Best Design Hotels in Italy

Housed in a 17th-century deep red watchtower located on a leafy coastal track above the bay, the Mezzatorre is now a sophisticated retreat. It was once used to look out for pirates, retaining super thick walls, vaulted ceilings and epic sea views. One of the towers is home to the restaurant, where a coastal theme continues with the catch of the day being cooked simply and perfectly. A further restaurant is found beside the pool with great tunes and superb pasta. Making use of the plot’s own thermal springs, the spa comprises pools of mineral-rich water and seawater, hot Kneipp pools, a steam room and treatment rooms.

Offering a very different experience to the Grand Hotel, this is a six-storey boutique design hotel. At its heart is the i-CE AGE swimming pool, a water ‘sculpture’ for swimming, that’s heated to 31-34 degrees and open 24 hours a day. It has a bubble mat, elevated whirlpools, foot water jets and a large cervical blade waterfall that make bathing a luxurious indulgence. The i-FEEL GOOD Seaview Spa is an uber-modern light-filled space and the i-FAME restaurant features high-quality raw materials and a focus on fish. Bedrooms are known as i-SUITES and follow the minimalist design found throughout.

The enchanting clifftop setting of the Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa provides guests with stunning panoramic views of the ocean as well as the charming village of Conca dei Marini. Every aspect of the building and grounds speak of elegance and luxury, from the stunning guest rooms and suites to the fabulous terraced gardens with their heated infinity pool that appears to be suspended over the ocean far below. The outdoor gym also provides guests with impressive views while they work up an appetite for the range of delicious dishes that are served either on the dining terrace or bar terrace, while enjoying complimentary afternoon tea on the bar terrace while soaking up the ocean views is a decadent experience that should not be missed.

Boasting all the opulence and luxury of a top-of-the-range city apartment, this collection of catalogue-perfect suites is ideal for people who are planning a longer trip to Verona and want to experience the best that modern city living has to offer. The suites can be found in the very heart of the city and each one has plenty of space while offering guests all of the luxury and lavishness that they could possibly wish for including stunning views from the picture windows and classic marble bathrooms with walk-in showers.

Art lovers who have a taste for the finer things in life are sure to enjoy staying at the luxurious yet understated Grand Hotel Des Arts. The Piazza Bra is just a five-minute stroll away and wandering through this charming neighbourhood is an uplifting experience. Guests are treated to their choice of tea, coffee and cakes each day and the staff are always on hand to go the extra mile to make them feel special. Guests can take their pick from rooms that overlook the pretty garden or the Corso Porta Nuova and dining in the hotel’s courtyard is a real treat.

Located in a stunning sixteen-century villa, this vibrant and well-maintained hotel is the perfect place for visitors to stay. While the main attractions of Verona can be reached in just twenty minutes, guests are treated to plenty of privacy and luxury that is difficult to find in the heart of the city. The whole hotel is set with nearly two hundred pieces of contemporary artwork, which will give guests plenty to admire as they unwind in style. Guestrooms are just as colourful and quirky as the rest of the hotel and feature interesting touches such as the jukeboxes and bright red moulded bakelite lamps. Strolling through the opulent grounds is an enchanting experience, while guests are also treated to an excellent range of amenities such as a large outdoor swimming pool, a spa and a selection of restaurants.

Shaped like a well, Corte San Pietro offers you the very best of traditional Roman architecture with a touch of luxury. Much of the furniture comes from restored objects with Materan cave walls, making up for much of the walls. The hotel has a wide choice of carved rooms, including underground ones. It offers in-room massage, and babysitting and can connect you with leading tour service providers in the area. It has a mouth-watering traditional breakfast with new visitors getting free fruit desserts on arrival.

Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita is located in the historic Apennine Village in Matera. The hotel is located on the oldest part of the dwellings and faces the spectacular rock-hewn churches and Murgia Park. The hotel offers rooms and suites set into caves, a massage room, excursions into the nearby scenic areas, seaside excursions as well as local wine tasting and Italian bread making courses. You can stay in any of their 18 elegantly furnished rooms all with a traditional touch.

Palazzo Del Duca is housed in a restored palace in Sassi. It boasts of royalty like service that includes spacious, luxurious accommodation with attention to personal relaxation and general wellness. Room hallways and the restaurant are meticulously designed to give them a modern feel while preserving the rocky appearance. Enjoy delicious cuisines, in-room massage, cooking lessons and minibar, among others. This is a place to be for a relaxed Italian vacation or when you need to reset and restart your goals over again.

Located in the cave dwellings near the centre of Sasi di Matera, the family-run luxury hotel has been offering the best of Italian service since 2000. Its deluxe rooms and superior suites are located in an 18th Century Royal court building that was restored to give it a luxurious feel. You will still love its charming spaces and traditional feel. The restaurant offers the very best of the local cuisine with many dishes cooked in the traditional recipe. It has an outdoor parlour for lunch and dinner outside.

This was a palace back in the early 16th century. Now it’s a palatial boutique hotel with 25 bedrooms that are fit for royalty. Just five minutes walk from the waterside, it has a suitably grand exterior, which gives way to minimal North-Italian designer interiors that are skillfully blended to accentuate original features (think beams, terracotta tiles and frescoes). There’s no restaurant as such, but a memorable breakfast is taken on the rooftop terrace. And with so many Genoan culinary hotspots on the doorstep, you’ll want to try as many as you can manage during your time here.

Located in the coastline town of Lezzeno, Filario Hotel has a modern aesthetic but a traditional sense of hospitality. Each room and suite has cosy balcony overlooking the lake and has an earthy, natural décor to connect with the surroundings while still being fitted with the best mod cons expected of a top-class hotel. The Filo restaurant takes you on a journey of traditional Italian food in a romantic setting and you can work off the excesses in the fitness room, a bicycle tour around the lake and mountains, or order en-suite massages and spa treatments.