Top 10 best luxury hotels in Italy

Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.

Today (August 24, 2020): top 10 best luxury hotels in Italy.

Italy is one of the world’s most fascinating, utterly refined and hauntingly beautiful countries. A trip to this boot-shaped nation in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea gives you a chance to discover the monuments of the Roman Empire in Italy’s bustling capital, feast your eyes on Renaissance architecture in Venice and Florence, be awestruck by the magnificent scenery of the legendary Sorrento Peninsula, immerse yourself in ‘la dolce vita’ on the shores of sun-baked Sicily, and feed your passion for authentic cuisine. Italy also harbors some of the most exclusive hotels in the world and making this top 10 list is a daunting task, almost mission impossible, given the sheer abundance of extraordinary properties that dot the country. Nonetheless, here’s my selection of the 10 best luxury hotels in Italy, which all score high points for their mind-blowing location, design, ambience, and/or heritage.

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10. HOTEL CALA DI VOLPE, SARDINIA

Lying on the most strikingly romantic stretch of Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, the Hotel Cala Di Volpe, A Luxury Collection Hotel, was designed by architect Jacques Couelle to resembles a charming fishing village. Its towers, terraces, irregular roofs and porticoes blend beautifully with the natural landscape of rosemary bushes and rockroses. Delightful vistas of distant mountains, pristine white sand beaches, and the translucent seas of the Mediterranean make for unforgettable views. Each of the 100 sea-view rooms and 21 suites pays tribute to Sardinia’s unique artistry and natural beauty. The minimal chic decor is inspired by traditional Sardinian workmanship.

Hotel website: Hotel Cala Di Volpe
Other accolades: Hotel Cala Di Volpe features in my top 10 list of the most astonishing beach resorts in Europe.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, $200 USD food & beverage credit, early check-in, late check-out, and daily breakfast for 2).

9. BELMOND GRAND HOTEL TIMEO, TAORMINA, SICILY

At the heart of Taormina’s mystique lies Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo, an elegant, classical villa built into the craggy cliffs next to the Greek Theatre, with stupendous views that have been charming and inspiring guests since 1873. The property offers 71 suites and bedrooms split between the main building and the adjacent Villa Flora. Most come with that amazing view – over the clustered terracotta rooftops of medieval Taormina, past the coves and headlands of the rugged coastline, and across to Mount Etna’s violet slopes and puffing peak. Guests can also take a short complimentary shuttle trip, or thrilling funicular ride, down the hill to sister hotel Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, a 19th-century former private residence that comes with a private beach.

Hotel website: Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo
Other accolades: Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s best hotel views and the best luxury hotels in Sicily.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, $100 USD food & beverage credit, early check-in, late check-out, and daily breakfast for 2).
Review: read my review of Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo here.

8. FORESTIS DOLOMITES, ITALY

Cool, calm and connected to its stunning setting, Forestis is an adults-only sanctuary in the Dolomites’ mountainscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Forests and snow-dusted peaks stretch out in every direction from the property, every part of which is in tune with the elements. Light streams in through the windows-for-walls, drawing the eye to the stunning views and illuminating the mellow, minimalist spaces. From the suites and ultra-luxe penthouses to the restaurant and spa, the Forestis interiors echo the mountains: stone basins and white-as-snow tones, crisp fabrics and clean lines. This is a boutique escape designed to immerse guests in the regenerative power of a majestic mountain landscape.

Hotel website: Forestis
Other accolades: Forestis also features in my top 10 list of the world’s most luxurious ski hotels.
Review: read my review of Forestis here.

7. ROSEWOOD CASTIGLION DEL BOSCO, TUSCANY

One of the oldest and best-preserved luxury hotels in Italy’s Tuscany region, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco is located in Montalcino, Tuscany, in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Val d’Orcia. Surrounded by rolling wooded hills, extensive vineyards and farmland dotted with ancient farmhouses, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco offers its guests and members the chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of this authentic corner of Tuscany, in a setting of unparalleled elegance and refinement. The property is ennobled by eight centuries of history and offers 23 suites and eleven luxury villas, as well as a private golf course, spa, winery and vineyards.

Hotel website: Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, $100 USD resort credit, early check-in, late check-out, daily breakfast for two, and one dinner for guests staying in a villa, delivered in the villa on the arrival day).

6. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL FIRENZE, TUSCANY

With at least two amenities that are very rare in Florence – an 11-acre private park and an on-site spa – Four Seasons Hotel Firenze is taking luxury hotel living to new heights in Italy’s Renaissance capital. Housed in an art-filled Renaissance palazzo and a former convent, the hotel’s interiors are adorned with arches, inlaid pillars, friezes, painted frescoes and marble floors. The 116 guest rooms and suites at are located within three buildings, and no two rooms are alike. Reflecting the architectural beauty of their celebrated past, they blend Renaissance artistry with high-tech comfort. The wonders of the Uffizi and Duomo are a stroll away.

Hotel website: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Other accolades: Four Seasons Florence also features in my top 10 lists of the best urban resorts in the world and the best Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in the world.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, welcome gift, daily breakfast, $100 USD resort credit, early check in and late check out).

