Best luxury and boutique hotels, B&Bs in Italy

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Albergo Al Sole

Asolo

Once a bolt hole for wealthy Venetians escaping the summer heat (plus Robert Browning, Freya Stark, Igor Stravinsky et al.), this charming little medieval hill town in the Veneto is known as ‘the town of a hundred horizons’.

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Villa Ducale

Taormina

‘Our favourite small hotel in the world,’ said one GHG reader after his fourth visit. ‘Its position, above the town, gives it the feel of a private hideaway.

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Villa Carlotta

Taormina

A stone-clad 19th-century nobleman’s residence, modelled on a 14th century fortress, Villa Carlotta, perches high on a cliff above the Ionian Sea, with stunning panoramic views…

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Villa Le Barone

Panzano-in-chianti

This small Tuscan hilltop hotel, much loved by Guide readers over many years, has been owned by the famous Della Robbia family since the 16th century.

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Hotel Sonnenhof

Kuens

‘It remains a gem, loved by all who visit it’ said the original nominators of the Schrott family’s chalet-style hotel, in the ‘very beautiful’ Passeier / Passiria valley

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La Calcina

Venice

John Ruskin stayed in this pensione on the Dorsoduro in 1877. Now owned by Marc Sibuet and Regina Segre Amar, who promise ‘discreet service and peace’, it faces the Giudecca canal.

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Albergo Bad Dreikirchen

Barbiano

High above the Isarco valley between Bressanone and Bolzano, this hamlet consists of le tre chiese, three curious little attached medieval churches and this unspoilt 14th-century chalet, now a modest hotel.

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Castel Pergine

Pergine Valsugana

Above a small town (once a Roman settlement) east of Trento, this medieval castle stands in large wooded grounds: ‘a marvellous setting’.

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Palazzo Avino, Ravello

High on a cliff, the pink 12th-century palace of the Sasso family, now a ‘very fine hotel’, has ‘spellbinding views’ from its terrace over the Amalfi coast.

Loggiato dei Serviti, Florence

Much loved by Guide readers, Rodolfo Gattai’s B&B is in ‘one of Florence’s loveliest squares’, ‘easily reached from all directions.’

Hotel Monna Lisa, Florence

In the city centre, this Renaissance palace is now a ‘beautiful and gracious’ hotel with ‘stunning’ lounges filled with antiques and art treasures, and neo-classical drawings and sculpture by Giovanni Duprè, an ancestor of the present owners.

Relais Uffizi, Florence

By the Uffizi Gallery, Elisabetta Matucci’s B&B is a 15th-century building in a little pedestrianised street (reached under an ancient arch) off the Piazza della Signoria.

Hotel Tornabuoni Beacci, Florence

‘Excellently located’, this ‘beautifully kept’ B&B hotel has been run for many years by its owners, the Bechi family.

Luna Convento, Amalfi

Run for many years as a hotel by the Barbaro family, this former medieval convent, founded by St Francis of Assisi in 1222, has long been popular with Guide readers.

Villa Sarah, Capri

Once the summertime day-trippers have left, Capri becomes a different place: it has ‘charm, beauty, many fabulous sights’.

Hotel Casci, Florence

Hotel Casci isn’t fancy, but considering the location (150m from Florence Cathedral) the rates are very reasonable and the owners, the Lombardi family, pride themselves on being some of the friendliest hoteliers in town.

Hotel Scalinata di Spagna, Rome

The location of this quaint and charming hotel could not be bettered – right next to the Spanish Steps.

Villa Brunella, Capri

A bit of a walk from Capri’s small main square, Piazza Umberto, in a pleasant residential area, this small modern villa is ‘stylish, efficient and vertiginous’, says a visitor this year.

Hotel Marincanto, Positano

‘Wholeheartedly recommended’ by Guide readers, this elegant four-star B&B hotel is on six floors, with lovely terraces and splendid views (‘even from the bathrooms’), and located high above the sea (there are 300 steps down to lovely Incanto beach).

