Italy: 120 places to stay
Italy : Rome (10)
La Residenza Napoleone, Spanish Steps
A stunningly lavish suite of rooms, exuding old-world opulence, in the heart of Rome's fashion quarter
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Portrait Suites, Spanish Steps
Owned by the Ferragamo fashion family, a divinely gorgeous Italian townhouse overlooking designer-shopping heaven
- ££££
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Buonanotte Garibaldi, Trastevere
An artist’s villa, filled with silk paintings, sculptures and antiques, set in atmospheric Trastevere, Rome's ‘Left Bank’
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Crossing Condotti, City centre
A cosy gem set in swish shopping district Tridente: intimate, antique-furnished and luxurious
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Hotel Sant' Anselmo, Aventine
Gorgeous flamboyantly decorated hotel in the lovely, leafy residential district, Aventine
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Margutta 54, Via Margutta
An impeccable gem offering space, tranquillity (a rarity in Rome) and chic minimalist style - set on divinely pretty Via Margutta
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Casa Howard Rome, Spanish Steps
A pair of stylish 5-room guesthouses near the Spanish Steps, combining the comforts of home with the service of a top hotel
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Casa Montani, City Centre
An immaculate, lovingly appointed townhouse conversion with 5 rooms, overlooking Porta del Popolo
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Daphne Inn, Piazza Barberini
Central, chic, American-Italian owned B&B, with friendly multilingual staff who offer lots of local information
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Hotel Santa Maria, Trastevere
A secluded oasis in Trastevere, Rome’s most charming and buzzing district, with rooms surrounding a cloister full of orange trees
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Italy : Venice (9)
Ca Maria Adele, Dorsoduro
Grand design in an intimate hotel - an exciting and sexy new addition to one of the world's most romantic cities
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Ca' Pisani, Dorsoduro
Meticulous modernism in a medieval palazzo next to the Accademia: the first - and still the best - design hotel in Venice
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Novecento Boutique Hotel, San Marco
Go oriental in the city of theatre, mirrors and illusion with this exotic, family-run gem
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Palazzo Abadessa, Cannaregio
Live like a Doge in a beautifully restored Baroque palace with a peaceful walled garden and private jetty
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Bloom & Settimo Cielo, Venice
Gorgeously opulent B&Bs in the heart of the city, blending Venetian tradition with modern design
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Hotel Villa Pannonia, Venice
Modern family-friendly hotel on the Lido with an eye for contemporary art; 10 minutes from St Mark’s Square
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Oltre Il Giardino, San Polo
A small, stylish, tranquil hotel in off-beat San Polo, with art-filled bedrooms and a secret garden
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Ca della Corte, Dorsoduro
Friendly B&B in a palazzo with dazzling chandeliers, plus canalside apartments for 2-7 so you can live like a local
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Venissa, Mazzorbo Island
Super-chic gastro retreat on Mazzorbo Island near Venice. Get here before the hordes, and take advantage of the great-value packages
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Italy : Florence (13)
J K Place Firenze, Piazza S M Novella
Florence’s trend-setting boutique hotel has style, space, service and a very sought-after address on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella
- ££££
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Palazzo Magnani Feroni, Oltr'arno
A 16th century palazzo in the heart of Florence with vast suites, elegant salons, a panoramic roof terrace and discreet old-world service
- ££££
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Villa Mangiacane, San Casciano
Romantic villa with Renaissance frescoes, beautiful gardens, acres of vineyard and a luxurious spa - 12km outside Florence
- ££££
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Granduomo, Florence
A 17th-century townhouse with apartments for 2-5, bang on the Piazza del Duomo
- £££
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In Piazza della Signoria, Centre
Smartly intimate B&B in the heart of Florence, run by friendly young Italian couple
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Relais Marignolle, Southern hills
A charming, comfortable, family-run inn among the verdant hills 3km from Florence, with superb service
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Residence Hilda, Pa. SS Annunziata
Designer apartments with kitchenettes and all the comforts of a hotel, slap bang in the heart of Florence
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Riva Lofts, Arno river
Historic mill on Florence's Arno river, transformed by a top Italian architect into 10 cool studios with fantastic garden and pool
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Casa Howard Florence, Pa. S M Novella
Sister guesthouse to Casa Howard Rome with inventive design - minutes from Florence station
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Floroom, Oltrarno
Funky B&Bs in central neighbourhoods, whose owners will put you on the inside track in Florence
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Le Stanze di Santa Croce, Santa Croce
A friendly, cosy, mid-budget B&B, which feels more like home than hotel, in Florence’s colourful Santa Croce quarter
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Palazzo Alfani, City centre
Comfortable self-catering apartments in a plum location - perfect for families and longer stays in Florence.
