Mediterranean Coast
With all the amenities of a boutique hotel, this classy B&B on the western edge of Sciacca's historic centre is run by friendly father-son team Vincenzo…
Must-see hotels in Italy
Vicenza
Impossible to categorise, this gallery-hotel-social experiment in an old stone farmhouse is well worth the 15-minute drive from Vicenza for its serene…
Southwestern Sardinia
With 12 modest rooms and a remote location amid macchia-cloaked hills, this working farm is a genuine country hideaway. It's all very down to earth, but…
Catania
Housed in a 17th-century palazzo a stone's throw from the duomo, this clean, friendly hostel offers incredible location and value. Three dorms (one female…
Procida
Hiding behind a restaurant of the same name on the island's quieter southern side, the Crescenzo has 10 smallish rooms; choose between a bay window or a…
Palermo
Offering unbeatable comfort and a convenient location, Giuseppe Scaccianoce's elegant B&B occupies the top floor of an old palazzo (mansion) half a block…
Vieste
In a former convent in the old quarter, this is a popular, charming and reasonably priced place with comfortable high-ceilinged rooms. There's also a…
Central Tuscany
The prospect of spending the night in this fabulous medieval castle in a slightly out-of-the-way location on the very edge of the Chianti Senese makes a…
Ionian Coast
This friendly, well-maintained B&B occupies an early-20th-century house one block from the harbour. Its five rooms, each named after a character from…
Montepulciano
Dutch-born Karin and Italian Antonio met when working in Milan's high-velocity fashion industry, but eventually decided organic farming was more to their…
Montepulciano
Owned by the same family for over 800 years, this atmospheric B&B offers a choice of comfortable standard and superior rooms with tea/coffee set-up and…
The Dolomites
One of the Alps’ oldest mountain huts, Rifugio Bolzano rests at 2457m, just under Monte Pez (2564m), the Sciliar’s summit. Take the Panorama chairlift…
Pisa
Placed well away from the Piazza dei Miracoli mayhem, this four-star mansion is an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Its big, bright rooms have wooden…
The Veneto
This biodynamic vineyard, which harvests the grapes for its Grappoli di Luna by moonlight (due to more beneficial lower temperatures), offers equally…
Southeastern Sicily
Ease that stress at La Corte del Sole, an atmospheric hotel housed in a traditional Sicilian masseria (working farm). Overlooking the fields of Eloro, it…
Ragusa
With its exposed stonework and crisp white decor, this stylish, family-run B&B exudes a quiet sophistication. While the four double rooms are not the…
Noto
Eclectic and subtly sophisticated, Melodia 3 revels in contrasting old and new: picture lofty vintage ceilings, sculptural lamps, antique drawers,…
Tyrrhenian Coast
The three cosy rooms at this B&B 10km below Petralia Soprana – a double, a triple and a quad – all come with welcoming details: wood stoves, tea kettles,…
Cefalù
Run by two brothers, this B&B – one of Cefalù's oldest – offers seven rooms and apartments, five sea-facing and two town-facing, in a Liberty-style…
Panarea
A long-standing Panarea institution, this honeycomb of white adobe-walled rooms tucked up against a volcanic hillside abounds in seductive details:…
Amalfi
This family-run hotel has just six rooms, all of them light, sunny and prettily furnished with antiques, majolica tiles and the odd chintzy cherub. The…
Milazzo
High-end amenities and state-of-the-art fixtures make for a comfortable stay at this sleek new six-room hotel upstairs from the excellent Al Bagatto wine…
Bergamo
It may be metres from Bergamo’s main square, but Il Sole has the unhurried feel of a family-run B&B in a quiet Italian village. Enter via the eponymous…
La Costiera Triestina
This period seaside villa was the summer home of a family of Triestini writers and intellectuals who retreated here right up until the year 2000 to enjoy…
Venice
This little hotel offers breezy roof-garden breakfasts, a canalside restaurant, and panoramas of Palladio's Redentore church across Giudecca Canal…
Lampedusa
If in-town convenience is your goal, Hotel O'scià is a good, dependable bet, with easy walking access to restaurants and bars and only a five-minute (free…
Ravello
Still living off past glories (check out the 'celebs board' behind reception) the family-run Garden doesn't have to bend much with the times. Hoarding one…
Sorrento
One of a cluster of hotels along Via Capo, the Desiré is a top budget choice. It’s not so much the simple, sunny rooms (although they’re fine) or the…
Venice
In contrast to the bombastic Gesuiti church next door, this convent-turned-barracks-turned-hostel provides minimalist white rooms overlooking a cloister…
Tyrrhenian Coast
Run by an octogenarian retired vascular surgeon, this agriturismo in Ucria (on the road to Floresta) offers high-ceilinged rooms with sweeping sea and…
Trieste
Occupying an upper floor of a nondescript 19th-century office building, the hushed, dramatically lit lounge of this small hotel immediately soothes the…
Trieste
A delightful little hotel in the middle of the old town, Nascosto is a model of discreet style. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decked out with parquet…
Venice
Occupying the top floor of a historic home overlooking Santo Stefano, Bloom has glam-rock rooms in shocking scarlet, fuchsia and gold damask, with leather…
Northeastern Sardinia
Tucked into the folds of vine and olive-cloaked hills west of Berchidda, this B&B's three rooms are split between a century-old farmhouse and a more…
Northeastern Sardinia
Free-roaming donkeys, cows, goats, sheep and hens, beautiful stone cottages nestled in cork-oak woods, bucolic views, a quiet pool – what more could you…
Lake Como & Around
Tucked in the hillside village of Bianzone, Altavilla is well worth the effort getting off the beaten path so you can dine at the excellent on-site…
Southern Tuscany
Tucked behind the duomo, this spacious two-bedroom apartment makes a perfect base for visitors wanting to immerse themselves in local life. Its panoramic…
Giardini-Naxos
Within walking distance of both the beach and train station, this restored 19th-century villa charms with its pink facade, high ceilings, neo-Gothic…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Occupying a beautifully renovated old palazzo, Babuino offers its guests discreet luxury, with great attention to detail. Draws include a sleek roof…
Taormina
A throwback to another era, this conveniently located salmon-pink pensione has been run by the Sciglio family for seven decades. Its low prices reflect a…
