Editor’s note: Italy Magazine writers and editors personally inspect every hotel we feature. To make this feasible, we are generally hosted on a complimentary basis. We do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for positive or guaranteed coverage, and only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend.
We’re going to come right out and say it: Italian hospitality is second to none. Sure, the Swiss may have their grande dames and the French may have more palace hotels, but genuine Italian warmth is impossible to replicate. And that’s just one of the aspects we love about these Italian hotels selected from the dozens of properties that we’ve reviewed for our Inspired Stays series.
Each one represents the best in class, with an excellent location, enviable design, superlative dining and drinking outlets and staff that go the extra mile. Some have perks like a beach club or soothing spa, while others put you within arm’s reach of must-visit monuments. So whether you’re planning a trip to Italy and looking for the standout hotels in your chosen destination, or aren’t yet sure where you want to go and are looking for the dream stay that will help you decide, these hotels are sure to inspire you.
Palazzo Avino
Where: Ravello (Amalfi Coast)
Run by the incredibly stylish Avino sisters, the “pink palace” as it’s sometimes nicknamed occupies a privileged perch in Ravello with bird’s-eye views of the Amalfi Coast. Terraced gardens, an outdoor pool with pink-and-white striped umbrellas, a Michelin-starred restaurant, fabulous cocktail bar and beach club make this dreamy member of the Leading Hotels of the World the kind of hotel you won’t want to leave. Read our full review
Passalacqua
Where: Moltrasio (Lake Como)
Opened in 2022, this incredibly intimate and ultra-luxurious hotel set in an 18th-century villa on Lake Como became an instant classic; in 2025, it earned the Best Boutique Hotel award from the World’s 50 Best Hotels, and we can confirm that it lives up to the hype. The De Santis family channeled the spirit of villeggiatura, making it feel like you’re a guest at the home of a very chic friend thanks to the staff’s down-to-earth approach and the touches like homemade cakes left out in the library in the afternoons. Read our full review
Pensione America
Where: Forte dei Marmi (Tuscany)
A residential vibe permeates this 18-room boutique hotel in Forte dei Marmi run by the Maestrelli family, who have been summering in Forte for 60 years. As an homage to the building’s early 20th-century past, they decided to keep its name, though nowadays it couldn’t be further from a humble pensione. We especially love the design, which channels classic seaside style, and the beach club with its vintage wooden sunbeds and spaghetti with clams. Read our full review
Orient Express La Minerva
Where: Rome
One of the buzziest hotel openings of 2025 in Italy, this property just steps from the Pantheon represents a rebirth both for one of Rome’s most historic hotels and for the legendary Orient Express brand. No expense was spared in the hotel’s renovation, which involved brightening up the lobby with a glass ceiling, restoring original frescoes, outfitting the rooms and suites with bespoke furnishings and creating a chic new rooftop restaurant. Read our full review
The Place
Where: Florence
Blink and you’ll miss this discreet 20-room hotel sandwiched between the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the Museo Novecento. The lobby feels less like that of a classic five-star hotel and more like the city’s casual-chic living room. That’s by design; from the tasselled doorbell at the entrance to the mishmash of toiletry brands in the bathrooms, The Place is meant to feel like a home. Much of the credit in creating that vibe goes to general manager Claudio Meli, a born-and-bred Florentine who was named global Hotelier of the Year at the 2025 Virtuoso Travel Awards. Full review forthcoming
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria
Where: Sorrento
One of Italy’s finest grand dames, this elegant member of the Leading Hotels of the World has been continuously run by the Fiorentino family since it opened in 1834. Entering off one of Sorrento’s main squares, you’re instantly transported back in time to a gentler era, where you might be serenaded by a pianist as you sip Champagne in the winter garden and wake up to sea views before descending to the sumptuously frescoed Vittoria room for a cappuccino and sfogliatella. Read our full review
Palazzo Durazzo
Where: Genoa
Genoa gets pigeonholed as a gritty port city, but it’s home to some of the most extraordinary palaces in Europe, just over 100 of which are known as the “Palazzi dei Rolli.” These 16th- and 17th-century buildings were commissioned by nobility at the height of the Republic of Genoa and used to host dignitaries and VIPs. Palazzo Durazzo builds on that heritage; open since 2023, it’s owned by the same family that had it built in the 17th century. With its 12 design-forward, history-honoring suites — several of which overlook the old port — Palazzo Durazzo has almost singlehandedly revived the Ligurian capital’s high-end hospitality tradition. Full review forthcoming
Casa Maria Luigia
Where: Modena’s countryside
If there’s one hotel in Italy that should be on every food lover’s bucket list, it’s this boutique B&B run by leading chef Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore. Needless to say, breakfast is definitely worth waking up for and you’ll want to snag a table at Al Gatto Verde, where everything gets a turn in the wood-fired oven. Beyond the food though — as incredible as it is — you might be pleasantly surprised to discover the couple’s passion for art and vinyl records, both on display throughout the property. Read our full review
Belmond Hotel Splendido
Where: Portofino
Nearing the completion of a multi-phase renovation, this legendary hotel in Portofino was beloved by Elizabeth Taylor — and her favorite spaghetti with tomato sauce is still on the menu. This is the kind of place you go to bask in the glamour of the Italian Riviera with boat rides along the coast, al fresco meals with sea views, expertly mixed cocktails at the new Bar Baratta Sedici and relaxing treatments at the new Dior spa. Read our full review
