You need to be fit to stay at Villa Cimbrone. If you can"t afford to arrive by helicopter, you approach by a 15-minute uphill walk through the pedestrian zone on Ravello"s steep hillside (your luggage travels in a small truck). 

'Quite simply, one of the best small hotels we have stayed in.'

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.

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

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. 

Owned by the 'hands-on' Zanon De Marchi family, this 'wonderful' hotel (Relais & Chateaux) is in a village in the foothills of the Dolomites, amid the vineyards of Prosecco.

'We were delighted by this hotel which offered exceptional service given the relatively modest price.'

Owned by the Planeta wne producer, this modern, purpose-built hotel stand amid vines and olive trees in southwest Sicily.

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.

Much loved by Guide readers, Rodolfo Gattai’s B&B is in ‘one of Florence’s loveliest squares’, ‘easily reached from all directions.'

‘Excellently located’, this ‘beautifully kept’ B&B hotel has been run for many years by its owners, the Bechi family. 

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

A 17th-century villa which was the Russian consulate when Venice was an independent republic, this well-known pensione has a ‘super position’ by a side canal, near the Grand Canal at the Accademia bridge. 

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. 

‘One of the best hotels (for the price) that we have stayed in,’ says a visitor. The Sagnotti family’s palazzo, a hotel for over 150 years, is within walking distance of most of the main attractions.

With ‘stunning views’ over Florence and the surrounding hills, this family friendly hotel ‘couldn’t be faulted’ by a visitor.

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.

You can see the remains of Pompey’s theatre (55BC) in the breakfast room/bar of this small hotel run by the Cavarocchi-Mignoni family.

Ever-popular, Simone Simoni's 'blissfully quiet' pensione in a residential area on a hilltop just north-west of Florence represents 'amazing value', say its devotees.

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. 

Built in 1808 by the King of Naples (who was married to Napoleon's sister) as a summer residence, this townhouse hotel is located in the centre of Positano.

The Sersale family's summer home was turned into this spectacular hotel in 1951, and is still run by descendants of the original brothers.

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