Best Luxury Hotels in Italy

Located in a 17th century Italian Palace, Palazzo Viceconte Matera offers a kingly service while giving your awesome panoramic views of the historic Sassi and much of Matera. The magnificent hotel has spacious rooms and an excellent mix of cuisines that are fit for the kings. Couples get a weekend massage offer and a bottle of wine in the ‘Matera in Love’ offer. The palace is a great place to hold your weddings, special events, business meetings and conferences.

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! 

A shrine to Italian modernist icon Gio Ponti, the Parco dei Principi opened in 1962 and retains many of the hotel’s original features. It may be outside the centre of the town, but this allows for true peace and quiet alongside incredible views and space for some fabulous facilities. The hotel boasts a private beach accessed by a tunnel through the cliff rock, an amazing salt water pool, the Gio Ponti restaurant with floor the ceiling windows of the sparkling gulf, a three-hectare botanical (and very romantic) garden featuring many rare plants, plus a lounge bar and high spec gym. Like many properties in the area, the land on which the hotel sits has some cultural and historical importance too as it belonged to the King of Naples, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who acquired the land in the 18th century to build a stunning villa for his cousin. The current building designed by Gio Ponti is a stunning example of the architect’s modernist work, a structure rooted in the earth, inspired by the ancient villa and the Sorrento coast. Inside, this inspiration continues through a 1960s-aesthetic mixed with blue and white tones influenced by the local natural beauty. Some may find the extensive cubism and cool colour scheme too minimal, but we think it makes for a very tranquil atmosphere throughout.

Situated slap bang in the middle of Sorrento town on the Piazza Tasso, Palazzo Jannuzzi has been a family owned hotel for years and offers warm and welcoming hospitality. From here, everything is within easy walking distance so no need to worry about transportation, and whilst the hotel is small and doesn’t offer a restaurant, you are so central, this doesn’t pose a problem. With just 12 spacious guest rooms all decorated in cheerful, vibrant, yellow tones offset with contemporary black, white and grey, the rooms at Palazzo Jannuzzi are bound to put anyone in a positive mood! Rooms are spacious, clean and modern with Mediterranean touches and tall French windows leading onto terraces and balconies. Whilst the hotel is compact and facilities are limited, it does boast a generous rooftop terrace, sunny public areas, a small but tranquil sitting area, and a reception open 24 hours a day.

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. 

Set amongst a shaded garden of citrus trees and Donna Carmela roses is Palazzo Murat, a tranquil oasis at the heart of the town. Legend has it that Joachim Murat, the King of Naples visited the palace when he came to Positano in 1808, loved the property, and spent the hottest summer months here with his lovers. And it’s no wonder – this hotel is beautifully romantic, despite being right at the centre of town. The public rooms have a certain grandeur about them with vaulted ceilings and are peppered with antiques and fine paintings. Whilst the décor is kept quite simple and fresh here, the details do the talking – expect opulent fabrics, four poster beds and tall French windows opening onto private balconies. Pass beneath the intricate wrought-iron gateway and find yourself in the romantic courtyard, covered in sweet smelling Bougainvillea. The hotel also boasts an incredible restaurant where tables sit under a leafy pergola and specialises in fresh seafood like lobster and turbot.  

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.

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.

Close to the beach and port, rooms here provide air-conditioning, tiled flooring, mosaic-decorated marble bathrooms, free WiFi, and flat-screen satellite TVs. A spa, hot tub and wellness centre with sauna, Turkish bath and gym, together with a tennis court and outdoor pool, ensure guests’ well-being. The JKitchen Restaurant serves regional cooking with organic produce, catering for special diets, and meals can be eaten on the terrace with its panoramic vistas.

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.

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.