Luxury, history, style—there's no place like Italy. And there are no places in Italy like these 40 amazing hotels, named the best by Condé Nast Traveler readers. Here, your favorite picks from the region—from locations with un-rivaled rooftop views of the Duomo at sunset, to lakeside mansions with terraces ripe for an early evening aperitif. Want to have a say in the 2017 results? Take the 2017 Readers' Choice Awards survey now and let us know.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts
40. Westin Europa & Regina, Venice
Why you love it: In a paradox uniquely Venetian, the Westin Europa & Regina manages to be central—minutes from San Marco, with a private entrance on the Grand Canal, no less—yet maintains an elite seclusion when approached from land, in five joined palazzos.
Courtesy Hotel Raphael
39. Hotel Raphaël, Rome
Why you love it: Most famous for its terraces overlooking the splendor and rooftops of Rome, the Hotel Raphaël has something to offer even if you aren't planning on a special occasion (say, getting on bended knee). The hotel is also home to museum quality works—Picasso ceramics and paintings by Mirò, Morandi, and De Chirico—as well as executive suites designed by Richard Meier.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Matthias Hamel
38. St. Regis Rome
Why you love it: Ideal for art lovers, the luxury suites of the St. Regis Rome feature a myriad of original artwork from private collections of important contemporary artists, including Luca Pignatelli, Ubaldo Bartolini, and Paolo Fiorentino. Even smaller touches, including Murano glass lamps and original frescos, give each set of rooms their own individual style and feel.
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Courtesy Hassler/Photo by Francesca Pagliai
37. Hassler Roma
Why you love it: What’s Rome without the Hassler? Set high above the famed Spanish Steps, this 1893 institution has one of the very best views over the historical heart of the city. The Michelin starred sixth-floor restaurant, Imàgo, has panoramic vistas and serves up regionally-inflected fusion cuisine, like a sake-glazed black cod, and creamy rigatoni doused in shiso pesto, while interiors are decked out in shades of ocher, red, and cream.
Courtesy Aman Resorts
36. Aman Venice
Why you love it: There's a lot to love about Aman Venice, a refurbed sixteenth-century palazzo off of the Grand Canal, where a trove of Old Master frescoes (often attributed to the school of Tiepolo) and two verdant private gardens feel nearly papal in their extravagance.
35. Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Venice
Why you love it: Located on Giudecca, an island across from St. Mark’s Square, Belmond Hotel Cipriani might seem secluded—it feels as though you're in your own private palace—but you're never far from the action. The hotel offers guests complimentary ferries across the lagoon to famed landmarks. A number of rooms are in the adjoining Palazzo Vendramin, and come with butler service.
Courtesy Ca' Sagredo Hotel
34. Ca' Sagredo Hotel, Venice
Why you love it: A beautifully renovated palace with a pink facade on the Grand Canal, the Ca' Sagredo once belonged to Nicolò Sagredo, Venice’s ambassador to Rome in the seventeenth century. Inside, paintings by Venetian artists adorn the walls, and individually decorated rooms have views over surrounding rooftops and the Campo Santa Sofia.
Courtesy Boscolo Hotels
33. Boscolo Venezia, Venice
Why you love it: For those eschewing Venice's touristy core, the Boscolo Venezia is an opulent and tranquil favorite. In a city famous for—what else—water, the hotel's secret garden is a beautiful terra firma touch. Rooms and public space are quintessentially Venetian and free shuttle service will easily get you to St. Mark's and other attractions.
Courtesy Grand Hotel Quisisana
32. Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri
Why you love it: The airy guest rooms at this former sanatorium near the Piazzetta each sport floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views: You'll face either the sea, town, or gardens, which surround the swimming pool. At the wood-paneled Rendez-Vous, enjoy Italian or sushi in the summer months, prepared by a Japanese chef, or a moonlit Mediterranean dinner at Quisi.