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Johlea & Johanna Residences, North-centre
Five restored residenze offering a charming, affordable and welcoming sanctuary within walking distance of Florence's centre
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Italy : Tuscany (24)
Borgo Santo Pietro, Valle Serena
An opulent but wonderfully informal country retreat - medieval buildings, divine gardens, exquisite food
- ££££
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Castello di Vicarello, Poggi del Sasso
Remote, magical and characterful castle with 7 romantic suites, 2 pools and outstanding views across Maremma valleys
- ££££
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Castello di Tornano, Gaiole in Chianti
Everyone’s idea of a fairytale castle, with an enchanting location in the wooded hills of Chianti
- £££
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Fontelunga, Foiano della Chiana
Contemporary design, personal service and top-notch facilities, all served in a traditional Tuscan manor
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Fontelunga Villas, Foiano della Chiana
Two ultra stylish serviced villas (sleeping 2-4) in Tuscany’s wildly beautiful Scannagallo Valley.
- £££
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Hotelito Lupaia, Torrita di Siena
A delightful hotel on a Tuscan hilltop, with a poetic pool and enticing views
- £££
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La Bandita, Pienza
A 21st-century reinvention of a Tuscan farmhouse, with light white spaces and modernist infinity pool overlooking a Val d’Orcia nature reserve
- £££
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Palazzo Brandano, Petroio
Modern-Renaissance hotel with fab views and an excellent terrace restaurant in a small 12th-century hilltown between Siena and Lago Trasimeno
- £££
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Podere Dionora, Montepulciano
A handsome Tuscan farmhouse in the heart of hilltown country, offering very exclusive B&B
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Relais Il Falconiere, Cortona
Exquisite country villa with a Michelin-starred restaurant, elegant gardens and pools basking under the Tuscan sun
- £££
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Relais San Pietro, Castiglion Fiorentino
Ultra traditional family-run hotel with rustic deluxe rooms, in beautiful countryside between Arezzo and Cortona
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Tenuta San Pietro, near Lucca
Contemporary gastro-hideaway surrounded by olive trees and vineyards in a lesser visited part of Tuscany
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Villa Sassolini, Montevarchi
A 15th century palazzo with contemporary design and gastronomic flair, set in the hills of Chianti
- £££
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Albergo Villa Marta, Lucca
Former hunting lodge, now an elegant country hotel surrounded by a serene Renaissance garden, 5km outside Lucca
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Locanda di San Francesco, Montepulciano
In the heart of wine-fabled Montepulciano, a converted medieval oratorio with 4 elegant rooms and views to die for
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Palazzo Alexander, Lucca
An elegant looker for not much lucre in central Lucca
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Podere Castellare, Diacceto
Enjoy laidback lounging and a warm welcome in this fun, brightly coloured and stylish hotel in the Tuscan hills, an easy drive from Florence
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Poggio Ai Santi, San Vincenzo
Hidden hill-top hotel with views across to the islands of Elba and Corsica, a magical garden and a wonderful little restaurant
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Relais Fattoria Vignale, Radda in Chianti
A comfortable, very well-appointed hotel at the edge of one of Chianti’s loveliest villages, with glorious Tuscan views
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Romantik Hotel Monteriggioni, Monteriggioni
A discreet little hotel in one of Tuscany’s most perfect medieval castle-hamlets, just outside Siena
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Fattoria Barbialla Nuova, Montaione
Pure city escapism in 3 converted farmhouses on a 500-hectare organic farm - a remarkably tranquil and hospitable retreat
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Follonico, Torrita di Siena
A very special B&B with quirky rooms and delightful owners: a perfect base to explore southern Tuscany
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Quercia Rossa, near Grosseto
Rustic meets Rococo in this stylish but affordable agriturismo in Tuscany’s (relatively) unexplored Maremma region, between Manciano and the coast
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Villa i Bossi, Arezzo
A charmingly informal aristocratic villa offering B&B in the wooded hills near historic Arezzo.
