. Treatments incorporate local ingredients like oils made with spruce, larch, mountain pine, and stone pine. The restaurant serves “forest cuisine” showcasing ingredients foraged nearby or grown in the garden. The building is carbon neutral and runs on 100 percent renewable energy. Forestis also plants one tree for each guest who opts out of housekeeping; so far the hotel has planted more than 7,000 trees. From $794. Read Afar’s full list of the 10 best hotels in the Dolomites.

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

• Location: Florence
• Why we love it: A Renaissance palace in the city’s largest private garden
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Palazzo della Gherardesca was home to Florentine nobles for 500 years before becoming a Four Seasons hotel, so it’s no wonder that a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze tends to make its guests feel like royalty. Original frescoes and period furniture set the scene, but that’s just the beginning. From the luxurious spa with products by the city’s centuries-old Santa Maria Novella pharmacy to the Michelin-starred restaurant, Il Palagio, which features such regionally sourced Italian dishes as lamb with sheep’s milk ricotta, on-site experiences immerse visitors in Tuscany’s rich history and culture.

The hotel’s 116 guest rooms and suites are spread over 710,000 square feet. Some are in the Palazzo della Gherardesca while others are in the Limonaia or the Villa. Some feature original frescoes or ceramic floor tiles; all have marble bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling curtains, and plush furnishings like oversize wingback chairs. From $1,297

Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo

• Location: Tremezzo (Lake Como)
• Why we love it: An independent, family-run grande dame on Lake Como
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The Grand Hotel Tremezzo has been the summer home for Europe’s jet set since opening in 1910. Over the years, the Como-based De Santis family, which has owned the lakefront hotel since 1975, has ushered the grande dame into the modern era by building eight rooftop suites, expanding the spa, and adding a hammam. Marble bathrooms and champagne-stocked minibars make the rooms fit for aristocrats, but the hotel is far from buttoned up. Guests can splash around in one of three pools, including one that floats on the lake, and dine at five restaurants and bars, including La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi, which channels the spirit of Italy’s first three-Michelin-starred chef. Locals join guests at Saturday beach parties. From $818

Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Courtesy of Gritti Palace, a Luxury Hotel Collection

• Location: Venice
• Why we love it: A historic palazzo on the Grand Canal transformed into an intimate hotel
• Loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy
• Book now

This legendary hotel set on the Grand Canal has hosted a who’s who of international jet-setters, from Ernest Hemingway and Peggy Guggenheim to Scarlet Johanssen and Bill Murray. And it’s no wonder. The Gritti Palace is practically synonymous with Venice. A member of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, it was the erstwhile home of 16th-century duke Andrea Gritti.

Old World Venetian opulence reigns at the Gritti, from the 82 jewel-box rooms and suites with damask wallpaper and antiques to the elegant Bar Longhi. The only space that sports a more modern design is the sleek Riva Lounge, where you can sip a Select Spritz on the outdoor terrace overlooking the canal. The hotel even has its own Riva speedboat that guests can book for a glamorous spin around the lagoon. From $1,027

Hotel Castello di Reschio

Courtesy of Hotel Castello di Reschio

• Location: Umbria
• Why we love it: A sprawling country estate owned by a count
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Count Benedikt Bolza moved to Umbria in 1999 to help his father transform the derelict farmhouses on the sprawling Reschio estate into a series of luxury farmhouses. He and his wife raised their five children in the thousand-year-old castle on the estate before transforming it into a timeless five-star boutique hotel.

By the time they started renovating the castle, Count Bolza, an architect, had already established a successful design practice creating bespoke furniture for the villas. So it was only natural for him to design original furniture and lighting for the hotel. Every detail in the 36 guest rooms and suites, with their four-poster beds and wood-beam ceilings, has been meticulously planned for the visitor experience, from the dressing tables with hidden sockets to the custom espresso machines. Reschio was designed to make guests slow down and embrace simple countryside pursuits, from gathering wildflowers to riding horses. From $1,006

Hotel Splendido, A Belmond Hotel

Courtesy of Hotel Splendido, a Belmond Hotel

• Location: Portofino, Liguria
• Why we love it: Timeless luxury (and the breathtaking views)
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In a pastel villa that presides over pine-covered slopes and the deep blue waters of the Ligurian Sea, Hotel Splendido, A Belmond Hotel was a 16th-century monastery before it became a cliff-side luxury hotel at the turn of the 20th century. Today, it is one of Portofino’s most iconic resorts, with 70 sunlit rooms (think herringbone hardwood floors, marble baths, and wrought iron terraces) that have hosted the Duke of Windsor, Ava Gardner, and Catherine Deneuve. You’ll get the VIP treatment while sipping champagne on a sunset cruise aboard the hotel’s Chris-Craft Corsair 36, dining on sea bream ceviche at La Terrazza, or indulging in a chamomile footbath at the spa. A shuttle can run you down to intimate sister property Splendido Mare, which overlooks the central Piazzetta and is a dressed-up version of a fishing village pied-à-terre, with 16 whitewashed rooms and its own buzzy restaurant. From $3,905—Kate Thorman

Le Sirenuse

Courtesy of Le Sirenuse

• Location: Positano
• Why we love it: An iconic family-run hotel on the Amalfi Coast that gets better every year
• Loyalty program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
• Book now

Nestled within Positano’s hillside tangle of pastel residences and stepped alleys, Le Sirenuse is a legendary boutique hotel that seems more like a private home. Run by the Sersale family since its opening in 1951, the crimson-hued house is filled with antiques, potted plants, and oil paintings that lend it a friendly atmosphere devoid of snootiness. White-walled guest rooms are accented with Vietri floor tiles and heirloom walnut furniture, while marble bathrooms have whirlpool tubs and Eau d’Italie toiletries, the hotel’s bespoke line.