Courtesy Dorchester Collection/Photo by Roberto Prosdocimo
31. Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
Why you love it: At this landmark hotel near La Scala, it's all about aesthetics: It starts with an Italianate garden out front, satisfyingly symmetrical and marked with statuary. The ground floor exterior uses wrought iron and glass, extended in verandas along the facade, while interiors blend turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Milan with contemporary furnishings. Rooms are done in Venetian, Florentine, or neoclassical style with plenty of marble, gold, and damask.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Matthew Shaw
30. Hotel Danieli (Luxury Collection), Venice
Why you love it: Known as one of city's most important landmarks, the Hotel Danieli—and the 221 stately guest rooms therein—are a showcase of Venetian excellence. Set on Riva degli Schiavoni, the grand building dominates the lagoon, and sits just a short stroll away from the Bridge of Signs and famous monuments of Piazza San Marco. The simple, but thoughtful Venetian dishes at the rooftop restaurant, Terrazza Danieli—think a creamy se urchin risotto, or a tender hunk of veal osso bucco—are daily staples for locals and tourists alike.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts
29. Westin Excelsior Florence
Why you love it: Just steps from the Duomo and the Piazza della Signoria, the Westin Excelsior Florence is within walking distance of everything you want to see in Florence—though you may be tempted to linger inside. The interior reflects Tuscan, Empire, and Florentine influences with marble floors, stained glass, tapestries, and frescoes. All accommodations are spacious and top of the line, but ask for a room with Arno River views for a little something extra. Nibble on Mediterranean specialties at the Art Deco–style Orum Bar before heading up to Se.Sto on Arno, the glass-encased rooftop restaurant with a selection of more than 300 wines.
Courtesy Boscolo Hotels
28. Boscolo Exedra Roma
Why we love it: Situated between the Baths of Diocletian and the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, the 238-room Boscolo Exedra Roma won't have you wanting for things to do in the Eternal City. And it's not just what's outside its nineteenth-century styled walls (which happen to overlook the Piazza della Repubblica) that'll leave you agape: Even its standard-sized classic rooms are elegant, with high ceilings, detailed crown molding, and gilded mirrors and wall sconces—plus Etro products lining the marbled bathroom counters.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Matthias Hamel
27. St. Regis Florence
Why you love it: You’ll find super-grand guest rooms at this fifteenth-century former palace on the Piazza Ognissanti, overlooking the Arno River. Artwork, custom frescoes, antiques, crystal chandeliers, and warm hues decorate rooms. The restaurant showcases Tuscany’s flavors, while tasting sessions take place in the wine cellar, created from an actual cave. The full butler service includes an eButler feature—e-mail requests you can zip off around the clock.
Courtesy Villa d'Este
26. Villa d'Este, Lake Como
Why you love it: If you don’t have your own mega mansion on beautiful Lake Como, then Villa d’Este is the place to stay: it’s a classic hotel with 25 acres of gardens that are absolutely immaculate, and it’s so treasured in Italy that it was declared a world heritage site. A favorite feature is the hotel's pool, which actually sits on a platform above the lake—it’s a major spot for Italians to see and be seen, especially because it’s close to Milan, but Como is also a destination for the likes of Brad Pitt and Angelina, Bono, and Matt Damon.
