CAMPANIA

Casa Via Costa

Location: Punta Imperatore, Isola di Ischia

Type: Private Guesthouses

High on the cliffs of Ischia’s western edge, Casa Via Costa marries agrarian tradition with modern sustainability. This collection of independent guesthouses represents a homecoming for owner Jeff Di Costanzo, who traded Sydney for the rugged beauty of his father’s ancestral island. The property features four restored buildings—Casa Rocco, Casa Luisa, Casa Daniele, and Il Pollaio—each with a private kitchen, sea-facing garden, and access to a shared vegetable patch (with honeybee hives!), where guests can harvest seasonal produce. The interiors avoid the island’s typical mid-century aesthetic in favor of hand-painted Vietri tiles, terrazzo floors, and oak cabinetry. →

EMILIA-ROMAGNA

Villa Gessa

Location: Valsamoggia (30 minutes from both Bologna and Modena) 

Type: Individual Rooms or Entire Villa Rental 

Architects Francesca Garagnani and Ghigo Poccianti have spent years reviving this 17th-century estate, stripping away layers of plaster to uncover original frescoes. Their decor follows suit—a curated dialogue between eras where Neoclassical portraits hang alongside vintage tennis rackets and contemporary printed rugs. Outside, a 152-square-meter pool and country house kitchen anchor the blush pink villa amongst the Bolognese hills. The 800-square-meter villa can accommodate 16 people inside, plus 200 in the garden if you’re planning a bigger event, and its proximity to both Modena and Bologna (30 minutes from both) make for lovely day trips. →

Il Borgo del Balsamico

Location: Albinea (20 minutes south of Reggio Emilia)

Type: Boutique Hotel

Sisters Cristina and Silvia Crotti have opened their 18th-century family estate, where the ground floors house eight design-forward rooms and the attic holds 300 casks of aging Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale. The aesthetic is a sharp blend of the sisters’ fashion heritage and minimalist art; expect vintage Maska fashion sketches from the ’70s on pastel walls alongside mid-century books and wood accents. Outside, a 19th-century botanical garden filled with sequoias and rare roses leads to a pool hidden within an old fruit orchard, where you can spend the day lounging after an on-site balsamic tasting. →

LAZIO

Hotel Dè Ricci

Location: Rome

Type: Boutique Hotel

Located in the Regola neighborhood—an area still dominated by local artisans rather than souvenir stalls—this eight-suite townhouse is a haven for serious oenophiles. Each room features a private wine cooler stocked by sommeliers according to your specific palate before you even check in, and the property has a 10,000-bottle cellar. The aesthetic is a nod to 1940s glamour, with wood-paneled floors, velvet armchairs, and hand-painted murals by illustrator Andrea Ferolla. →

LIGURIA

Hotel Windsor

Location: Laigueglia (Liguria Ponente)

Type: Boutique Hotel

After sitting abandoned for 20 years, Hotel Windsor was brought back to life by Alessandro Sironi, who spent his childhood summers in this very hamlet. The vibe is a deliberate nod to the Golden Age of the 1950s Riviera—sleek Cassina furniture, large walk-in closets, and Negronis served on seafront balconies. His wife, Alice Muzzioli, handled the interiors, mixing regional traditions with playful details like Sicilian Moor’s heads crowned with local artichokes instead of pinecones. Days are best spent at their private beach, Bagni Windsor, and taking to the crystal clear sea via snorkel, kayak, paddleboard, or boat (both motorboats and sailboats are available via the hotel). →

La Sosta di Ottone III

Location: Chiesanuova (10 minutes from Levanto, 15 minutes from Monterosso al Mare in Cinque Terre)

Type: Boutique Hotel

A hop, skip, and a jump from Liguria’s ever-popular Cinque Terre, La Sosta di Ottone III sits in the medieval town Chiesanuova at 200 meters above sea level. “La Sosta” translates to “stop”, and that’s what you’ll find here—a place to pause, unwind, and rest, much as King Otto III did a millennium ago when he stayed here on his way to be crowned in Rome. The 16th-century building was previously a private family holiday home, now transformed to a six-room hotel with Rosso Levanto marble and sea-facing windows. Spend your days hiking, swimming, or taking the hotel’s private boat out on the water, but don’t miss the sunset views over Liguria’s craggly coastline back at La Sosta. →

