82 Unique Hotels in Italy

Located in a handful of 16th Century farm buildings perched on a hillock overlooking a fertile plain, this hotel was a working farm for centuries. You can stay in the peculiar “trulli” houses that were the preferred residencies of farm laborers. They are dry-stone conical huts with thatched roofs easily …

This original 11th Century palace became the "Pensione Belvedere" hotel in 1893 and, over the years, attracted luminaries such as Jackie Onassis and Virginia Wolf. Currently managed by the luxury hotel group, Belmond, the palace’s present incarnation boasts a cliff-hugging infinity pool that allows you to swim in the fresh …

Set on a cliff-top 1000 feet above the sea this hotel offers commanding views of the Bay of Naples and rich history. Once home to an exiled Russian Prince this stunning property is set in scenery that includes Mount Vesuvius and Sorrento Ischia. Choose a suite with unparalleled sea views, …

Masseria San Domenico was once a watchtower used to defend this outpost of Christendom against the supposedly heathen Turks. Now, this former bastion of brutality stands at the heart of a fabulous modern resort. There are two restaurants, The San Domenico serves local cuisine under vaulted ceilings that once housed …

This hotel is hewn out of the very living rock on the Amalfi coastline. Want to go to the beach? Then take the lift through the rock to the sand below. Your vine-hugged balcony has some of the finest views you will ever see - from the sea to Positano. …

No-one goes to galleries to view art these days. In fact, everyone who takes art and design seriously knows that to truly appreciate art you have to live with it. But even if we can afford the best art, we can only choose to live with a few select pieces. …

In Tuscany, there is a beautiful villa that has been restored. With only seven rooms, this exclusive hotel has married modern furnishings with the traditional style. The half-ancient wooden beams hold up the ceiling as you sit in front of a 200-year-old fireplace next to a stone wall that was …

A very stylish art hotel in Rome. Located halfway between the Ostiense and Testaccio neighborhoods near to traditional restaurants, shops, and bars abuzz with clientele. Every lamp, application, and decoration is a unique design piece created by a contemporary Roman artist. Unique and expressive artworks transform the walls to create …

What kind of hotel advertises itself as “fully disinfected”? A hotel made of trash, that’s what. This temporary hotel was erected on the banks of the Tiber in Rome to bring attention to the threat posed to Europe’s beaches by the mountains of trash left by careless tourists each year. …

If you were to tell me that you are going to stay in a “0-star hotel” I might wonder if you are planning to sleep in a ditch. But I would be very ill-informed. The Dunant Hotel has chosen to bill itself as “0 stars” to reflect its philosophy of …

In the bloodbath of medieval Europe, ruling families had a lot to lose. Their serfs were vulnerable to attack from all sides. So they designed their villages around a central ruling tower - like the Prendiparte Tower which stands at 12 stories tall. Ruling families would each have a floor …

For hundreds of years, The Medicis were one of the most powerful families in Europe. If anyone knew the most beautiful spot in Italy it was them. Their summer houses were legendary. Now you can stay in one of their great buildings located in the Val d'Orcia which is a …

Ok, so you can enter this Venetian boutique hotel in a gondola, sailing in under the portcullis into the kind of mysterious tunnel you might expect to find Cardinal Richelieu doing something crafty in; but luckily for you, this is not revolutionary France, this is modern-day Venice and you are …

In the grand Dolomites – a mountain range located in the North Italian Alps – there is an award-winning design hotel. Built by architect, Matteo Thun, his idea was to create a luxury eco-hotel that draws inspiration from nature and also blends with its natural surroundings so local woods and …

This 18th Century villa is still privately owned by the Sersale family, who opened their summer house as a hotel in 1951. It was just about the time the Positano region of Italy was growing as a tourist destination thanks, in no small part, to John Steinbeck's remarking in an …

This was once a convent. Built in the 16th Century, the cloisters and passageways once echoed with the sound of rosary beads and prayers. Today, it is the building that contemplates on a rock overlooking the sea while, inside, the residents relax. Thousands of religious hours have been worn into …

When arriving at Masseria Torre Coccaro, you will see ancient olive groves where connoisseur olive oil is pressed, a wave-lapped Adriatic shore where a private yacht is moored, and a restored farmhouse where you will be staying. The farmhouse is hundreds of years old and is more fortress than a …

This hotel bills itself as ‘Hotel & Motel, Love & Sex, Business & Relax all become One’. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a terrifically messy evening. But then, maybe I’m not Italian enough. You can choose whether to stay in the Hotel building or the Motel …

The Rome Cavalieri is a super-luxurious hotel that boasts 15 acres of unique gardens to explore. There are lots of activities for you to try. Celebrate ritualized murder with a gladiator training session! Design a diamond-encrusted cashmere sweater for your dog! Clear your chakras out with a precious stone massage! …

Set in beautiful Tuscany this lovingly restored 14th Century villa is a haven of warm tiles, bare beams, and stunning aesthetics. An acclaimed artist, Anna Izzo set out to create a hotel with soul allowing you to stay inside a living, breathing work of art. Vibrant contemporary artworks merge with …