Courtesy Hotel Lungarno/Photo by Daniele Molajoli
25. Hotel Lungarno, Florence
Why you love it: This sixteenth-century grand residence is beautiful both inside and out. Aside from its ideal location on the Arno River, steps from the Ponte Vecchio, the home was restored in the 1990s, and the self-proclaimed nuova classicità design now touts ivory fabrics, ocean-blue carpets, and antique furnishings accompanied by art from Picasso and Florentine painter Ottone Rosai, to name a few. Rooms are on the smaller side, but they compensate size with substance, including touches like silver trays stocked with Italian snacks. Take a turn on the river deck, then tuck into regional Tuscan cuisine at Borgo San Jacopo. Undergoing full renovation; reopening late 2017
Courtesy Rocco Forte Hotels
24. Hotel Savoy (Rocco Forte Hotels), Florence
Why you love it: The Hotel Savoy, situated on the Piazza della Repubblica, near the Uffizi Gallery, manages to deftly blend both art and architecture in a city that's nearly in excess of both. Rooms are sublimely comfortable, with hints of dark wood, splashes of pattern and color, and striking modern art against neutral walls. Andy Warhol prints hang in suites decorated in pale tones with dark-wood furnishings. Staff are said to be among the best concierge team in Europe, and the informal L’Incontro Bar & Restaurant has tables out on the busy piazza and serves modern, tasty Tuscan food.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts
23. The Gritti Palace (Luxury Collection), Venice
Why you love it: The 82-room Gritti Palace hotel is housed in an iconic fifteenth-century building facing Santa Maria della Salute, just a slow stroll from Piazza San Marco. Once the residence of Vatican ambassadors to Venice, the hotel reopened in 2013 after a meticulous restoration, though interiors still present a hand-painted grand piano, woven rugs, marble tiles, and gold-trimmed ceilings, while period antiques line the hallways.
22. J.K. Place Firenze, Florence
Why you love it: J.K. Place Firenze has a great location on Piazza Santa Maria Novella, with an alfresco terrace where the hotel serves a generous brunch on weekends. Rooms range from cozy doubles to a first-floor front suite, with a massive canopied bed and three French doors that open onto people-watching views. The décor is terrifically chic, with large-scale photos by Massimo Listri throughout. You can rent strollers from the front desk, and the concierge will handily find activities for any age.
Courtesy Il Salviatino/Photo by Antonio Pistillo
21. Il Salviatino, Fiesole
Why you love it: This fifteenth-century Fiesole property is indisputably grand, with a steep, white plaster facade, handsome common areas including an entrance hall with a vaulted brick ceiling (where carriage horses used to be housed), and wood-paneled library with antique leather-bound volumes. The marvelously restored rooms have original details such as black-and-white-checkered marble floors and frescoed ceilings, but are made comfortably modern with TVs that cleverly double as oversized mirrors, and rain showers enhanced by LED lighting. One suite, the Affresco, has a bathtub shaped like a twelfth-century stone sarcophagus—equally impressive a piece, but a little less claustrophobic.
Courtesy Hotel de Russie/Phot by Janos Grapow
20. Hotel de Russie (Rocco Forte Hotels), Rome
Why you love it: If you make one wish at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, it should probably be to end up at the Hotel de Russie. Set almost directly in the center of the Eternal City, it’s flanked by first-rate attractions like the Piazza del Popolo—check out the obelisk—and the lush, lovely Villa Borghese gardens (pro-tip: the pincio, or pincian hill of ancient Rome, is at the south of the park and has some of the best views of this seven-hilled city). If you prefer to dine alfresco, turn inward—literally—to the Stravinskij Bar in the hotel courtyard, where bright white table umbrellas look like a flock of birds from the rooms' tiny terraces.
Courtesy Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Antonio Saba
19. Rome Cavalieri (Waldorf Astoria), Rome
Why you love it: Expect luxury to the nth degree at this Waldorf Astoria-managed hotelatop Monte Mario, Rome’s highest hill. Granted, the location is a little left of center, but all the better to avoid the crowds—and the décor more than makes up for the fact. Guest rooms are comfortable, but exquisite, with travertine marble baths, soundproof double doors, and private balconies, while Italianate public spaces have tapestries, statues, and lots of artwork—including three Tiepolo masterpieces in the lobby. The rooftop La Pergola offers three Michelin star-rated modern Italian cuisine and panoramic views of the dome of St. Peter’s.