Casa Pernice

Location: Lavagna (10 minutes west of Sestri Levante)

Type: Boutique Hotel

Giorgia and Davide Mandelli are “eternal dreamers” who spent years sketching their ideal hotel in journals before finding this cliffside perch above Lavagna. Opened in July 2024, Casa Pernice is a colorful, space-agey homage to the couple’s background as vintage dealers and florists. The three rooms are a revolving gallery of 1950s posters, Gio Ponti fixtures, and salvaged treasures from French brocantes—many of which are for sale in their on-site shop, Granchio. You’ll start every morning at their long terrace table, where organic breakfasts are served alongside views of the Mediterranean; then, you can hike down to the shore in just eight minutes for a dip or, if you’re there in the fall, help Giorgia and Davide harvest olives from their 232 century-old trees. →

LOMBARDY

Cà Spiga

Location: Lake Como

Type: Boutique Hotel

Alessandro and Andrea Motti have transformed their grandmother’s home into the lake’s first albergo diffuso, a move designed to steer clear of the stuffy hotel trope in favor of genuine hospitality. The eight rooms are unapologetically nostalgic—early 1900s tiled floors and furniture that hasn’t moved since their nonna lived there—but the real pull is the massive lake-view windows that render TVs obsolete. You can soak in a jacuzzi built into an abandoned stone cave and enjoy breakfast out on the terrace, where your host is likely to pull up a chair and discuss secret swim spots and stories of the lake. →

PIEDMONT

Relais San Maurizio

Location: Santo Stefano Belbo (35 minutes east of Alba)

Type: Luxury Boutique Hotel

Relais San Maurizio is a 17th-century monastery that sister-owners Giuditta and Arianna Gallo have kept remarkably close to its original, monastic bones. It avoids the flashiness of typical five-star hotels, leaning instead into its past: the bar sits where the altar once stood, and the “liquor cabinet” is actually the monks’ original hand-carved safe. This is the heart of the Langhe, and you’re sure to feel it even when you’re not sipping one of the region’s exquisite wines—say, from their sauna built from old Barolo barrels or the ravioli del plin at the estate’s Michelin-starred restaurant. Between yoga sessions under a 400-year-old cedar and swims in the saltwater pool, the property manages to feel both impossibly grand and deeply connected to Piedmont. →

La Foleia

Location: Revislate (10 minutes from the bottom of Lake Maggiore)

Type: Two Private Villas

Named after the Latin word for “folly,” La Foleia is a pair of rose-colored neoclassical villas mirrored in a private, spring-fed lake. Owners Gemma and Niccolò curated this high-style ecosystem, where the interiors feature a mix of local flea-market finds and rediscovered trompe l’oeil frescoes. You can cross the lily-carpeted water in a wooden rowboat or retreat to the cedar-clad Finnish sauna and heated rock pools that sit on a ridge above the house. It’s an immersive, botanic escape, complete with a vintage Land Rover for exploring nearby Lake Maggiore. →

Dai Gresy

Location: Barbaresco (15 minutes east of Alba)

Type: Boutique Hotel

Perched on the Monte Aribaldo ridge with a 360 degree view of Piedmont’s vineyards, Dai Gresy is a 17th-century farmhouse reimagined as a high-design family home. Owners Ludovica and Alessandro di Grésy spent four years stripping the property back to its essentials: reclaimed wood beams, ancient Roman-inspired cocciopesto floors, lime-washed walls, and big windows with views of Monviso. Although the 11 rooms have ample amenities and comforts, you’ll always find guests hanging out in the hotel’s living room, draped over minimalist sofas with a glass of Barbaresco from the family’s own historic 1797 cellars. →

PUGLIA

Masseria Prosperi

Location: Otranto

Type: Individual Rooms or Entire Villa Rental

Masseria Prosperi is what happens when two animal lovers with impeccable taste decide to open their doors. Owners Mercedes and Antonio have created a rural chic sanctuary where the traditional Puglian whitewash is offset by flea-market finds from across Europe. It’s a working farm where the residents include horses, donkeys, and a goat named Bella—and your pets are welcome too. Whether you’re swimming in the saltwater pool while horses graze nearby, or enjoying the heated indoor spa during the off-season, the vibe is entirely unpretentious. The solar-powered estate is just 1.5km from the Adriatic, but with Antonio’s legendary local fish dinners and a pack of friendly dogs roaming the grounds, you’ll find it very hard to leave the gates. →

