The Best Hotels to Stay at in Italy

If you’re craving a decadent, Renaissance feel, this B&B delivers, from the elaborate frescoed ceilings to the terracotta tiles and occasional romantic four-poster. Look out the window and Pisa unfurls below, the nearby Palazzo del Podestà – a vision in red brick – seemingly plucked straight from a postcard. But the best thing? The lovely hosts, Andy and Andrew, who make sure the hotel is immaculate, you’re armed with dinner recommendations and that breakfast cappuccinos are as ethereal as clouds.

A B&B stay in Italy is all about personality and host Flavia, at her homely Pisa pad, has lots of it. With just three rooms for hire – a double, a twin and a family room – there’s an intimacy that makes you feel like you’re staying with a long-lost Tuscan aunt (who also makes organic breakfasts and wine-laced dinners, on request). The location is great for busy travellers – moments from Pisa’s train station – so you can day-trip to Florence or Lucca.

It’s hard to decide what’s better about Quattro Incanti: the super-central location (it’s named after the point where Palermo’s old quarters meet) or the rooftop terrace, perfect for an aperitivo warmed by Sicilian sun. Set in an old villa, it has plenty of original features – soaring ceilings, wrought-iron balconies – but the décor leans towards the modern (and comfortable). Make the most of host Alessandro’s tips, and definitely don’t skip breakfast: the homemade cakes are a highlight.

When it comes to the comforts of home, this Palermo B&B nails the brief. Sink-in sofas, neutral hues and beds festooned with piles of fluffy pillows mean it’s tempting to curl up in-room and do nothing. But with this central city location – you’re just a 10-minute walk from the opulent cathedral, steps from Via Libertà shopping street – it would be criminal not to explore. Especially when you know that there are bottles of chilled bubbly to return to.

The romance is dialled up to 11 here: think soft lighting, illuminating beamed, white-washed ceilings; spacious walk-in showers; views over tiled rooftops. But loved-up couples will enjoy this Palermo hideaway for plenty more reasons, including the free gym and pool access, indulgent yacht excursions and foliage-fringed terrace. And don’t forget the al fresco dinners, where basil-fragranced ravioli and fat local prawns come with an atmosphere so intimate it’s nearly a cliché.

It’s not just the lengthy, sun-drenched pool – complete with hydrotherapy jets – or the rambling spa, with Finnish sauna, Turkish bath and Ayurveda-inspired treatments. The good-for-you feeling at this wellness resort comes from the spectacular location, too: overlooking sparkling Mediterranean waters on Sardinia’s meandering north coast. Have at least one indulgent meal in the sea-facing restaurant, where shell-shaped gnocchi sardi and succulent lobster are both house favourites.

Strolling past squares where fountains play, choosing blooms at Campo de’Fiori, downing scalding espressos – here’s your chance to experience life in Rome like a local. Set in the swish Campo Marzio district, home to the Spanish Steps, these one- and two-bedroom apartments come kitted out with all the essentials (and, in some cases, parquet floors or jacuzzis). In summer, be sure to book the Superior Studio, which is all the better for its outdoor sunbeds.

There’s a relaxed, bohemian vibe to this southern Sardinia hotel, from the straw umbrellas and slouchy bean bags to the floaty bedroom fabrics. And it feels exactly the way you want a coastal hotel to feel, thanks to its views to glittering blue Mediterranean sea, loungers and a jewel-box pool (fed, waterfall-style, by a modern fountain). This is a great pick for couples who want style with their sunshine.