Courtesy Mandarin Oriental
18. Mandarin Oriental, Milan
Why you love it: This 72-room, 32-suite hotel opened down the street from the famed La Scala opera house in the summer of 2015 and is within walking distance of Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga for high-end shopping binges. Highlights include a holistic spa with six private treatment rooms and indoor pool, the Seta restaurant focusing on Chef Antonio Guida’s native southern Italian cuisine, which earned its first Michelin star only four months after opening (guests can watch him at work in a glassed-in kitchen or dine outside in a peaceful courtyard), and a hair salon helmed by celebrity stylist Massimo Serini.
17. Le Sirenuse, Positano
Why you love it: Concealed in the crags of the Amalfi Coast—think ruby red and pearly pink facades stacked on an Italian hillside, like scoops of gelato—Le Sirenuse looks straight out of a movie. The Moorish Baroque design hinges on whitewashed walls and domed ceilings, with glazed floor tiles, shuttered French doors, and vines winding in and around public spaces. Suites are populated with local treasures, like a gilded portrait of the Madonna, or wrought-iron bed canopies, and making it all the more authentic are private terraces overlooking the fabled coastline. At the champagne and oyster bar, open from mid-May through mid-October, drinks are served in hand-blown Murano glasses, along with the occasional celebrity sighting.
Courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
16. Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Florence
Why you love it: Surrounded by the 11-acre Giardino della Gherardesca—the largest private garden in Florence—the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze comprises two restored Renaissance buildings: a fifteenth-century palazzo and a former sixteenth-century convent. Rooms with frescoes and ceiling murals have amenities made by a Florence-based perfumer, and public areas showcase Renaissance art. Dine alfresco at Il Palagio, which uses locally sourced ingredients. The Winery serves more than 50 Italian wines by the glass and has a list of nearly 400 bottles. Stroll tree-lined paths to the two-story herbal spa, where wet-treatment rooms have glass mosaic walls and floors.
Courtesy Belmond
15. Belmond Villa San Michele, Fiesole
Why you love it: You can't get enough of this former monastery on a hillside amid trees and terraced gardens in leafy Fiesole, just outside Florence—and why wouldn't you? Historians attribute the extravagant villa’s facade—which dates to the fifteenth century—to Michelangelo. Floral arrangements in large ceramic vases line the floors of corridors with arched ceilings. Service is superb, and the terrace of the restaurant Loggia offers delicious takes on regional cuisine.
Courtesy Hotel Santa Caterina
14. Hotel Santa Caterina, Amalfi
Why you love it: According to one former guest, “there is nothing that does not dazzle” at the Hotel Santa Caterina—and even on looks alone, we’d have to agree. There are terraces cleaved from natural rock formations, and colorful gardens at every turn, ready to lend themselves to a quiet moment. The spare interiors recall the island’s little Catholic churches—white walls, white linens, vaulted ceilings, gold-hued curtains, little baroque wooden chairs, and tiled floors decked out in primary colors. Some rooms feature ceramic accents and charming family heirlooms, and all bathrooms benefit from Bvlgari toiletries.
Courtesy The First Luxury Art Hotel Roma
13. The First Luxury Art Hotel Roma, Rome
Why you love it: The 29 rooms at The First Luxury Art Hotel Roma—and the superbly renovated nineteenth-century building which contain them—do justice to the hotel's name. Rooms are distributed around a light-flooded central atrium with white wrought-iron balustrades, and communal spaces are uniformly black-and-white; contemporary paintings and sculptures add splashes of color and wit. Stretch your legs with a stroll along the Tiber, just five-minutes from the hotel.
Courtesy Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria/Photo by Roberto Bonardi
12. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento
Why you love it: Owned and operated by the Fiorentino family since 1834, the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria has a storied legacy: the three-building property, which sits above the Gulf of Naples, has hosted such guests as Richard Wagner and Oscar Wilde over the course of its long history, offering views that are still just as captivating to its guests. Rooms are designed in styles ranging from Pompeian to Victorian, with trompe l’oeil walls and parquet floors—not to mention verandas with views of Mount Vesuvius. Terrazza Bosquet serves Neapolitan dishes using ingredients from the hotel garden, but guests can always sip a Sorrento Mon Amour on Bar Vittoria’s terrace, overlooking the water.