Hotel Hermitage, Florence

Overlooking the Arno, between the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi, this ‘very peaceful’ B&B hotel has ‘marvellous views of the duomo’.

Palazzo Murat, Positano

Built in 1808 by the King of Naples (who was married to Napoleon’s sister) as a summer residence, this townhouse hotel is located in the centre of Positano.

Le Sirenuse, Positano

The Sersale family’s summer home was turned into this spectacular hotel in 1951, and is still run by descendants of the original brothers.

La Minerva, Capri

Located in the centre of Capri but surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens, nearly all of the rooms at this peaceful family-owned and run boutique hotel have sea views and terraces or balconies.

Belmond Hotel Caruso, Ravello

The highlight of this 11th-century restored palace is the infinity pool – heated to a warm temperature year-round, and located at the highest point in Ravello, it has incredible views of the Amalfi coast.

Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi

This hotel, set in an art deco villa on Amalfi drive, offers a genteel, old-fashioned charm, and has been in the same family since it opened as a hotel with six rooms in 1904.

Monastero Santa Rosa, Conca Dei Marini

A former monastery dating from the 17th century, this luxury boutique hotel has been sympathetically restored by owner Bianca Sharma; features such as vaulted celings and wooden shutters on the windows remain, but rooms are fully-furnished with antiques hand-picked by Bianca herself.

Casa Buonocore, Positano

What Casa Buonocore may lack in amentities such as a pool or direct beach access, it more than makes up for with beautiful country-chic interior design and intimacy.

Romantik Hotel Villa Cheta Elite, Acquafredda Di Maratea

In this ‘old-fashioned summer resort’ on the dramatic north Tyrrhenian coast, this 18th-century ‘Liberty-style’ building stands in lush grounds.

Villa Abbazia, Follina

Owned by the ‘hands-on’ Zanon De Marchi family, this ‘wonderful’ hotel (Relais & Chateaux) is in a village in the foothills of the Dolomites, amid the vineyards of Prosecco.

La Residenza, Rome

‘A real bargain for Rome’, ‘superbly located’, this old-established B&B hotel is just off Via Veneto, not far from the Borghese Gardens.

Crossing Condotti, Rome

This chic little boutique hotel, which calls itself ‘Rooms in Rome’, is managed by Marco Fiduli. Just off the elegant via dei Condotti, and close to the lively Piazza di Spagna, it was opened by its Sicilian owners in 2008.

Pensione Bencista, Fiesole

Locanda Miranda, Tellaro Di Lerici

On a cliff-top road outside an old fishing village just south of the Cinque Terre, this restaurant-with-rooms is run by its “very helpful owners”, chef Angelo Cabani and his wife, Giovanna.

Masseria San Domenico, Savelletri Di Fasano

A former watchtower for the Knights of Malta, dating back to the 15th century, has been turned into this five-star deluxe resort.

Hotel Due Torri, Rome

‘Near Piazza Navona and within walking distance of all the sights (we didn’t use a taxi the whole time we were in Rome), this centrally located hotel is on a quiet little street and I could sleep at night with my window open,’ writes a visitor.

Hotel Locarno, Rome

In a quietish street near the Piazza del Popolo, this Art Deco hotel opened in 1925 and later increased its size by extending into an adjacent building.

Hotel Lord Byron, Rome

On the north side of the Borghese Gardens, this luxury hotel is decorated in Art Deco style, with jewel tones, period details and floor-length curtains.

Hotel Portoghesi, Rome

‘One of the best hotels (for the price) that we have stayed in,’ says a visitor. The Sagnotti family’s palazzo,a hotel for over 150 years, is within walking distance of most of the main attractions.

Hotel Barocco, Rome

‘Well located’, at the foot of Via Veneto, this historic building is within easy walking distance of the sights of ancient Rome, ‘and the classy shopping streets’.

