A stone-clad 19th-century nobleman's residence, modelled on a 14th century fortress, Villa Carlotta, perches high on a cliff above the Ionian Sea, with stunning panoramic views…

In a quietish street near the Piazza del Popolo, this Art Deco hotel opened in 1925 and later increased its size by extending into an adjacent building.

'Near Piazza Navona and within walking distance of all the sights (we didn't use a taxi the whole time we were in Rome), this centrally located hotel is on a quiet little street and I could sleep at night with my window open,' writes a visitor.

Set in the quiet Cannaregio district, this 16th-century Baroque palace, formerly an aristocratic family home, boasts gorgeous, individually-decorated rooms and suites with frescoed ceilings, 18th-century antique furniture, handmade silk wallpaper and Murano chandeliers.

This hotel, set in an art deco villa on Amalfi drive, offers a genteel, old-fashioned charm, and has been in the same family since it opened as a hotel with six rooms in 1904.

The proud boast of this opulent hotel is that it has a hundred windows facing the lagoon.

A former haunt of English noblemen, this B&B is a conversion of two pink colonial-style villas once owned by Sir Daniel Hanbury.

By the Uffizi Gallery, Elisabetta Matucci's B&B is a 15th-century building in a little pedestrianised street (reached under an ancient arch) off the Piazza della Signoria.

'Our favourite small hotel in the world,' said one GHG reader after his fourth visit. 'Its position, above the town, gives it the feel of a private hideaway.

Designed by renowned architect Matteo Thun, Hotel Pergola Residence is set on a hill 3 km from the ski and nature resort of Merano, but hiking trails depart staight from the hotel too.

Run for many years as a hotel by the Barbaro family, this former medieval convent, founded by St Francis of Assisi in 1222, has long been popular with Guide readers.

A 17th-century former palace refurbished into a luxury hotel in 2013, Hotel Ai Reali is set on a quiet canal between the Rialto and Piazza San Marco.

In a small town in the foothills of the Dolomites (excellent for visiting the Palladian villas) stands this 'wonderful' hotel.

The location of this quaint and charming hotel could not be bettered – right next to the Spanish Steps.

Owned and managed by Lorenzo Muner, Oltre Il Giardino is set in the San Polo area of Venice, just a few steps from the Church of Frari and 15 minutes from St Mark's Square.

Set in a 15th-century stone manor house on a hillside ten minutes' drive above Lake Garda and offering 'spectacular views of the lake', this hotel prizes tranquillity above all else – even eschewing the hum of air-conditoning for antique fans and minibars for a civilized self-service bar.

Above a small town (once a Roman settlement) east of Trento, this medieval castle stands in large wooded grounds: 'a marvellous setting'.

Liked for its welcome, 'quietly efficient staff' and 'excellent value for money', this chalet-style hotel is in a 'very beautiful' skiing and summer resort in the South Tyrol nature reserve, at the foot of the Dolomites.

The location of this stylish new hotel (it opened in 2015) couldn't be bettered – it's 100m from Florence Cathedral and in easy walking distance of the city's major sights.

High above the Isarco valley between Bressanone and Bolzano, this hamlet consists of le tre chiese, three curious little attached medieval churches and this unspoilt 14th-century chalet, now a modest hotel.

'Wholeheartedly recommended' by Guide readers, this elegant four-star B&B hotel is on six floors, with lovely terraces and splendid views ('even from the bathrooms'), and located high above the sea (there are 300 steps down to lovely Incanto beach).

Until the 1940s a holiday home of the Italian royal family, this rectangular pink 19th-century villa retains a 'charming air of gently fading elegance', says its nominator.

This small town (famous for its marble sculptures), with wooded hills behind and sea stretching out in front, is a 30-minute train ride north of Lucca.

'A real bargain for Rome', 'superbly located', this old-established B&B hotel is just off Via Veneto, not far from the Borghese Gardens.

Once the summertime day-trippers have left, Capri becomes a different place: it has 'charm, beauty, many fabulous sights'.

The highlight of this 11th-century restored palace is the infinity pool – heated to a warm temperature year-round, and located at the highest point in Ravello, it has incredible views of the Amalfi coast.

On the edge of this Dolomite resort (Wolkenstein in Gröden in German) at the foot of the impressive Sella massif, this 'superb hotel', renovated last in 2013, is run by its owner, Carlo Senoner (a skiing world champion at Portillo, Chile, 1966), with his wife, son and daughter.

The Cavaliere family's hotel is in the heart of the Italian Alps, and overlooks Mount Blanc. It's a reconstruction of a 20th-century alpine villa – every room is named after a year – and is old-fashioned in feel, with antique furniture, polished floors and period paintings

On the north side of the Borghese Gardens, this luxury hotel is decorated in Art Deco style, with jewel tones, period details and floor-length curtains.