Set on an 'island within an island', the Arbatasar Hotel, Arbatax, sits on a little promontory jutting out into the Mediterranean from the eastern coast of Sardinia. The name of the hotel comes from the old Arabic word for 'the 14th tower' (Arabic is one of the countless influences on Sardinian culture and language - this is a much-invaded island down the centuries). Arbatasar Hotel, Nuoro
Set in Nuoro province, on the beguiling Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the Hotel Su Lithu offers four-star accommodation in a superbly green and relaxed environment near the town of Bitti. Surrounded by trees, set in its own grounds in this lightly populated part of the island, the hotel offers modern comforts and a flavour of the real Sardinia (Sardegna). Hotel Su Lithu, Nuoro
Hotel Boccaccio is named after the illustrious Tuscan poet Giovanni Boccaccio and is located in a renovated 18th century building. Conveniently situated for the railway station and the church of Santa Maria Novella, it is within a few minutes walk from the historic centre of Florence. Hotel Boccaccio, Florence
This Rome hotel is housed in an elegant building close to the stunning Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica and the Opera House, and the Termini station is right next door, so you can quickly get around the city or out to the airports. Sights nearby to the Hotel Torino, Rome include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. Hotel Torino, Rome
Hotel Ateneo is a charming little historic hotel in Venice, nestling in a quiet backwater just a stone's throw from St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge. There are 20 elegant rooms decorated in 19th-century Venetian style with rich fabrics and fine furnishings. Hotel Ateneo, Venice
A superb location on the Ionian coast of southern Italy for this hotel in Calabria - the Hotel Villaggio Calaghena, near Catanzaro, sits amidst its own gardens. Set atop a small hill it overlooks the Squillace Gulf. Hotel Villaggio Calaghena, Catanzaro
Looking onto the broad curve of the bay from Siracusa, this Sicilian hotel is both central and very quiet. Hotel Mediterraneo, Syracuse
This attractive and historic hotel in Milan (Milano) is set in an elegant Liberty-style building in the city's Magenta district, not far from the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where Leonardo da Vinci's fabulous masterpiece The Last Supper can be viewed. Ariosto Hotel, Milan