Borgo Gallana

Location: Oria (30 minutes east of Taranto, 30 minutes west of Brindisi)

Type: Private Guesthouses

Giuseppe De Vanna spent over two decades away from Puglia before returning, drawn by childhood memories of long, sunny summers. He enlisted architect Andrew Trotter to transform two rural ruins into a minimalist triad of limestone guesthouses, each self-contained with its own kitchen and an outdoor shower set directly against the garden. The hotel is located amongst an ancient olive grove and is equidistant from both the Ionian and Adriatic coasts. Here, days start with coffee under silvery trees and end with aperitivo to a backdrop of cicadas. →

SARDINIA

Domu Antiga

Location: Gergei (1 hour north of Cagliari)

Type: Boutique Hotel

Domu Antiga isn’t just an “ancient house”—it’s a return to roots for Samuel Lai, who left a 20-year military career to become a custodian of Sardinian pastoral life. This four-room retreat in the village of Gergei avoids the polished artifice of coastal resorts, leaning instead on thick stone walls, juniper-wood balconies, and headboards upholstered in orbace (wool once used for cereal sacks). During your stay, you’ll get to experience inland Sardinian traditions, whether you’re collecting eggs in the courtyard or making cheese with Samuel’s brother, Riccardo, at Sinnos Dairy. →

SICILY

Hotel Lùme

Location: Ortigia

Type: Boutique Hotel

Hotel Lùme is the result of founder Prune’s love affair with Ortigia; what started as a search for a private summer house ended with this high-personality design stay. One suite feels like a captain’s cabin with mermaid prints, while another channels the vibe of an aristocratic Sicilian nonna. The terrace is the hotel’s centerpiece, where you can start the day with Etna coffee and end it with local wine as the sun drops over the Ionian Sea. It’s a stylish, intimate base for getting lost in Ortigia’s dense maze of Greek ruins and Baroque palazzi. →

Signum

Location: Isola di Salina

Type: Boutique Hotel

Located on the Aeolian island of Salina, Signum is a cluster of 19th-century houses and warehouses repurposed by the Caruso family. While the design is sharp and contemporary, the island’s volcanic bones are everywhere—ancient stone walls, terracotta floors, and an open-air geothermal spa tucked between lemon and apricot trees. Wellness here is elemental, featuring thalassotherapy and a steam bath modeled after a 3,500-year-old tholos. Chef Martina Caruso holds a Michelin star for her seasonal Aeolian menu, while the wine cellar is one of the most significant in Southern Italy. Whether you’re renting a scooter to explore the Il Postino film sets or sipping a cocktail while Stromboli smokes on the horizon, come here for an immersive dive into island life. →

Braccialieri

Location: Noto

Type: Boutique Hotel & Private Guesthouses

Within a centuries-old olive grove in the Val di Noto, Braccialieri swaps traditional five-star formality for the “luxury of simplicity.” The property features three suites and six eco-villas, some of which include private pools or wood-heated tubs and kitchens for independent stays. The design is a grounded mix of rough stone and playful, pop-art touches—most notably a red-and-white checkerboard pool designed by Alessandro Enriquez. Meals are served in a restored 19th-century millstone, where the menu relies on seasonal Sicilian produce and wine from the neighboring hills. →

Kardibà

Location: Isola di Pantelleria

Type: Private Guesthouses

On the island of Pantelleria, often referred to as the “Black Pearl of Sicily” for its volcanic soil, Kardibà comprises five historic dammusi, traditional dome-roofed dwellings built from thick lava stone, with ancient climate control techniques and high-end bohemian style. Owner Ginevra has curated eight-thousand-square meters of palms, agaves, and vineyards that surround a long swimming pool aimed straight at the Mediterranean horizon. The other stone structures on the property offer their own experiences, from an outdoor Phoenician bath to a Moroccan-inspired panoramic terrace for open-air cinema nights. →

TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE

Hotel Saltus

Location: San Genesio (20 minutes from Bolzano)

Type: Boutique Hotel

If you’re looking for a place from which to gawk at the Dolomites, Hotel Saltus is your spot. Built at an altitude of 1,100 meters and practically hanging off a cliff by the Salten meadow, this wellness retreat blends right into the surrounding spruce forest, using a wabi-sabi aesthetic with natural wood and floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The hotel has passed through four generations of the Mumelter family and is currently managed by sisters Claudia and Nadja and their mother Hedwig. Inside is clean, minimalist, and centered on digital detoxification—there are no TVs or clocks, and WiFi is disabled overnight. The views from the Forest Spa, yoga studio, and restaurant terrace are all spectacular, but it’s the outdoor infinity sky pool that’s most jaw-dropping. →

Ottmanngut

Location: Merano

Type: Boutique Hotel

Stepping into Ottmanngut feels like being let into a family secret that dates back to 1290. This picturesque white manor, managed by the Kirchlechner family for six generations, includes nine suites filled with Biedermeier antiques and century-old wooden floors that were uncovered during a meticulous restoration. The real heart of the house, however, is the surprising Mediterranean garden—a lush sprawl of cypress and lemon trees where you’ll find the family’s 100-year-old tortoise, Max, and a three-course breakfast that is legendary among Merano locals. →

Chalet del Sogno

Location: Madonna di Campiglio

Type: Luxury Boutique Hotel

The name translates to “Hotel of Dreams,” but the vibe is more like staying at the five-star mountain cabin of a cool family friend. Built by the Schiavon family in 2006, this lodge was built with an attention to bio-architecture, using geothermal energy and local larch wood to keep things cozy and sustainable. The son of founders Domenico and Myriam, Alberto—also a former Olympic snowboarder—is eager to share his love of the Brenta Dolomites with guests and often leads e-bike, hiking, and fishing tours himself. Whether you’re utilizing the ski-in-ski-out lobby, just 25 meters from the lifts, or retreating to the Oasi del Sogno spa after a day on the slopes, the house fragrance of local timber ensures you never feel far from the forest. →

Schgaguler Hotel

Location: Castelrotto, Dolomites (40 minutes from Bolzano)

Type: Boutique Hotel

Peter and Tobias Schgaguler took their parents’ 1980s guest house and brought in architect Peter Pichler to create a sanctuary of Nordic-inspired minimalism, creating a sharp, geometric contrast to the traditional wood-heavy lodges of the Dolomites. The hotel’s three gabled peaks mirror the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, while the interiors use local chestnut furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass to keep the focus on the Sciliar Massif. It’s a family affair that feels personal; you might find yourself tobogganing at sunset with the founder, Gottfried, or drinking a glass of local Lagrein by the lobby fireplace. Whether you’re utilizing the Kelo sauna or hiking to a red-roofed mountain hut for kaiserschmarrn, it’s a design-forward base built for people who actually want to be in the mountains, not just look at them. →

TUSCANY

Locanda al Colle

Location: Versilia

Type: Boutique Hotel

Without reception desks or room service, Locanda al Colle feels more like you’re staying at a friend’s elegant villa than a hotel—which is exactly the intent. Owner Riccardo Barsottelli isn’t a hotelier by trade, but a fashion veteran who liked hosting dinner parties so much he turned a farmhouse into this hotel. The 12 rooms are furnished with 1950s furniture and Art Deco pieces, and the hotel at large has been turned into a type of private art gallery showcasing an extensive collection of sculptures and paintings, many of which are for sale. Wineries, Forte dei Marmi’s shops, bike trails, and sea access via a partner bagno are all well within reach. →

Le Caviere

Location: Sansepolcro (40 minutes east of Arezzo)

Type: Private Guesthouse

Conceptualized and run by Kate Middleton (no, not that Kate Middleton) along with her partner Brad, this impeccably decorated guesthouse might just convince you to buy one of your own nearby. In the east Tuscan hills on a fully functioning organic farm, you can savor freshly picked fruits, vegetables, and the couple’s own cold-pressed olive oil after strolling through the tranquil estate. The guesthouse is ideal for one couple, though it can technically sleep up to four with a sofa bed, and you’re not going to want to miss the rainshower carved from a single block of Travertine marble. It’s off the tourist grid in the hills near Sansepolcro, a perfect spot for lots of R&R and a glass of homemade Vin Santo with Kate and Brad. →

