The Hotel Santa Maria, Aglientu is set within an area of beautiful, unspoilt countryside close to the sea that separates Sardinia from French Corsica. This is a lovely, peaceful area fringed by a coastline of pale, sandy beaches and a clear blue/green sea. Hotel Santa Maria, Sassari
This hotel in Donnini, half an hour away from Florence, was built in the 13th century as a monastery and still retains many of its original features. Today, though, the Villa Pitiana is a comfortable four-star hotel with every modern convenience. Villa Pitiana, Florence
The comfortably modern Savant Hotel, in Lamezia Terme, is ideal for international visitors wanting to enjoy the fascinating (and largely undiscovered) Italian region of Calabria. Savant Hotel, Catanzaro
Overlooking the turquoise blue Tyrrhenian sea on the outskirts of Tropea, this Calabrian coast hotel offers four-star luxury and an outdoor pool in a stunning setting. Hotel Tirreno, Vibo Valentia
This hotel near Sorrento features 80 exquisitely designed bedrooms, with dark Italian wood, tiled floors and fitted wardrobes. There are two swimming pools in addition to a private stretch of beach, and the hotel's main restaurant, the Nettuno, is famed for its selection of local and international cuisine. Grand Hotel Alimuri, Naples
This Florence hotel is an ancient and recently restored property located on the traditional downtown Florentine street of Borgo San Iacopo. The area is home to a variety of boutiques, antiques shops, bars and restaurants, and is close to most of Florence's famous landmarks, including the Duomo (cathedral), the Boboli Gardens and the Ponte Vecchio. Antica Dimora San Jacopo, Florence
Park Hotel le Fonti is near Volterra and has 66 comfortable en-suite rooms with phone, cable/satellite TV, and minibar. Children under 12 stay free and there is a play area in the garden as well as cots and babysitting facilities. Park Hotel Le Fonti, Pisa
This Moena hotel is on the edge of the town, a small settlement known as 'the fairy of the Dolomites', famous for the white woods of Val di Fessa. Moena is in the Trevalli ski area, and has access to over 1180 kilometres of trails for skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer. Hotel Dolce Casa, Trento