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Italy : Umbria (8)
Palazzo Terranova, Perugia
A breathtakingly restored palazzo on an Umbrian hilltop with huge bedrooms, magnificent views and first-class cuisine, plus a self-catering villa for 4
- ££££
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Torre di Moravola, Montone
A remote and magical medieval watchtower with 360º views over ancient hills, restored with super-sleek 21st-century design
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Locanda Palazzone, near Orvieto
A medieval hostel with minimalist, modern interiors and divine views, set admist green vineyards and rolling hills
4+night discount in High Season (Suite + Junior Suite)... & more offers
- £££
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Castello di Montignano, Massa Martana
A beautifully restored relais, with 21st-century comforts, a lovely spa and a relaxed atmosphere
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La Palazzetta del Vescovo, Fratta Todina
An 18th-century retreat built for the bishops of Todi, now an outstandingly welcoming dimora di charme with panoramic views of the Tevere Valley
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Palazzo Majo, Lugnano
A carefully restored old house with fabulously modern interiors and a relaxed vibe: 5 rooms for B&B or an amazing house rental for 10
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San Crispino Residence, Assisi
A historic building in central Assisi, creatively converted to make seven lovely 2- to 5-bed apartments for long or short stays
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Villa Metato, Citta di Castello
A ravishing bolthole for 2 in an 18th-century villa furnished in 20th-century style, with huge views, ancient forests and peace and quiet
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Italy : Naples & Amalfi (11)
Le Sirenuse, Positano
The prima donna of Positano is as classy and comfortable as ever, and still the only outstanding hotel in town
- ££££
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Casa Angelina, Praiano
The Amalfi coast's first real design hotel adds slick white décor, bold artwork and delicate cuisine to those famous sea views.
- £££
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Casa Privata, Praiano
A blissfully quiet old house near Positano, with an incredible sweep of gardens, sea-framed sunset views and 6 elegant rooms
- £££
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Costantinopoli 104, Central Naples
A veritable oasis in the old heart of Naples, with tall palms, exotic flowers, a small pool and elegant rooms
- £££
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Maison La Minervetta, Sorrento
A delightful restaurant-turned-boutique-hotel, perched above Sorrento's harbour, with 12 immaculate and artful rooms
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Micalo, Naples
Designer bolthole in edgy Naples, close to the sea, furnished with creamy Trani limestone and decorated with vibrant local artwork
- £££
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Relais Blu Belvedere, Massa Lubrense
A seriously stylish, ravishingly romantic hotel perched on the tip of the Amalfi Coast
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Villa Cimbrone, Ravello
A medieval palazzo with sumptuous suites, panoramic pool, formal gardens and "the most beautiful panorama in the world".