Dining is excellent: La Sponda restaurant is as tasty as it is charming, illuminated in the evening entirely by candlelight. There’s also a champagne and oyster bar that commands dazzling views from a panoramic terrace; the vistas are no less stunning from the pool deck, where potted lemon trees scent the air. The hotel also has a top-notch spa, plus fun perks such as free daily excursions on its vintage wooden boat. Despite the hotel’s status as an icon, the Sersale family certainly doesn’t rest on their laurels; they’re constantly updating and improving the hotel. New this year is the in situ art installation in the pool by Swiss artist Nicholas Party. From $1,383—Julia Cosgrove

Palazzo Avino

Courtesy of Palazzo Avino

• Location: Ravello
• Why we love it: The women-operated Pink Palace is perched high on a cliff overlooking the Bay of Naples
• Loyalty program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
• Book now

While Positano may draw more visitors to its shores to see the pastel buildings cascading down the sides of the mountains, Ravello has always been a bit more secluded and exclusive, the domain of aristocrats, artists, writers, and musicians. Set high on a cliff, Palazzo Avino offers the best of both sides of the Amalfi Coast: the peace and quiet of Ravello, its bird’s-eye views of the coast, and access to the sea, thanks to the hotel’s chic beach club.

What makes this hotel unique, though, is that it expresses the style and personality of its owners, sisters Mariella and Attilia Avino, whose father purchased the 12th-century palace in the 1990s. They’re constantly adding new flourishes to the 43 individually designed guest rooms and suites, the Michelin-starred Rossellini’s (renovated this season), the casual Terrazza Belvedere and Lobster & Martini Bar, the spa, and the pool, which now sports custom two-tiered pink-and-white striped umbrellas, not to mention the Pink Closet, where you can find clothes and accessories by the sisters’ favorite designers. From $865

Palazzo Margherita

Courtesy of Palazzo Margherita

• Location: Bernalda, Basilicata
• Why we love it: A boutique retreat dating to the turn of the century
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In the early aughts, Francis Ford Coppola visited Bernalda, a quiet village and his ancestral homeland in the arch of Italy’s boot, and found a home. With designer Jacques Grange, Coppola resurrected Palazzo Margherita, a 19th-century villa, where he hosted his daughter Sofia’s wedding in 2011. In 2012, Coppola and Grange transformed the villa into a beautiful nine-room boutique hotel, blending Italian country charm with a dash of silver screen glamour.

The sumptuous suites, all individually designed, feature hand-painted frescoes, Murano chandeliers, and tile and marble floors. The Gia (Suite Eight) has dusty-rose–colored walls and a claw-foot tub, while the romantic Sofia (Suite Four) has vaulted ceilings, painted walls, a large white bed, and gauzy floor-to-ceiling curtains. The hotel’s lounge stocks a library of art-house movies curated by Coppola, including 300 Italian titles, and there’s a program of evening screenings. Once a week, the courtyard hosts a communal dinner party for guests that feels like the last days of Babylon, while the ground floor Cinecittà Bar features black-and-white photos of film stars and looks out onto Bernalda’s main piazza. From $440

Portrait Milano

Courtesy of Portrait Milano

• Location: Milan, Lombardy
• Why we love it: The Milanese home you’ve always dreamed of
• Loyalty Program: Leaders Club (Leading Hotels of the World)
• Book now
  

In an audacious blend of heritage and modernity, Portrait Milano reimagines the historic Seminario Arcivescovile, a seminary founded in 1564 by St. Charles Borromeo, as a 73-room hotel. Each room is that chic pied-à-terre you’ve always dreamed of. From the public spaces to the guest rooms, noted designer Michele Bönan blends vibrant hues and textures with Ferragamo’s artisanal ethos (think leather paneling on the walls inspired by Ferragamo trunks, textured rattan headboards, and custom-designed walnut desks). Original Ferragamo design prints feature prominently in all of the accommodations, while the main lounge hall has a 30-foot table showcasing a well-curated collection of books on fashion, architecture, and Milan.

At the heart of the 200,000-square-foot retreat is a column-lined courtyard and public piazza where restaurants and boutiques reside in the colonnade (it’s the perfect spot for people-watching). Beneath the piazza is Portrait’s Longetivity spa and pool, a 7,500-square-foot subterranean wellness retreat for every kind of pampering. From $1,610. Read Afar’s in-depth review of Portrait Milano.

Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel

Courtesy of Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel

• Location: Palermo
• Why we love it: A belle epoque grande dame in Sicily’s bustling capital
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Transformed into a grand hotel in the early 1900s by the wealthy Florio family, Villa Igiea played host to royalty and celebrities like King Edward VII of England, the Vanderbilts, and J.P. Morgan in its heyday and was restored to its former glory by Rocco Forte Hotels in 2021. The redesign brightened up the hotel’s 100 rooms and public spaces while preserving original architectural details like the art nouveau frescoes by Ernesto Basile.

Today’s guests can sip spritzes by the pool overlooking the sea; rub elbows with Palermo’s high society at Florio Restaurant, where lauded chef Fulvio Pierangelini oversees the menu; play tennis; indulge in a massage at the Irene Forte Spa; explore the beautiful gardens; and venture out to experience everything Sicily’s bustling capital has to offer. From $585. See Afar’s full list of the 10 best hotels in Sicily.