La Posta Vecchia
Where: Ladispoli (Lazio Coast)
Once the private home of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, this 17th-century villa on the Lazio coast is now an intimate member of the Pellicano Hotels Group helmed by style icon Marie-Louise Sciò, whose father purchased it in the 1980s. Though it’s only 40 minutes from Rome, it feels a world away thanks to its tranquil seaside setting, where you can relax on the terrace with a fabulous meal before sipping a Negroni in the lounge surrounded by Renaissance tapestries. Read our full review
Palazzo Talìa
Where: Rome
Rome’s ever-expanding portfolio of international hospitality brands has meant several outstanding boutique hotels have flown under the radar by comparison. Our favorite is Palazzo Talìa, named for the Greek muse of hospitality, idyllic poetry, arts and entertainment; it opened in 2024 in a converted boarding school not far from the Trevi Fountain. A highlight is the fancifully frescoed Bar della Musa, where you’re likely to spot a nostalgic former pupil or two. The interiors were overseen by Studio Luca Guadagnino, a side hustle of the filmmaker known for Challengers and Call Me By Your Name. Take it as proof of the hotel’s overall excellence that his involvement is only a footnote. Full review forthcoming
Hotel Santa Caterina
Where: Amalfi
Opened in 1904 with just six rooms, this Amalfi mainstay remains one of the most exclusive hideaways on the glamorous coast. Lovingly run by the Gambardella family, it feels endearingly retro with its handpainted tiles and antiques, but it’s constantly evolving, with renovated rooms and a new rooftop restaurant in addition to the beloved beach club and Michelin-starred Glicine. Read our full review
Vico Milano
Where: Milan
With just seven rooms in a residential building on Milan’s Corso Genova, this intimate boutique hotel is brimming with eclectic style thanks to its owners, Neri Baccheschi Berti and his wife Akriti, who filled it with mid-century furnishings and decor from their travels around the world. Since it opened in 2021, it has become a reference point for design-loving travelers seeking a boutique alternative to the big brands that dominate Milan’s hotel scene. Read our full review
Borgo dei Conti Resort
Where: Perugia’s countryside
A stay at this property set in a historic villa surrounded by 40 acres of woodlands and olive groves in the Umbrian countryside is about as close to living in a fairytale as you can get. The 19th-century villa was once inhabited by a count, who painted landscapes and portraits of Perugia’s high society, and the new owners preserved elements like original frescoes and wood-beamed ceilings while adapting it to the needs of today’s modern travelers. Read our full review
Villa Paola
Where: Tropea
Perched on a promontory overlooking the sea in Tropea, on Calabria’s Coast of the Gods, Villa Paola is proof that nuns and friars always had the best real estate. Housed in a 16th-century Franciscan convent, it’s now an independently owned boutique hotel with 12 rooms, a gourmet restaurant, an infinity pool, and beautiful gardens. A recent renovation makes it even more appealing. Read our full review
Bellevue Syrene
Where: Sorrento
Built on the foundations of a Roman villa, Sorrento’s Bellevue Syrene is deeply rooted in its host territory, with a breakfast room modeled after Pompeii’s House of the Vettii and ancient Roman statuary dotting the descent to the private beach club. But it’s the views of Mount Vesuvius that make this hotel unmissable, along with the magic touch of the Russo-Attanasio family, whose matriarch Elsa has carefully decorated every corner. To mark its 205th anniversary in 2025, the hotel launched a partnership with the Correale Museum — another local treasure — and is sponsoring the restoration of a 17th-century painting that 2026 guests can witness live on the hotel grounds. Read our full review
Santavenere
Where: Maratea (Basilicata)
In under-the-radar Maratea, on Basilicata’s Tyrrhenian coast, this 34-room hotel was built in the 1950s for Count Stefano Rivetti, who invited his famous friends to visit, and it still feels like a private hideaway. Now run by Aldo Melpignano, the hotelier behind Borgo Egnazia in Puglia, and a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the sprawling resort has a secluded beach club, three restaurants, a pool and a tranquil spa. Read our full review
Palazzo Previtera
Where: Linguaglossa (between Catania and Taormina, Sicily)
Owned by the same family for nearly 400 years, this noble palazzo on the slopes of Mount Etna, between Catania and Taormina, is a living museum and an intimate B&B with an unexpectedly contemporary streak. Alfio Puglisi, who runs the property with his parents, curates a contemporary art program and recently added a new restaurant helmed by a pair of talented young chefs. Read our full review
Borgo Egnazia
Where: Savelletri di Fasano (Puglia)
If Puglia is full of luxury hotels now, it’s thanks in part to this sprawling resort dreamed up by Aldo Melpignano, who envisioned it as an homage to the region’s rustic masserie. With seven restaurants, three bars, four outdoor pools, a pampering spa with Roman baths, tennis and padel courts and a beach club, it’s equally beloved by couples for romantic escapes and families who come for the kid-friendly activities. Read our full review
Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice
Where: Venice
Few names in Venice have the clout of Giuseppe Cipriani, who established the legendary Harry’s Bar, invented the Bellini cocktail, and founded what is today Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice — a true dolce vita throwback hotel on the tip of Giudecca Island (and home to the largest pool in the city). In May 2025, the 67-room property unveiled the first phase of a renovation by American architect Peter Marino. Lovers of vintage Venice need not worry: Marino is chairman of the Venetian Heritage Foundation, and his upgrade expertly preserved the hotel’s unmistakable retro style while brightening up its drearier corners. Full review forthcoming
.jpeg?itok=VNCs9fw-)
