How to look for design and comfort in Italy, even while on vacation? An answer can come from boutique hotels: small, exclusive, always attentive to furniture and design. And caring for all the guest’s needs. Let’s discover five of the best boutique hotels in Italy.
Born in the 1980s in large American cities, boutique hotels are an invention of Ian Schranger, the mind who also founded the famous Studio 54 in New York. But what makes a hotel a boutique hotel? There is no precise definition, but what we need to look for when we want a 100% boutique experience and true to the spirit of Schrager’s invention, is to make sure that at least these parameters are present:
- The hotel must have its own individuality: it cannot be part of a chain but instead be unique and independent (although some of these, over time, have been purchased by important operators in the sector).
- Design is not optional: architecture and design must be unique, combining the (historical) context of the hotel with exclusive and chic details.
- Must have character: it is not a boutique hotel if it cannot stand out (from any other hotel).
- Unique and personalized spaces: every room or suite must have its own personality, its style, its mood. The boutique hotel is the exact opposite of the non-place: when you enter you know exactly where you are.
- Small is beautiful: a real boutique hotel cannot have a hundred rooms. The experience of the guest must be cut to size. For this reason rooms, suites, or guest houses will never be more than 15 or 20 for each structure of this kind.
But which are the best boutique hotels in Italy? We have chosen five, scattered between North and South of “the Boot”:
Ca’ Maria Adele (Venice)
Overlooking a canal and the magnificent church of Santa Maria della Salute in the Dorsoduro district, Ca’ Maria Adele is the romantic boutique hotel par excellence: exclusive, charming, with a style of furniture that combines Venetian damask with African wood.
Rooms: 12 customised rooms, from the “de luxe” to the “minipalace”, each one with its own mood and colours.
Services and spaces: lounge living room, terrace, breakfast room
Villa Sostaga (Gargnano, Brescia)
Former hunting residence of Count Giuseppe Feltrinelli, the boutique hotel Villa Sostaga is located in one of the most picturesque villages of Lake Garda, Gargnano, where not only can you find quiet corners to bathe in the waters of Lake Garda, but also look up and discover antque lemon trees hidden among public gardens and private villas.
Rooms: 19 rooms and suites, each with its own style (strictly classic) and its own colors, each one large and bright, with wooden furniture, vintage lamps and a wonderful view of the surrounding landscape.
Services and spaces: restaurant, outdoor swimming pool, garden relaxation with mini Jacuzzi pool, spa with Ayurvedic treatments
Eight Hotel Portofino (Portofino, Genoa)
Portofino is one of the gems of the Ligurian Riviera: a small fishing village with its houses in pastel colors, surrounded by the regional natural park and the marine reserve. In this location shines the Eight Hotel Portofino, literally a few steps from the central Piazzetta: inside there are splendid classic stuccos, parquet floors and large and elegant windows.
Rooms: 18 rooms (from standard rooms to suites) with simple and refined furnishings, in a subtle balance between simplicity and luxury.
Services and spaces: restaurant and bar, spa (with private yoga and breathing lessons), private garden with heated whirlpool.
Palazzo Bontadosi Hotel & Spa (Montefalco, Perugia)
An overnight stay in this 16th century palace in the medieval village of Montefalco allows you not only to discover a small gem of Umbria, but also to appreciate the perfect combination of boutique hotel and Italian art: inside we find stuccos, style furnishings, frescoed walls and amazing ancient ceilings.
Rooms: 12 rooms and suites, each one different in colour, furnishings and style – faithful to the history of the building but updated with contemporary design materials and exclusive furnishing accessories.
Services and spaces: spa obtained from the medieval cisterns of the building, including hammam and “emotional showers” with cervical massage, localized water jets and foot massage.
Relais Don Ferrante (Monopoli, Bari)
Charming boutique hotel in the historic center of Monopoli, the Don Ferrante is an ancient complex overlooking the sea, obtained from a 16th century fort completely restored respecting the original architectural canons. The overall design on the outside is rustic and elegant, while in the inside each visitor can feel lulled into a space that – thanks to the large spaces available – one will not struggle to call home.
Rooms: at the Don Ferrante you can stay in the Don Ferrante Suite (finely decorated and equipped with every comfort), or in a Residence (Dimora) or in one of the Guest Houses. The Guest Houses are in all means independent apartments. Strictly comfortable and luxurious.
Services and spaces: restaurant and spa with reflexology or lymph drainage massage (among others).
Target Point, Italian Ideas
