Best Urban Hotels in Italy

According to legend this hotel is built on a site which was once home to sirens, dangerous creatures who lured nearby sailors to shipwreck on the cliffs with their enchanting music and voices. Whilst you may see some beautiful people with flowing tresses around the hotel, it’s more likely the jet set and Hollywood A-listers these days. This flamboyant hotel is brilliantly OTT in a truly classic Italian way. Interiors are bold and vibrant, taking inspiration from the natural beauty of the surrounding Sorrento. The hotel’s not short on facilities either with a spa, a gym, manicured gardens, a library, a sunbathing platform, a restaurant, a bar, and a club lounge all on site. We would recommend the Superior Sea Rooms for their sophisticated Italian elegance, opulent chandeliers and antiques, and of course, those incredible views over the Gulf of Naples.

This 180-year-old 5-star hotel features 84 rooms and suites each unique in design with original period furniture and many with almost unbelievable seafront views. Originally founded by the Fiorentino family in 1834 as the Amalfi Coast Hotel, the hotel has had a long tradition of upholding warm Italian hospitality and this amazing service is still at the forefront of the business today. The location, on a high cliff near Sorrento town centre, is supposedly meant to be the site of Roman Emperor Augustus’ Amalfi coast villa. The property is surrounded by lush greenery and gardens, whilst the hotel also boasts a spa, a pool, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a top of the range gym. In terms of style, its elegant with a twist of opulence. There are plenty of original features including marble floors, stucco cupids above doorways, and intricate metal fretwork, whilst furnishings are also pretty traditional. Rooms are peppered with antiques, classical busts and ornamental vases. This one is truly fit for an emperor.

Close to the Piazzetta and the Via Camarelle with its exclusive boutiques and artisan workshops, this iconic location has been welcoming the rich and famous among its clients since 1845. Set within its own grounds and near the taxi rank and bus stops, the botanical gardens and Certosa di San Giacomo monastery are also within easy reach. Inside, chandeliers reflect onto marble floors, while rooms and suites with all luxuries are predominately white to showcase the colours of Capri. A spa, pool and hammam pamper guests, and meeting rooms are available for busier people. Three restaurants cater for fine dining, breakfast, special occasions, and poolside eating, with Bar Quizi and Caffè Morgano fulfilling other needs.

Located in the historic centre of Modena, Hotel Rua Frati 48 is housed in a Renaissance-era building. The boutique hotel has brought contemporary furnishings and technology into the property, while sympathising beautifully with the existing period features. Most are relatively simply (yet luxuriously) decorated, with the exception of the opulent Presidential Suite, where frescoed ceilings, heavy drapes, gilt antiques and a marble fireplace are the norm. A notable change to its original state, is the wellness area, which comprises a small gym, a Turkish bath, a sauna and massage and beauty rooms. Pay a visit to the restaurant and bar for a refined Modenese menu.

Arguably one of the most stylish hotels in the area, we love this boutique hotel for its refreshing, breezy feel, perfect for escaping that Italian heat. Located right above Sorrento’s original fishing port, hanging onto the cliffs, La Minervetta is owned (and designed) by architect Marco de Luca and has the perfect contemporary nautical look for your ideal summer, seaside retreat! Walls are painted white throughout, whilst hand-painted Vietri tiles and colourful, vibrant ceramics and textiles really make the rooms pop. Many of the rooms have huge picture windows offering unrivalled scenes of the Gulf of Naples whilst open-plan public spaces with comfy sofas offer plenty of opportunities to sit back and relax. This hotel truly feels like someone’s (very stylish) seaside home, with the added luxuries of a sun terrace, a bar, a pool and a small whirlpool tub.

Radisson Collection Palazzo Touring Club boasts 89 luxurious rooms and suites in a historical building in Italy’s most fashionable city. It is located a mere 5-minute walk from the iconic Duomo of Milan and within walking distance from the world-famous Milanese Fashion District. An international breakfast is served at this hotel while the expertly-crafted menu at Bistrot Bertarelli 1894 Milano takes diners on a journey through food thanks to the expertise of travel influencer, Marko Morciano, and talented chef, Luca Franz. Guests are also welcome to unwind in the cosy Veloce Milano bar. There is a blissful spa facility for guests to relax and enjoy. This hotel is an ideal venue for hosting sophisticated meetings and events in one of six spaces. Radisson Collection Palazzo Touring Club is also pet friendly.

