Best Luxury Hotels in Italy

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.

Hotel Cala di Volpe is found in one of the most popular areas for tourists, known as the Emerald Coast. It takes the form of a village, with its jetty stretching out into the water and was originally designed by Jacques Couelle’s in the 1960s. Boasting a barbecue area, an Olympic-size saltwater pool, direct access to the sea and 121 bedrooms with private terraces, it provides ample opportunity to enjoy the alfresco life. Hotel Cala di Volpe’s Shiseido Spa is uber-modern – fewer than three years old – and the restaurant, Le Grand, provides unrestricted water views.

Located in the quaint village of Minervino di Lecce Palazzo DucaleVenturi is a luxury 5-star boutique hotel in a restored aristocratic palace from the 16th century. The palace has been carefully restored to offer 20 refurbished guest rooms including four majestic suites with floor-length windows – with one offering guests direct access to the outdoor pool whilst another direct access to the indoor pool. Guests can also enjoy delicious cuisine in the unique restaurant, make use of the outdoor saltwater swimming pool and indoor pool, relax in the luxury spa, rejuvenate in Puglia’s first Cryotherapy chamber, enjoy the beautiful outdoor spaces at the hotel or discover a wealth of Apulian traditional experiences in the local area.

Stay a little further out of town (but just a 15-minute drive from the airport), among the region’s vineyards. The Borgobrufa Spa Resort is only for adults and encompasses 29 acres. The architecture blends seamlessly with the traditional buildings, yet is fully fresh and modern. Some of its 50 rooms have private terraces with pools, and in-suite jacuzzis or alfresco hot tubs. Swim in the outdoor hydrotherapy pool, book a couples’ massage and dine by candlelight, sampling produce from the grounds. The food at Borgobrufa is gourmet and beautifully presented.

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.

This stunning resort originally dates back to the 10th century, when it was an ancient monastery located in the beautiful countryside in the Chianti region, ideally placed for visiting the Chianti Classico area and to easily accessing the beautiful cities of Siena, Florence and Arezzo, as well as the most famous villages in the heart of Tuscany. Rooms and suites at the resort are all designed with traditional Tuscan décor and offer a stylish but rustic feel and guests can opt for a countryside or courtyard view. A Jacuzzi and private garden suite is also available, ideal for special occasions. The resort has two swimming pools, so in the height of summer guests can enjoy the outdoor pool with a waterfall and sun terrace and in the winter months guests can make use of the heated indoor pool with sweeping views of the countryside. A fitness centre sauna, Turkish bath, tennis court and billiard room are activities guests can enjoy onsite whilst there are a great number of exciting hiking and mountain biking trails to explore in the local area. There is a choice of restaurants for different dining occasions including Il Pievano which is situated in the castle’s historic hall and for a romantic dinner candlelit dinners are served out in the courtyard. Each year The Wine Cellar creates six exclusive wine labels using the grapes grown in the vineyard on the surrounding hills. Guests can arrange wine tasting experiences can be arranged for guests and many of these wines can be ordered at Il Pievano Restaurant.

Located in the lush Chianti countryside, One Belvedere Tuscany is a serene and luxurious wellness retreat for discerning travellers seeking to slow down and reconnect with themselves and nature. Founded by visionary Natacha Fazal-Karim, the wellness sanctuary embodies her ‘Soul Aligned’ philosophy, where mind, body, and earth unite in harmony. Set on a 50-acre regenerative bio-farm between Florence and Siena, One Belvedere Tuscany invites guests to experience sustainable luxury through design, nature, and mindful living.

Surrounded by Chianti Classico vineyards and home to Belvedere 1 Castellina in Chianti Winery, guests can also explore the stories of the land, olive oils and its wines, apart from enjoying other wellness and lifestyle led experiences guests can enjoy premier fine dining at the exquisite QB Cucina, a deliciously vegetarian restaurant led by Chef Federico Viti. Refined accommodation options include the spacious suite Villa N or 3 fully furnished apartments, available to book individually or the entire property can be booked for exclusive use.

While dating back to the 18th century, the interior of this property exudes a chic Riviera-style decor. And you can soak up plenty of that Italian sunshine, with an onsite garden (in which you can breakfast) and rooftop terrace, the latter providing loungers and drinks service. Guests can also take it easy, with some time in the wellness suite; it has a sauna, steam room, experience shower and treatment rooms. Hotel Palazzo has 32 bedrooms, including a two-bedroom suite, and is a very short stroll from the Sant’Apollinare Nuovo (one of the foremost mosaic sites).

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.

Nestled in the rolling hills of Siena, the Fonteverde hotel in San Casciano Dei Bagni, is steeped in history; this beautiful residence was commissioned in 1607 by the Grand Duke Ferdinand I and is the perfect tribute to the Italian Renaissance. Grandeur, tradition and impeccable attention to detail are themes that run throughout the hotel resulting in a high-end luxury experience. Rooms and suites are elegantly presented with options to cater for a variety of party sizes. Facilities at the hotel include an infinity pool, boasting beautiful views of the garden, a fully-equipped wellness centre, three outdoor pools and one indoor pool for the cooler months. The spa and wellness centre includes a Turkish bath whilst more active guests can take advantage of the onsite tennis court. Cycling, hiking and horse-riding are ideal pursuits to explore the local area in which Fonteverde is situated. There is a fine choice of restaurants and bars at the hotel catering for a range of occasions and palettes; from exclusive flavours and extraordinary wine lists at the Ferminando I Restaurant to the seasonal salads and lavish buffet served at La Corte Restaurant, and not to be forgotten, starlight drinks served on the terrace with views that overlook the Val d’Orcia. Fonteverde has its own helipad and the team can accommodate guests’ requests for arrivals, transfers or other journeys made by helicopter. Impeccable elegance can be expected here at the Fonteverde Hotel.

Clinging to the cliffs below the main coastal road, this family-owned hotel has achieved legendary status since its opening in 1970. Popular with celebs like Gregory Peck, Peter O’Toole, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, Dustin Hoffman, King of Jordan, and more recently Julia Roberts and George Clooney., the San Pietro is suitably glamorous, but discreetly so. The star dust from the fabulous regulars mixed with the attention to detail and friendly service characteristic in a family-run affair, creates an ideal luxury hotel. Facilities here are second to none with everything you would want on site from private boat hire and a Michelin-starred restaurant to a private beach and tennis courts. The rooms and suites echo Positano’s set-up as they graduate down the cliff side in a series of terraces, each with its own private outside space and of course, stunning sea views. Décor is fresh and vibrant with white walls, hand-painted ceramic tiles, and bright textiles in Mediterranean-inspired colours. 

From private palazzo to palatial hotel; the Grand is the only five-star establishment in the old town. It dates back to the 16th century and retains its cotto floors, frescoed and beamed ceilings and original chandeliers. As such, you can expect cosy interiors from a bygone era, as well as views of landmarks like the Piazza del Campo and the Duomo. Sleep in a canopied bed, with brocade textiles and gold-leaf finishes. Take a wine tasting in the in-house cellar, tuck into Tuscan food in the restaurant and drink beneath the huge feature clock of the Sapordivino courtyard bar.