Follonico

Location: Montefollonico (between the Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana, near Montepulciano)

Type: Boutique Hotel

At Follonico, there is no curated aesthetic meant to impress; instead, this six-room retreat is a genuine extension of the Firli family’s life as farmers. This philosophy of slow living permeates the property, from the saltwater infinity pool overlooking Montepulciano’s medieval tower to the organic breakfast featuring sourdough bread and eggs from the free-range ducks roaming the grounds. The rooms—like the Blu Notte suite, set in the farm’s original kitchen—are simple, rustic, and unpretentious. →

Stella d’Italia

Location: Florence

Type: Boutique Hotel

Occupying the second floor of a 16th-century palazzo designed by Giorgio Vasari, Stella d’Italia is a treasure trove of curiosities—think vintage movie posters of Mastroianni, 18th-century frescoes, and over 400 artworks sourced from markets across the country. Each of the 24 rooms is a unique composition of antique headboards and clawfoot tubs, while the fourth-floor loggia offers views over the Bellosguardo hills. Situated on the high-fashion spine of Via de’ Tornabuoni, it’s a great place from which to shop, and explore, Florence. →

Tenuta di Tramonte

Location: Lucca

Type: Individual Rooms & Entire Villa Rental

This idyllic estate is the brainchild of Lorenzo and Laurence, who left careers in finance to revive an ancient convent and a 15th-century villa near Lucca. The couple focuses on the raw agricultural beauty of the land, producing their own wine, olive oil, and honey. Guests can check into the boutique rooms of Villa Volpi or rent the frescoed Villa Trenta in its entirety. From the organic farming practices to the farm-to-table cuisine, the tenuta is committed to sustainability, as well as to providing an experience that allows the natural heritage of their villas and land to shine. →

Oltrarno Splendid

Location: Florence

Type: Boutique Hotel

Housed within a 16th-century palazzo, Oltrarno Splendid is a bold reimagining of the Florentine bed-and-breakfast, where frescoed ceilings meet eclectic, mid-century design. Each of its 14 rooms is uniquely curated with a mix of velvet textures, vintage finds, and contemporary art (all carefully chosen by owner and Florentine local Matteo Perduca) that reflects the creative pulse of the Oltrarno district. Have breakfast in the Wes Anderson-esque bar—once the former servants’ quarters—before exploring the nearby artisan workshops and hidden boutiques or crossing over Ponte Vecchio to the city center. →

La Guardia

Location: Isola del Giglio

Type: Boutique Hotel

Flaminia and Flavio walked away from the advertising world to build a minimalist’s dream hotel. Located on a granite cliff overlooking the Giglio harbor, La Guardia perfectly compliments the island’s wild, serene essence, with a sustainable, plastic-free ethos and sea-access rooms designed with wood from nearby Monte Amiata. No matter how you spend your time here—scuba diving, lounging on their raised seaside terrace, trying local cuisine at their on-site restaurant—you’re guaranteed to leave feeling sunkissed and restored thanks to what the owners have deemed the “Giglio Effect”. →

Villa Roma Imperiale

Location: Forte dei Marmi

Type: Luxury Boutique Hotel

Forte dei Marmi is usually where you go to be seen, but Villa Roma Imperiale is where you go to disappear. Since 1992, the Maestrelli family has run this 31-room villa as an extension of their own summer home. There is no traditional lobby here; instead, you find travertine bathrooms, private balconies overlooking manicured gardens, and a library stocked with books left by decades of traveling habitué—regulars who return every year. It’s a place for people who want to spend their days leisurely, at local bagni or biking to the weekly market. →