5. BELMOND HOTEL SPLENDIDO, PORTOFINO, ITALIAN RIVIERA

For more than 100 years Belmond Hotel Splendido has been welcoming romantics, adventurers, aristocrats and royalty, who come from around the world to experience La Dolce Vita in the famous fishing village on the Italian Riviera. A former 16th -century monastery high above the bay of Portofino, the property is a secluded hideaway where guests can relax in terraced gardens as they enjoy spectacular views over the harbor. A more recent addition to the family, Belmond Splendido Mare is an intimate retreat on the piazzetta and water’s edge that opened its doors in 1998. The two properties complement each other beautifully; it takes only three minutes to travel between the two by shuttle, or ten minutes on foot.

Hotel website: Belmond Hotel Splendido
Other accolades: Belmond Hotel Splendido also features in my top 10 list of the best Belmond hotels in the world.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, $100 USD food & beverage credit, early check-in, late check-out, and daily breakfast for 2).
Review: read my review of Belmond Hotel Splendido here.

4. MONASTERO SANTA ROSA HOTEL & SPA, AMALFI COAST

Perched on a cliff’s edge, Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa stands alone in majestic solitude, its rock base evoking the robe of a king. Originally a 17th-century monastery, Monastero Santa Rosa has been affectionately and respectfully restored into an ultraluxe boutique hotel . It’s hard to imagine that the generous grounds, filled with four levels of gardens, lush landscaping, plentiful lounge chairs, and canopied daybeds, serve just 20 rooms and suites. Monastero Santa Rosa also hosts a fully equipped spa to rival any major city spa, offering not just treatment rooms, but large-scale amenities that include a sauna, steam, mosaic-tiled experience shower, hydro pool, and tepidarium.

Hotel website: Monastero Santa Rosa
Other accolades: Monastero Santa Rosa also features in my top 10 lists of the best luxury hotels in the world that are soaked in history and the best luxury hotels on Capri, Ischia & the Amalfi Coast.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, welcome cocktail, and $100 USD food & beverage credit).
Review: read my review of Monastero Santa Rosa here.

3. AMAN VENICE

As sumptuous and romantic as the city itself, Aman Venice – located within a phenomenal 16th-century Palazzo Papadopolion on the Grand Canal – is the most luxurious hotel in Italy’s most famous city and home to museum-quality treasures including Tiepolo frescoes, gilded ceilings and centuries-old leather wall coverings. More home than hotel, Aman Venice offers the rare privilege of space in the centre of the Floating City. High ceilings and spacious light-filled salons are joined by two mature outdoor private gardens and a small rooftop rarely seen in the city. With views to the hotel’s private garden or the Grand Canal, many of the 24 rooms and suites feature protected frescos and reliefs.

Hotel website: Aman Venice
Other accolades: Aman Venice also features in my top 10 lists of the best Aman hotels in the world, the best luxury hotels in Venice, and the most amazing city hotels in Europe.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. upgrade, daily breakfast, one lunch for two, early check-in, and late check-out).
Review: read my review of Aman Venice here.

2. IL SERENO, LAKE COMO

Created by famed Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola, the all-suites Il Sereno features 30 oversized suites, all with their own furnished terraces and lake views. The hotel is the third property to join the Sereno Hotels portfolio after Le Sereno Hotel & Villas in St. Barthélemy and Villa Pliniana, also located on Italy’s Lake Como. Decorated Milan restaurateur and Michelin star chef, Andrea Berton, is at the helm of this luxury hotel’s signature restaurant, Ristorante Berton Al Lago, featuring an exquisite menu inspired by Italy’s diverse regions. Rounding out the all-star team, acclaimed botanist Patrick Blanc contributed his signature vertical botanical gardens throughout the property, including a spectacular “green sculpture” art work.

Hotel website: Il Sereno
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD resort credit).
Review: read my review of Il Sereno here.

1. BELMOND HOTEL CARUSO, AMALFI COAST

Almost suspended between sea and sky, Belmond Hotel Caruso occupies a former medieval palace. Located at the highest, quietest point of Ravello, the luxury hotel overlooks the rocks and cliffs of Italy’s Amalfi Coast and the Mediterranean (or, more correctly, Tyrrhenian) Sea. With frescoed salons, arched stone vaults and just 50 highly individual rooms and suites occupying every shape and corner of the ancient palace’s architecture, it is an intimate retreat with an intriguing sense of history. But above all, with its rose arbor leading to one of the world’s most spectacular infinity pools, with sunlit or candlelit dining in the Belvedere Restaurant, and with a rich sense of its past as a retreat for presidents, writers and film stars, the hotel is almost impossibly romantic.

Hotel website: Belmond Hotel Caruso
Other accolades: Belmond Hotel Caruso also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most spectacular cliffside luxury hotels, the best Belmond hotels in the world, the world’s most stunning hotel pools, and the best luxury hotels on Capri, Ischia & the Amalfi Coast.
Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, $100 USD food & beverage credit, early check-in, late check-out, and daily breakfast for 2).
Review: read my review of Belmond Hotel Caruso here.