Courtesy Il San Pietro di Positano/©Vito Fusco
11. Il San Pietro di Positano, Positano
Why you love it: Once Positano took a star turn in John Steinbeck’s eponymously named 1953 short story, the sleepy little seaside town lodged itself in the public imagination, and never quite left—and neither has Il San Pietro di Positano, one of the area's hottest harbor stops since its opening in October of 1970. The 56-room property, which sits on a sliver of prime cliffside real estate above the Bay of Positano, is a primitive Eden doused in fragrant flora and citrus trees. If you’re not a morning person, well, you might just be converted. After you ease into your day with a plate of succulent strawberries and a thimble of espresso, take an elevator down to a private beach—or enlist a complimentary boat ride around the bay.
Courtesy Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts/Photo by Will Pryce
10. Four Seasons Hotel Milano, Milan
Why you love it: Located in the heart of the fashion district, this former fifteenth-century convent is an ideal base for those eager to take advantage of Milan's world-renowned shopping. Interiors and exteriors at the Four Seasons Hotel Milano feature frescoes, columns, and vaulted ceilings from days past, while marble, glass, and floral arrangements are recent additions. Guest rooms wrap around the courtyard or look onto Via Gesù; they are decorated in green, ocher, and terracotta with Fortuny fabrics and Frette linens. Bathrooms have heated Carrara-marble floors. La Veranda draws a well-heeled local crowd with dishes including ricotta-stuffed courgette blossoms and a creamy, classic saffron risotto.
Courtesy Villa Cora
9. Villa Cora, Florence
Why you love it: Old-world opulence is ingrained in this restored nineteenth-century mansion overlooking the Boboli Gardens. Built in 1868, the villa has been home to aristocrats from Napoleon III’s widow, Eugenie, to an Egyptian pasha, and the remarkable staff sustain this noble aura with warmth and professionalism. The 46 rooms and suites fill three buildings on the estate, with the most lavish on the piano nobile of the main villa. Though a chauffeured car is at guests’ disposal for the short ride to Florence’s center, you may never feel the need to leave Villa Cora. It has two terrific restaurants—the elegant gourmet Il Pasha and a luminous garden restaurant next to the heated white-stone pool—as well as two bars, one with an impressive selection of cigars, and a full-service spa with a sauna, steam room, and massive whirlpool bath.
Courtesy Preferred Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Giangiacomo Feriozzi
8. Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como
Why you love it: The uber-glam Grand Hotel Tremezzo epitomizes sumptuous Italian excess in all the right ways: Exquisite parquet floors in the breezy open foyer, oil paintings of Botticelli-esque beauties at the intimate T bar, and tufted, gem-colored sofas in the sitting room. Rooms are no less ornate—true baroque buffs will appreciate the gilded bed frames and mirrors, along with the high ceilings, floor-sweeping curtains, and wall sconces. If you're willing to crack your budget, book a room with a view of the lake and a terracotta-tiled terrace. There’s a pool embedded, like a sapphire, in the lake, that’s worth dipping into once you’ve taken a cure at the T Spa. Can't get enough of the water? Take Ruy, the hotel's slender mahogany water limousine, for a spin, or explore up the coast to the historic, azalea-shrouded Villa Carlotta.
Courtesy Portrait Firenze
7. Portrait Firenze, Florence
Why you love it: The Ferragamo family’s latest hotel offering (adding to the Hotel Lungarno and the Continentale) only further establishes their reputation for intimate and fashionable hideaways. The 36 rooms at the Portrait Firenze, all-suites, mix light interiors and dark wood floors with velvet upholstered furniture and vintage Florentine style. Loaded iPods and an online film library are a nice touch, too. Even nicer? Prime views of the river and Ponte Vecchio.
