Best Ultra Luxury Hotels in Italy

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.

The Mandarin Oriental Milan is located around five minutes from the city’s iconic Teatro alla Scala opera house, within the Montenapoleone district. The hotel itself spans four different 18th-century buildings, with the combination of Milanese architecture and Oriental decorations giving it a unique appeal. Rooms within the hotel come with large flat-screen televisions and marble bathrooms, while suites include a living room area. Meanwhile, a variety of food options are headlined by Seta; a two Michelin-starred Italian restaurant.

There aren’t many luxury accommodations in the whole of Rome that can top the sheer splendour of this multi-award-winning private townhouse hotel. J.K. Place is situated in the heart of the Eternal City and offers five-star accommodation that is within walking distance of the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and other places of interest. Each of the hotel’s 23 double rooms and seven suites was designed by world-renowned Italian architect, Michele Bonan, and decorated with upscale furniture by some of the best Italian artisans. The J.K. Roma experience is pet-friendly and features all the amenities that one would expect from a world-class hotel.

Another establishment in the area of Anacapri, with its artisan shops and chairlift to the top of Monte Solaro, the hotel is steeped in history. First noted in 1850 as a private villa, it became an inn that served workers constructing the Capri-Anacapri road in the 1870s, and then a twentieth-century refuge for a Russian exile who added art and culture. Sold around the time of the Second World War to the family of the present owners, it is now a renowned five-star resort. Rooms retain a mix of antique and modern, but with state-of-the-art amenities. Facilities on-site include a fitness centre, spa, infinity swimming pool, entertainment and a shuttle service (a local bus service also passes by), with wine-tastings and cookery classes that have to be experienced! Guests can absorb the breath-taking views from the terrace and bar, or from the restaurant, which has its own kitchen-garden.

Opened in 1951 by four Neapolitan brothers who turned their summer house into a charming hotel overlooking the bay, Le Sirenuse is now a 58-room resort and known to be one of Italy’s leading and most enduring seaside luxury hotels. Located at the centre of the town on the Amalfi Drive, the rooms and terraces are 70m above the beautiful sea and offer views of the town itself but also the breathtaking bay. The maroon painted frontage makes Le Sirenuse stand out amongst the other neutral buildings on the terraces. Inside you will find an eclectic collection of antique furniture and curated art in the rabbit warren of rooms. Walls are kept white and contrast with the terracotta-tiles on the floor, whilst large French windows opening onto massive terraces provide lots of light. If you fancy spending more time outside, the compact pool terrace has outdoor loungers with lemon trees offering welcoming shade, whilst the Michelin-starred La Sponda restaurant is entirely candle-lit and views over the twinkling resorts lights – romance at its best! 

Situated in downtown Milan, at the heart of the city’s fashion district, the Four Seasons Milan is an ideal option for those who want easy access to shops. The hotel itself was once a 15th-century convent, and its features include stunning rooms with high ceilings, a landscaped garden, a courtyard and a spa with an indoor pool. The rooms each come with free wi-fi access, a flat-screen television and a mini bar, while the suites also have a living room area. Moreover, the hotel has its own restaurant, serving authentic Italian cuisine.

Hassler Roma, or Rome’s Stairway to Heaven, as the legendary hotel is popularly known, is located at the top of the Spanish Steps in the heart of Rome and has been serving its clientele for the past 125 years. The hotel overlooks one of the city’s most famous squares, Piazza di Spagna, and offers guests a central, five-star hub for all their adventures in and around Rome. A total of 87 luxe rooms is available with only the best amenities, along with a sauna, fitness centre, and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Hassler Roma prides itself in being unpretentious and offering a warm, personal hospitality service.

Each room at Villa Igiea is completely unique. Olga Polizzi – in collaboration with Paolo Moschino – designed the bedrooms and suites to create a serene feel that echoes the island’s own vibes. Classical meets contemporary, with feature lighting, tall windows and marble bathrooms. Formal dining takes place in Florio Restaurant, housed in an original Louis XVI hall, with views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, with more casual meals hosted in a winter garden room. The cuisine is local, both in terms of recipes and produce. A spa offers multi-sensory healing techniques and the hotel has its own dock, with a Villa boat offering water-based excursions.