Palazzo Guadagni

Location: Florence

Type: Boutique Hotel

Right off the buzzing Piazza Santo Spirito, Palazzo Guadagni is a quiet, and ultra Florentine, respite. The building’s legacy is dense—built in 1505, it spent the 20th century as a pensione run by the Bandini sisters, who famously hid intellectuals in the attics during WWII. Today, the Budini Gattai family has restored the frescoes and filled the rooms with vintage market finds and furniture from their own homes. Each of the rooms frames a different icon, whether you’re looking at the Duomo from the shower or waking up under original 15th-century ceilings. Don’t miss the hotel’s panoramic terrace bar, La Loggia, a favorite amongst Florentine locals for a sunset spritz. →

UMBRIA

La Segreta

Location: Collazzone (30 minutes south of Perugia)

Type: Private Townhouse & Entire Villa Rental

This property’s name translates to “the secret”—and it certainly feels like one. Eileen and Lorenzo have spent 20 years turning 70 acres of Umbrian hillside into their estate, which includes a five-room stone farmhouse and a two-room village townhouse, La Casetta. The interiors of both are similar, designed in collaboration with local artisans—chestnut beams, ironwork, and hand-embroidery—but the real draw is the deep immersion into the couple’s farm life. Expect to find a cornucopia of the estate’s own eggs, honey, and olive oil waiting in the kitchen, and Lorenzo nearby at his Agri Segretum winery, ready to pour a glass of natural pet-nat while the sun drops behind the vines. →

Villa della Genga – Borgo della Marmotta

Location: Poreta (15 minutes south of Spoleto)

Type: Individual Rooms

Borgo della Marmotta is a 17th-century hamlet that has stayed in the noble della Genga family for centuries, though today, brothers Filippo and Federico have traded papal history for high-end hospitality. The property is a cluster of former stables and granaries repurposed into 20 rooms where the design is dictated by Umbrian light: light walls, rust-colored terracotta, and heavy linen beds. Outside, the 180-acre estate features a whopping 1,200 olive trees, plus a turquoise pool framed by wisteria-heavy pergolas. →

Tenuta di Murlo

Location: Perugia

Type: Private Luxury Villa Rentals

Alessio and Carlotta Carabba Tettamanti are the “decorators of dreams” behind Tenuta di Murlo, a sprawling thousands-acre estate that has been in their family for generations. Rather than letting 80 medieval farmhouses crumble into the Umbrian soil, the couple has painstakingly resurrected the most striking ruins into a collection of private sanctuaries. You can choose to sleep in an 11th-century castle with its own bell tower, a 13th-century church where the holy water alcove remains intact, or a riverside villa complete with a private sauna and a “secret” indoor pool. The vibe here is a balance of high-end polish and total invisibility; you’re encouraged to hunt truffles with the estate dogs or row across the private lake, with the local fawns as the only neighbors you’re likely to encounter. →

VENETO

Hotel Flora

Location: Venice

Type: Boutique Hotel

Steps from the high-fashion boutiques of San Marco, Hotel Flora has been led by the Romanelli family since the 1960s, and today Gioele and Heiby preserve a warmth that makes the palatial structure feel like an ancestral home. The hotel’s secret ivy-filled garden offers a silent pocket for a morning coffee or a cheeky early-bird Prosecco. With its antique wooden beds and classic floral wallpaper, it’s a place that ignores passing trends in favor of local quirks—especially if you snag a corner room overlooking the neighboring Palazzo Contarini gardens. →

Casa Flora

Location: Venice

Type: Private Apartment

The Romanelli family has operated Hotel Flora for over 50 years, but with Casa Flora, they’ve ditched the traditional hotel model to build a three-bedroom apartment that functions as a shoppable gallery of modern Venetian craft. The 19th-century space is a high-contrast blend of millennia-old doors and custom, Italian-made furniture—over 20 local artisans contributed everything from the Murano glass to the green stone kitchen island. Each room is themed after a family member and features its own private hammam. →

Violino d’Oro

Location: Venice

Type: Luxury Boutique Hotel

Located two minutes from Piazza San Marco, Violino d’Oro is a tribute to Venetian craftsmanship and the artistic heritage of “La Serenissima.” The high-design hotel features 32 rooms and suites—some with private terraces overlooking the Rio S. Moisè—designed with original hand-laid Terrazzo flooring, 1958 Venini chandeliers, and Rubelli fabrics. The interiors function as a curated gallery, mixing 17th-century portraits with contemporary Italian works and hand-blown glass by the Micheluzzi sisters. →