The Best New Hotels in Italy to Book Now

This thoughtful renovation of a historic grand dame restores an authentic and beloved part of Palermo’s culture to Sicily’s capital.

The historic Villa Igiea shines once again as a beacon of style in Sicily’s capital thanks to a top-to-bottom renovation by Rocco Forte Hotels. The brand lightened up the color palette and brought in some modern décor, but preserved the Art Nouveau-style murals in the Ernesto Basile room and kept some of the original furnishings. Two restaurants serve Sicilian cuisine by renowned chef Fulvio Pierangelini, while the terrace of the bar is the place to be for aperitivo. The spa is a haven of tranquility with hand-painted tile floors by a local artisan, and body treatments which use Irene Forte’s line of natural skincare products.

Set in Venice’s Arsenale art and design district, this hotel boasts a sleek contemporary design that stands out from the city’s opulently styled hotels.

At most of Venice’s five-star hotels, gilded opulence is the name of the game. Not so at Ca’ di Dio, which opened this summer in a 13th-century ecclesiastical compound. V-Retreats, which runs the hotel, tapped renowned Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola, who’s known for her sleek, modern style, to design the interiors. Bespoke Murano glass lamps and Gaetano Pesce chairs add whimsical touches to the rooms and lobby. Alchemia Bar serves creative cocktails accompanied by Venetian snacks, while Vero restaurant serves a gourmet menu of dishes like shrimp with burrata and confit tomatoes or fennel risotto with lobster. 

This sprawling estate in Umbria epitomizes country life—with a dash of luxury—in Italy.

The 3,700-acre Reschio Estate was acquired in 1994, however, it wasn't until 1999 that its owner Count Benedikt Bolza moved into the estate to begin renovation of the property's farmhouses. The family has spent the past 20 years restoring it, renovating the ancient farmhouses, and finally transforming the thousand-year-old castle into an intimate 36-room hotel. A London-trained architect, Count Bolza designed the hotel and much of the furniture in it himself (he sells some of the furniture through his B.B. for Reschio line).

Entering through the courtyard, you feel suspended in time as antiques mingle with the count’s sleek furniture in the hotel’s public spaces. The palm court, with its bespoke wicker chairs and oversized plants, is an especially magical place to sip a Negroni, while the pool was designed to resemble a lake in the forest. Rooms and suites are spacious, with plush four-poster beds, clawfoot tubs, and custom dressing tables. A Roman bath and spa are tucked away under the castle—perfect for relaxing after a game of tennis or a horseback riding lesson at the stables.

This hip newcomer encourages coworking (a rarity in Italy) and offers great style without the high rates of other top hotels in the capital.

It-brand the Hoxton opened its first Italian hotel in Rome’s posh Parioli neighborhood in May 2021, bringing with it the design credibility and destination dining the British brand is known for. The lobby lounge and Cugino café provide plenty of space for co-working or tête-à-têtes fueled by coffee and pastries by the team behind cult-favorite spot Marigold. Alternatively, more substantial meals can be had at Beverly, which serves a California-inspired menu. Rooms are modest in size, but feature nice touches, like Roberts stereos and books curated by Hox Friends (a group of locals who help curate the property's bookshelves).

A haven of tranquility, Casa di Langa brings a new level of luxury to Piedmont.

This sustainable luxury hotel overlooks 100-plus acres of vineyards in the heart of Piedmont, the region known for Barolo and Barbaresco. It’s owned by the Krause Group, an American company whose Chairman & CEO owns the Parma Calcio 1913 soccer team and Enrico Serafino and Vietti vineyards in Piedmont. The design by Milan-based teams GaS studio (for the architecture) and Parisotto + Formenton (for the interiors) is inspired by the soft, muted colors and natural materials of the surrounding hills. The restaurant Fàula is helmed by the ambitious young chef Manuel Bouchard, who worked in five Michelin-starred restaurants in Northern Italy before the age of 25.

Guests get priority reservations at the restaurant helmed by one of Italy’s best chefs.

A new member of Relais & Châteaux, this intimate resort in the lush Val di Noto occupies a historic masseria once owned by a noble family. With just 26 rooms and eight villas, it’s a must-visit destination for foodies eager to get a taste of the modern Sicilian cuisine of Michelin-starred chef Ciccio Sultano. The resort’s gourmet restaurant, Principe di Belludia, is courting the Michelin Guide, while the more casual Casa Pasta serves traditional Sicilian recipes like pasta alla norma and eggplant parmigiana. The property also has a spa, two swimming pools, and a beach club at the Lido di Noto.

Four Seasons has given new life to one of the most historic hotels in one of Sicily’s most beloved destinations.

Four Seasons has taken over the historic San Domenico Palace, which was built as a Dominican convent in 1374 and later became a luxury hotel that hosted everyone who’s anyone. Oscar Wilde, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor all stayed at the hotel in its heyday. Now it’s entering a new golden age, thanks to a top-to-bottom renovation that modernized it and added Four Seasons touches, like a gourmet restaurant and an infinity pool overlooking the sea. From this luxurious cliffside perch, it’s easy to see why Taormina has been attracting sophisticated travelers since the era of the Grand Tour.

Aside from the eye-catching design, it’s the only hotel on the Amalfi Coast with a private beach club.

The Amalfi Coast is home to some of Italy’s most legendary hotels, so it’s not an easy place for a newcomer, but Borgo Santandrea quietly emerged in summer 2021 as the first new five-star hotel to open in Amalfi in 15 years. It’s also the only hotel on the coast to have its own private beach club.

The main building is perched high overlooking the sea and as you descend, you first come to the pool and then the beach. The design fuses midcentury and Mediterranean style, with a predominantly blue-and-white color scheme inspired by midcentury architect Gio Ponti, whose vases for Ginori, an iconic porcelain brand, adorn the lobby. There are more than 30 different patterns on the tile floors, with the most eye-catching being the graphic zigzags in some of the suites. Three restaurants, from the casual beach club to the elegant Libreria, serve the fresh seafood and delicious pasta the region is known for.

This intimate hotel is a perfect complement to the glamorous Splendido Hotel on the Italian Riviera.

With just 14 rooms and suites, this intimate hotel is a sister property to the glamorous Belmond Hotel Splendido, which has long drawn an elite crowd, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Belmond tapped Paris-based Festen Architecture—the firm behind Hotel Le Pigalle in Paris and Les Roches Rouges on the Côte d’Azur—for the renovation. They drew inspiration from the hotel’s maritime heritage and location, channeling a chic Italian fishing boat with details like bold yellow-and-white striped tiles on the walls, wooden latticed flooring, and handmade headboards. They also added a touch of mid-century modern design, with pieces by Gio Ponti, Murano glass lamps, and textiles by Rubelli and Loro Piana.