Best Urban Hotels in Italy

A 19th-century mansion at the water’s edge, this five-star hotel by R Collection occupies an idyllic spot, surrounded by extensive gardens. Inside, the Art-Nouveau design building celebrates art concepts and Made in Italy. It has a lake view restaurant and gourmet restaurants, two bars, an outdoor heated swimming pool and a Technogym. Grand Hotel Victoria’s Erre Spa is quite something, with water paths, aroma and chromotherapy, an ice room, Himalayan Salt Room, tropical and waterfalls showers, a Kneipp path and an indoor pool surrounded by four-poster day beds. Rooms are sleek and contemporary, with style nodding to the early 20th century. Some come with balconies, but all have minibars and aircon.

A short Vaporetto ride from the mainland (this hotel has its own private 4-berth pier on the lagoon), NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa provides super views from both of its terraces. Here you can enjoy a glass of wine or a full gourmet meal. But you can also dine indoors, in the modern urban style restaurant with its live cooking station. The hotel has a 24-hour gym, small spa and 104 airy modern bedrooms, all with Sleep Better Mattresses and coffee machines. NH Collection Venezia Murano Villa welcomes families (including your cats and dogs).

Enjoying its status as the only 5-star hotel in Bellagio, Villa Serbelloni has been owned and run by the Bucher family since 1918. One of the oldest and most elegant hotels in this area of Lake Como, this hotel offers 95 air-conditioned rooms and suites decorated in classic and antique Italian styles with all mod cons including flat-screen TVs. Guests can enjoy a swimming pool with large sunbathing area, a spa with sauna and steam room, a fitness room, and beach facilities. A choice of restaurants and bars, a jazz trio performance each night, and white-gloved service means a pleasurable stay in luxurious surroundings.

Located in the very heart of Lecce, The Fiermontina Urban Resort in Lecce provides guests with a large outdoor swimming pool that is set in a pretty garden. An Italian-style breakfast is served each morning, while food lovers can enjoy a range of dishes that are created by the onsite restaurant and served on the large outdoor terrace. The Duplex Suite provides an impressive 35 square metres of space and features a large patio area to unwind on as well as a modern bathtub and a wide range of other modern conveniences.

With a view across to the lovely village of Bellagio, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is one of the most imposing hotels in the heart of Lake Como. Set in lush gardens with the Grigne Mountains as the backdrop, the lovely art nouveau hotel offers luxury accommodation in rooms and suites including a number of historic suites with facilities such as access to private garden areas, and also rooftop suites for spectacular views. Guests can dine in excellent gourmet restaurants (once patronised by Greta Garbo), enjoy treatments in a luxury spa, and swim in various lovely pools and from the lake’s only private beach.

This luxurious hotel makes full use of its historical architecture will provide guests with a wide range of lavish amenities and facilities. The emphasis here is on pure relaxation and there are plenty of different areas where guests are invited to simply unwind such as in the solarium and the well-stocked reading room. The large Spanish garden is set with orange groves and olive trees and is a pretty place to take a stroll and work up an appetite before heading to the terrace to indulge in a delicious meal at the Michelin-starred onsite restaurant.

As the only five-star hotel in the centre, this is the place to stay for access and opulence. Opened in 1884, it retains the foundations of an ancient Etruscan settlement dating back three millennia. These ruins can still be viewed, illuminated behind a transparent panel. Indeed, everywhere you turn here, there’s history; the swimming pool and Turkish bath are set under medieval vaults, creating a most atmospheric wellness suite. Sina Brrufani has an award-winning bar and Collins’ Restaurant, as well as 94 grand bedrooms and a stunning roof terrace with views across Umbria.

Marking the brand’s first urban resort, Six Senses Rome brings a wellness-focussed approach to a bustling metropolis. Lashings of interior foliage and planting help create a city-centre oasis that belies its super central location, with celebrated landmarks, such as the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Colosseum all within an easy stroll from the hotel door. Once a bank, the 18th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini has been transformed into a stunning five star hotel that offers guests elegant accommodation, supreme wellness and spa facilities, a rooftop terrace and casual dining restaurant – all enhanced with impeccable service.

Bulgari Milan is arguably the most outwardly glamorous hotel in the city, as the building itself is a renovated 18th-century palace. It lies around 1km from Milan Cathedral, on its own private street in the downtown area. Standard rooms offer free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen television, marble bathrooms and either garden or courtyard views, and upgraded rooms include a walk-in closet. Meanwhile, high-class suites include a living area and a dining area. Among the hotel’s other features are a 4,000-square-meter private garden and a traditional Italian restaurant.

Arrive via Aman Venice’s private jetty into the gardens that lead down to the water. Built in the 16th century, this was once the Palazzo Papadopoli, a grand Baroque masterpiece which retains its original frescoes to this day. The decor is Neo-Renaissance and very opulent, its 24 bedrooms balancing this period grandeur with the modern niceties like Bang & Olufsen flatscreen TVs and Nespresso coffee makers (as this was the first building in the city to get electricity, it’s fitting that it should include some cutting-edge gadgets). Aman Venice has a small spa, Arva restaurant, a bar and a library stacked with books, board games and puzzles.

“Hospitality is an art and Portrait Roma has made it a masterpiece.” This is the level of excellence that Portrait Roma has been delivering for years as one of the Eternal City’s most stylish five-star establishments. Another of Michele Bonan striking designs, Portrait Roma epitomises luxury and elegance and is just a short walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The hotel is also one of only 10 in Italy, and 26 in the whole of Europe, to have been awarded a coveted five-star rating in Forbes Travel Guide. Breakfast and dining can be enjoyed on the rooftop terrace or for a more private occasion opt for white-linen room service. And to ensure guests make the most of their visit, a lifestyle assistant is on hand to tailor experiences and itineraies; from booking restaurants, experiences and activities to coordinating your private mini-bar they are on hand to help.

Situated in the heart of Florence, overlooking the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge, the Portrait Firenze is one of Florences most luxurious hotel’s due to its emphasis on providing guests with a uniquely personal experience. The Portrait is home to 37 rooms and suites which include a mesmerizing rooftop suite. The rooms and suites are elegant, well equipped and are bathed in natural light. The Portrait is home to many exclusive experiences and even offers guests the chance to sit on a private terrace below the Ponte Vecchio for a unique perspective of the world’s most famous bridge. The Portrait boasts many exquisite dining options ranging from the secretive Rumore cocktail bar to the exceptional Michelin starred Borgo San Jacopo restaurant. In the heart of the hotel lies the beautiful White Iris Spa which provides guests with a range of treatments. The Portrait is often acclaimed as one of the world’s top hotel’s and it is easy to see why as its uniquely personal service is hard to rival.