Armani Hotel Milano is a 5-star escape and embodies the Milanese essence of sophistication and style. There are plenty of options when it comes to the spacious guestrooms and suites including private balconies and terraces and featuring the exclusive Armani Presidential Two-Bedroom Suite with its rooftop terrace and spectacular skyline views. Exquisite dishes are on offer at the incredible Armani/Ristorante and Armani/Bamboo Bar with its unique Alchemy of Flavours menu – designed to take guests on an unforgettable gastronomic journey. Serenity is achievable in this vibrant city thanks to the Armani/Spa and its sensational treatments. There is also a high-tech gym which is open 24 hours a day. Armani Hotel Milano prides itself on elegant event spaces for hosting anything from a business meeting to a private wedding celebration.

Walking through the grounds and up the steps to the main doors of the Ashbee Hotel feels like wandering through the pages of a classic English novel and the illusion is perfectly maintained throughout the establishment. In terms of style, the rooms are decorated in soft grey and silver tones that are perfectly accented by royal purple furnishings for a real taste of decadent class, while the grounds are set with stone statues and gently bubbling fountains. Guests will want to make sure that they book early in order to secure one of the 25 rooms and suites and the hotel is so majestic that simply sitting down to dinner feels like a grand affair.

Set on a clifftop on the edge of Taormina, the Excelsior Palace Hotel provides guests with a first-rate experience combined with plenty of luxurious and stylish touches. Couples are sure to love dining on the terrace after dark as the waves crashing on the beach provide a natural backdrop combined with the glittering lights of the town that stretches along the curving bay. Each of the hotel’s 85 rooms are extremely elegant and provides guests with exclusive touches such as large beds and bathrooms, while those who want to enjoy the best should opt for a suite with views of Mount Etna.

ME Milan Il Duca is a unique, contemporary, 5-star escape designed by Aldo Rossi at Porta Garibaldi. The hotel is located in Piazza della Repubblica and close to the iconic Duomo of Milan. There is a range of rooms and suites on offer, including interconnecting options and stunning city views. There are two restaurants serving Italian specialties including the STK Milan Steakhouse. Guests can also enjoy the tranquil Radio Rooftop Bar with its sensational views, sunsets, and cocktail selection. The hotel offers a 24/7 gym facility for guests looking to keep up their fitness regime on the go and is completely pet-friendly. ME Milan Il Duca boasts four sophisticated event spaces, perfect for hosting any function from a business event to a truly unforgettable wedding. The hotel is also part of the MeliáRewards loyalty programme.

What was once a reef side fortress has been lovingly restored, to create a whitewashed ten-bedroomed boutique hotel right in Monopoli. Original features such as vaulted stone ceilings, fireplaces and limestone floors have been maintained, complimented by handicrafts, carved wood headboards and mod cons including hydro showers. The rooftop terrace is a romantic spot in which to savour some seasonal Puglian cuisine or take a dip in the little sea-view pool that’s sheltered by a rustic stone wall. Massages can be booked in-room or taken in a dedicated outdoor treatment area and breakfast is served in the 16th-century cellar.

Originally built in 1822, Hotel La Palma, is one of Capri’s most exclusive and luxurious hotels. The hotel’s 50 suites and rooms have all been recently renovated by renowned interior designer Francis Sultana. They are modern yet playful and thus are inviting and fun. Hotel La Palma is home to its own private beach club on Capris white sands, its own fitness centre, spa and picturesque pool. The hotel is home to three separate restaurants which include a lively terrace restaurant and a restaurant at the hotel’s beach club which specializes in fresh seafood. Yet the hotel’s culinary piece de resistance is Gennaro’s, a relaxed yet sophisticated restaurant named after its Michelin-starred executive Chef Gennaro Esposito who specializes in classic Italian dishes.