Best Luxury Hotels in Italy

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.

Arrive in Napoli by boat and this is the very first building you see. The noble establishment began welcoming guests at the very start of 1908, having been erected in a record time of ten months. Since then it’s attracted a bohemian and refined set, including many academics and artists. There are 100 bedrooms and 22 suites, decorated with plenty of classical local touches, such as Murano glass lamps, Carrara marbles, crystal chandeliers and silk textiles. The top-floor roof garden is home to Ristorante La Terrazza, plus there’s a cafe for snacks.

Hotel Ponte Sisto a short walk from the bakeries around the famed Campo de Fiori market and some of the still family-run artisan food shops and neighbourhood markets of the Trastevere and Testaccio districts. In what was a former monastery, some of the rooms here feature balconies and even whirlpool tubs and the lovely garden courtyard or rooftop terrace is the perfect place to relax.

Taking us back to the artery of Venice, PalazzinaG and its rooftop eatery, are perched alongside the Grand Canal. But, like the JW Marriott, it eschews antique interiors. Instead, guests will find chic French infused interior design by Philippe Starck. While displaying modern decor with many an artistic statement piece, the hotel nods to the building’s previous life as a Roman Spa (look out for the giant columns). Rooms come equipped with Bottega Veneto toiletries, nightly sweet treats and – if you bring your pooch – canine beds and bowls too.

In a perfect location overlooking the Faraglioni rock formation, the villa was designed in 1920 by Le Corbusier for a Lombardy engineer. As the American military base during World War II, it hosted dignitaries like Eisenhower and Churchill, before becoming a summer home for the grandparents of the present owner. Converted into a hotel in 1973, it offers luxury accommodation and upgrades. Facilities include wellness packages, spa, gym area, and two swimming pools. Two restaurants serve Neapolitan fare, while a Gin Club and American Bar allow guests to take in the sunset over the bay.

Found only 100 meters from the Duomo, The Gray Sina is a five-star design hotel with an impressive Art Nouveau façade. Inside are 21 rooms and suites, decorated in a sophisticated contemporary style that utilises steel, glass, silk and natural woods, offset by daring touches, such as animal print textiles. Some are especially unique with features including suspended beds, private gyms and Turkish baths. It has three places to eat and drink; Le Noir restaurant for modern and delicate dishes in a cleverly lit dining room akin to a black container; the on-trend GBAR, and Aria, The Gray Sina’s alfresco lounge.

Hotel Le Agavi, Positano invites guests to unwind where the sky meets the sea, perched above the sparkling Mediterranean Sea along the iconic Amalfi Coast. This 5-star hotel offers stylish, contemporary rooms and suites with terraces to enjoy unrivalled vistas. La Serra gourmet restaurant serves indulgent Mediterranean cuisine and Remmese offers guests the opportunity to dine alfresco with an inviting, sea breeze at the beach club. Relaxation is taken seriously here, there is a heated, 70’s-inspired outdoor pool and access to Alma Spa & Beauty which offers a host of outdoor massage treatments, a sauna and a Turkish bath. The sheltered, outdoor gym at La Agavi overlooks the Gulf of Positano ensuring a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

For an independent hotel stay when in Rome the Palazzo Ripetta couldn’t be a finer choice. This 78-bedroom property is part of the Relais and Chateaux portfolio and presents an inimitable style of Italian hospitality combined with historic and artistic elegance. The interiors were designed by Fausta Gaetani, using a mix of muted tones and jewel-coloured accents and pieces that evoke period sensibilities, but through a modern bold lens. Salone Bernini (which includes a cloister space), the Piazzetta, the Etere Rooftop and the garden provide places for guests to wine and dine in style, with food by the hotel’s Executive Chef Marco Ciccotelli. Palazzo Ripetta is just a few moments’ stroll from both the iconic Piazza del Popolo and river Tiber.

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.

The Anglo American Hotel Florence, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, has opened its doors in the heart of Tuscany, following a thorough renovation overseen by Italian architect Chiara Caberlon. This historic 19th-century building, which has previously hosted notable figures like Leo Tolstoy and Maria Callas, combines preserved historical features with a modern and eclectic design, vibrant colours, and artwork from the 1920s. The hotel, which boasts 118 rooms and suites, a sun-drenched interior courtyard, a modern gym, and meeting rooms for up to 70 people, aims to provide a unique guest experience by blending its storied past with contemporary amenities. The Whisper Wine Bar and Courtyard, inspired by the British ladies’ community “Scorpions” from the 1930s, and Vivi Bistro, offering local and international cuisine, add to the hotel’s allure. Located within walking distance of Florence’s renowned Renaissance art and architecture, the Anglo-American Hotel Florence is positioned as a distinctive addition to the city’s vibrant hotel scene, offering a bespoke stay in one of Italy’s most sought-after destinations.

Built in 1874 and fully renovated in 2022, the Sina Bernini Bristol stands proudly overlooking the Piazza Barberini and its ornate Triton Fountain. This period grandeur continues inside, with Murano chandeliers, frescoes, silk textiles, travertine marble, damask and brocade. 166 bedrooms have a generous spread of bright colours — notably those in the contemporary Signature category. Relax at the WellBe spa and thermal suite, or over a slow meal at The Flair, the rooftop restaurant with dishes by Chef Alessandro Caputo. A second dining room is found on the first floor, enjoying views over the piazza.

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.