- £££
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Villa dei D'Armiento, Sorrento
Peaceful oasis of bright, stylish rooms in an elegant 19th-century Sorrentino villa, complete with pool and lush garden
- £££
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Il Cannito, Capaccio Paestum
Old and new fuse with heart and soul at this charming 4-room hotel in the hills above Paestum
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Villa Scarpariello, Castiglione di Ravello
Simple B&B rooms and weekly apartments, with tiered gardens around a Norman watchtower, and a pool overhanging the rocky coast
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Italy : Maratea & Cilento Coast (2)
La Locanda delle Donne Monache, Maratea
Soothe your soul at this 17th-century convent in Maratea's old town, with monastic-chic rooms and exquisite dining, a few miles from the beach
- ££
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Villa Cheta, near Maratea
A charmingly old-fashioned and romantic hotel set in a quiet coastal village near Maratea
- ££
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Italy : Milan (3)
Brera Apartments, Brera
Sleek, contemporary and well-priced apartments in the vibrant Brera district (sleeping 2-4, self-catering)
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Navigli Apartment, Navigli
Unique artist's apartment in the bohemian Navigli quarter, with ship's ladder, loft bedroom and beautiful decoration (sleeps 2-3, self catering)
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Tara Verde, De Angeli
Peace, comfort and vivid colour therapy at this bohemian 3-bedroom B&B in a quiet, residential area of Milan
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Italy : Sicily (15)
Caol Ishka, Siracusa
Unashamedly designer rooms spread among contemporary riverside barns, with a pool, lawns and heaps of charm, 1.5km from Ortigia
- £££
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Palazzo Conte Federico, Palermo
A sumptuous bedroom in a palatial residence of a Hohenstaufen-descended count and his engaging Austrian wife, plus 5 simpler apartments
- £££
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Pantelleria Dream, Pantelleria
A traditional dammusi-style hotel in Pantelleria, Sicily’s 'Black Pearl of the Mediterranean'
- £££
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Villa Carlotta, Taormina
Intimate oasis in a turn-of-the-century villa on the edge of Taormina, built into lush cypress-spiked cliffs above the Ionian sea
- £££
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BB22, Palermo
Boutique B&B reaches Palermo: 7 contemporary-meets-antique bedrooms in the heart of the old city
- ££
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Cambiocavallo, nr Pozzallo
Minimalist hotel with pool occupying an 18th-century post-house in the deep south, between the sea and the Baroque town of Modica
- ££
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Casa Favonio, Favignana
A tranquil and elegant 5-room B&B, set in a glorious nature reserve on the island of Favignana
- ££
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Casa Talia, Modica
Nine lovingly restored stone cottages, with vibrant rustic-chic interiors and sweeping views over the Baroque town of Modica
- ££
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Locanda Don Serafino, Ragusa
Cosy-chic little hotel attached to one of Sicily’s best restaurants, in the breathtaking Baroque town of Ragusa Ibla
- ££
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Mandranova, Palma di Montechiaro
Working olive farm with beautiful bedrooms, home-cooked food, African gardens and spring-fed pool on Sicily's south coast near Agrigento
- ££
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Masseria degli Ulivi, Noto
A peaceful and remote hotel in the hills above gorgeous Noto, with a stunning pool and simple, rustic rooms
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Relais Parco Cavalonga, Ragusa
Chic self-catering apartments sleeping 2-7 and a delightful small hotel tucked away in a pretty valley, perfectly situated for southern Sicily’s best sights
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Hotel Gutkowski, Siracusa
Mediterranean blues meet modern minimalism at this great-value hotel in Ortigia, with its glorious views of the Ionian sea
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Hotel Novecento, Scicli
Intimate and perfectly formed bijou hotel in a gorgeous but little-known Sicilian Baroque town.
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L'Approdo delle Sirene, Siracusa
Shipshape B&B on the waterfront of Ortigia, the seagirt historic centre of Siracusa, with charismatic owners and a charming roof terrace
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Italy : Aeolian Islands (2)
Capofaro, Salina
An original concept: a boutique resort in a working vineyard with an old lighthouse, whose beam mingles with sparks from distant Stromboli
- £££
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Hotel Signum, Salina
Pretty country-house hotel in the languid village of Malfa, with big pool, fragrant gardens and inspiring sea views.
- ££
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Italy : Puglia & Basilicata (13)
Borgo Egnazia, Fasano New!
