Italy - 5 great hotels

By Mark Sukhija

    Rome

  1. Image reproduced with kind permission of Hotel Raphael - Interior of a room at the Hotel Raphael in Rome Hotel Raphael (Largo Febo 2, Rome) We've stayed at the Hotel Raphael a number of times now and can heartily recommend it. Being a matter of meters from Piazza Navona, location is clearly a major selling point for the Hotel Raphael The rooftop terrace is an excellent place to enjoy a meal or simply a coffee overlooking the Rome rooftops. The food at the restaurant has always been excellent. Reception, concierge and waiting staff have always been helpful. Breakfast selection is also pretty excellent.

  2. Borgo Pio Apartments (Piazza delle Vaschette 13, Rome) - Located between the Vatican City and the Castel Sant'Angello, the Borgo Pio Apartments couldn't be better located. The apartments are spacious, clean, comfortable and very functional. Sure, there's better placed hotels. But they lack the space of the apartments.

    3. Turin

  3. Townhouse 70 (Via 20 Settembre, 70, 10122 Torino) - Townhouse 70 is one of the most comfortable hotels I've stayed in. Right around the corner from Piazza Castello and the Royal Palace, Townhouse 70 is right in the historic centre of Turin and well connected on public transport. Breakfast selection is small but decent and the large single, communal table is a fairly social affair.

    4. Florence

  4. Grand Hotel Cavour (Via del Proconsolo 3, Florence) - Very centrally located, a few minutes walk from the Florence Cathedral - indeed there's a view of the Florence Cathedral from the rooftop terrace - Florence Baptistry and the Uffizzi Gallery . The rooms are comfortable and clean. The reception staff are some of the most helpful and informative I've encountered. The breakfast room is large, spacious affair with an excellent spread of breakfast goodies.

    5. Milano

  5. Starhotels Anderson (Piazza Luigi Di Savoia 20, Milan) - Directly opposite Milan's central train station, and close to the Metro, Starhotels Anderson is very well connected. Unlike some station hotels, the Starhotels Anderson is comfortable, clean and modern. Rooms are spacious. Reception staff are excellent, knowledge and helpful. Breakfast selection is limited in breadth but of a good quality.