Courtesy Palazzo Vittoria/Photo by Antonio Pistillo
6. Palazzo Vittoria, Verona
Why you love it: Wherefore art thou Palazzo Victoria? About a quarter mile from Juliet's balcony. But there is nothing star-crossed about guests' love for this hotel, a medley of historic eras, dating back to the fourteenth-century—with a 21st-century atmosphere—catering to a wide swath of international travelers. Handmade furniture in standard rooms, and frescoes and tapestries in the suites, contribute to the out-of-time sensation.
Courtesy Palazzo Avino/©Roberto Bonardi
5. Palazzo Avino, Ravello
Why you love it: This twelfth-century medieval and Baroque palace in the town’s former aristocratic quarter has long been considered the top spot in town—and for good reason. Rooms are outfitted in handcrafted Vietri tiles, eighteenth-century Italian antiques, brass accessories, and Frette linens. At Rossellinis, enjoy dinner on one of the terraces as you look down on fishing boats below, sampling dishes like cod fillet with Gaeta olive crust. Caffé dell’Arte, with a black-and-white-tile floor, serves casual regional cuisine.
Courtesy Caesar Augustus/© Alessandra Farinelli
4. Caesar Augustus, Capri
Why you love it: Hovering 1,000 feet above the Bay of Naples, a near perfect location, this former Russian prince’s mansion has amazing views from anywhere on its well-maintained grounds. It’s a five-minute walk from Anacapri’s town center, where shops sell local pottery, made-to-measure sandals, and the island's limoncello liqueur, using local lemons of course. All rooms have down duvets, linen sheets, marble bathrooms with double sinks, and private balconies, but for a sense of grandeur, get one of the five specialty suites—the Caesar has arches, columns, and a bust of Augustus himself. For an afternoon dip, slink down to the bi-level infinity pool, which seems to drop into the sea.
Courtesy Lungarno Collection
3. Portrait Roma, Rome
Why you love it: The Ferragamo family’s first Rome hotel is a discreet property with 14 suites and studios. Rooms at the Portrait Roma have blond hardwood floors with elegant gray pin-striped carpeting, heavy silk drapes with a splash of pistachio green or lilac, a walk-in closet/dressing area, and a well-stocked kitchenette with enough tableware for an intimate dinner. As in all Ferragamo hotels, the details are the strong point—exquisite lighting, a large TV above a faux stack of wood that evokes a cozy fireplace, a brightly colored cashmere throw. Studios are short on space and natural light, but they share all the amenities of the much larger and more luminous Junior Suites. There’s also a knockout roof terrace with drop-dead views of the Piazza di Spagna and the Villa Medici.
Courtesy Belmond
2. Belmond Hotel Splendido & Belmond Splendido Mare, Portofino
Why you love it: About 45 minutes from the Genoa airport, and up a winding set of streets not for the faint of heart, the dual-property Belmond Hotel Splendido & Belmond Splendido Mare isn’t the easiest to reach—but it’s definitely worth the many twists and turns. Lush, fragrant bundles of wisteria and straight-backed Juniper bushes flank its winding cobblestone walkways, and a narrow, gleaming pool hangs perilously over the waves below. Rooms mostly come with terracotta-tiled terraces where you can take your morning cappuccino, and some offer up stunning panoramic views of Portofino cove. Head to the wellness center for a proper Indian head massage and treatments with rhassoul clay; and grab a bite to eat at La Terrazza, where local seafood specialties rightly dominate the menu.
Courtesy Hotel Il Pellicano/Photo by Stepeh Ringer
1. Hotel Il Pellicano, Tuscany
Why you love it: The iconic Hotel Il Pellicano in Tuscany celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, proving that the hotel, like a good Italian wine, gets better with age. Its perfectly blue saltwater swimming pool overlooks the Mediterranean, while every interior design element—from sunny yellow stripes on the outdoor bar to gold sunbursts above the bed headboards—has been carefully thought out to nail the property’s mix of old-school glamour and modern ease.
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