A fantastic new family friendly resort in the heel of Italy, with sumptuous Conran-esque design, great local food, a luxe spa and no end of activities on offer
- ££££
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Masseria Torre Maizza, near Fasano
Contemporary chic meets rustic idyll: a hip, glamorous masseria conversion among orchards and olive groves.
- ££££
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La Sommita, Ostuni
Historic palazzo dominating the white hilltown of Ostuni, with Moorish patios and creamy interiors from Milanese boutique Culti
- £££
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Le Grotte della Civita, Matera
A romantic cave hotel in rural Italy where past meets present in a spectacular and unforgettable setting
- £££
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Masseria Montelauro, Otranto
Sublime, sophisticated converted farm, with chic white décor and excellent food, set in olive groves near coastal Otranto
- £££
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Villa Santoro, near Ostuni
Traditional and contemporary, glamorous and rustic: a gorgeous trulli villa that’s perfect for friends and families (sleeps 8)
- £££
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Borgo San Marco, Fasano
Hugely hospitable 15th-century masseria near the sea, with flower-fringed lawns, beach-style pool, ancient olive groves and atmospheric boho-chic rooms.
- ££
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Lama di Luna, near Andria
A paragon of eco-minimalism: an 18th-century fortified estate with monastically calm bedrooms, pure and perfect food, and 190 hectares of organic heaven
- ££
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Masseria Fumarola, Near Martina Franca New!
A rambling farm turned tranquil trulli hotel, surrounded by olive and fruit trees; family run, but with a 5-star feel
- ££
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Palazzo Guglielmo, Vignacastrisi New!
A magical and memorable hotel in a historic mansion, hidden among fragranced gardens in a small town near the Salentine coast
- ££
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Villa Cervarolo, Ostuni
Secluded trulli farmhouse set among olive groves, with a contemporary makeover and cool pool (sleeps 4-7, min stay 1 week, Sat - Sat)
- ££
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L'Hotel in Pietra, Matera
Beautiful boutique 12th-century church conversion, overlooking Matera’s warren-like, ravine-edged Sassi Barisano quarter
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Masseria Alchimia, Fasano
Minimalist chic meets rural Puglia in this modernist masseria conversion, housing 10 self-catering studios for 2-4
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Italy : Italian Lakes (4)
Relais Regina Teodolinda, Lake Como
Lavish use of space is the luxury in this elegantly friendly 1800s villa in a prime lakeside spot
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Villa Arcadio, Salo
Elegant villa-resort set among olive, citrus and tomato groves on the Salo hills, with heavenly views of Lake Garda.
- £££
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Relais Villa Vittoria, Laglio, Lake Como
A romantic lakeside retreat that honeymooners, proposers and loved-up couples will adore
- ££
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Hotel Elda, Ledro Valley
Style on a budget: rustic guesthouse goes eco-modern among the forests and frosted mountains north of ravishing Lake Ledro.
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Italy : Piedmont (3)
La Villa Hotel, Mombaruzzo
A beautifully restored 17th century palazzo offering glamorpuss rooms and gastronomy in the wine hills of Monferrato
- £££
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Pilates and Cooking in Piedmont, Costigliole D’Asti
Hilltop agriturismo in the heart of the Barbera d’Asti wine region, offering Pilates and gastronomy holidays with a homely touch
- £££
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La Granica, Fontanile
Rustic meets smart contemporary in a Piedmontese farmstead with 4 fabulous rooms, a family cottage and its own vineyard
- ££
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Italy : Liguria (1)
Villa Rosmarino, Camogli
Super-stylised Ligurian palazzo with pool set above the achingly beautiful fishing village of Camogli
- ££
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Italy : South Tyrol (1)
vigilius mountain resort, nr Merano
Super-cool eco-retreat in Italy’s South Tyrol, mixing über architecture, frosted Alpine peaks and a spa with altitude
- £££
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Italy : Abruzzo (1)
Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, Santo Stefano di Sassanio
A medieval mountain hamlet where history and designer fittings meet to create a unique cultural experience
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