On the corner of the tiny square of this small, unspoilt Tuscan town stands Anne-Marie and Ueli Bleuler-Staerkle’s hotel; from the back it commands a ‘tremendous" data-type-editor="" data-type-status="false" >

Villa Sangiovese, Panzano-in-chianti

On the corner of the tiny square of this small, unspoilt Tuscan town stands Anne-Marie and Ueli Bleuler-Staerkle’s hotel; from the back it commands a ‘tremendous view of distant hills and mountains’.

Teatro di Pompeo, Rome

You can see the remains of Pompey’s theatre (55BC) in the breakfast room/bar of this small hotel run by the Cavarocchi-Mignoni family.

Pensione Accademia – Villa Maravege, Venice

A 17th-century villa which was the Russian consulate when Venice was an independent republic, this well-known pensione has a ‘super position’ by a side canal, near the Grand Canal at the Accademia bridge.

Ca’ Pisani Hotel, Venice

In a relatively quiet part of the city, by the Accademia, this 14th-century palazzo is part of the Design Hotels group.

Hotel Colombina, Venice

‘One of the attractions of this gem,’ write its nominators, ‘is its location on a junction of canals just behind the Doge’s Palace.’

Hotel Flora, Venice

‘Quiet, even by local standards’, the Romanelli family’s B&B hotel has long been loved by Guide readers.

Londra Palace, Venice

The proud boast of this opulent hotel is that it has a hundred windows facing the lagoon.

Regina Hotel Baglioni, Rome

This sumptuous and elegant hotel is located on Via Veneto, the street that formed the backdrop to Fellini’s classic movie “La Dolce Vita”, and close to the Piazza di Spagna, Villa Borghese and Via Condotti.

Suite della Vite, Rome

Suite Dellavite is not a hotel, but instead a centrally-located collection of seven different studio apartments, most of which are spacious and feature kitchenettes with fridges.

Hilltop villas, castles, B&Bs, boutique hotels, palazzi

Some people visit Italy in order to explore its history through its museums and ancient ruins; others spend weeks taking in the splendid art. Or you may wish to centre your trip around the fantastic regional food and wine on offer, or just relax on a beach. For others the splendour of cities such as Verona and Venice brings them back again and again.

Whatever your reason, when it comes to planning your holiday you will find we have a great selection of independently reviewed hotels to choose from. We hope readers will nominate their favourites too; the more feedback we get from you our readers, the more reliable and comprehensive our selection will be.

We like this tribute from the owner of Il Castello, Certaldo Alto, near Florence: “I am happy we are in the Guide. What I appreciate most is the kind of guests the Guide directs to our hotel. Very nice persons that look exactly for what we can offer.”

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Featured hotels

Hotels in Italy

Albergo Al Sole

Asolo

Villa Ducale

Taormina

Villa Carlotta

Taormina

Villa Le Barone

Panzano-in-chianti

Hotel Sonnenhof

Kuens

La Calcina

Venice

Albergo Bad Dreikirchen

Barbiano

Castel Pergine

Pergine Valsugana

More hotels in Italy

Hotels in Italy

Hilltop villas, castles, B&Bs, boutique hotels, palazzi

JOIN THE GHG

BUY THE 46th EDITION OF THE GUIDE

Best Review Wins A Free Night for Two!

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Featured hotels

Hotels in Italy

Albergo Al Sole

Asolo

Villa Ducale

Taormina

Villa Carlotta

Taormina

Villa Le Barone

Panzano-in-chianti

Hotel Sonnenhof

Kuens

La Calcina

Venice

Albergo Bad Dreikirchen

Barbiano

Castel Pergine

Pergine Valsugana

More hotels in Italy

Hotels in Italy

Hilltop villas, castles, B&Bs, boutique hotels, palazzi

JOIN THE GHG

BUY THE 46th EDITION OF THE GUIDE

Best Review Wins A Free Night for Two!

Related Pages

Nearby pages

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