My Italy Hotel and Hostel Recommendations

Riomaggiore colorful houses in Cinqu Terre

Written by That Travelista

Planning your Italy travel itinerary and wondering what hotels, guest houses, or hostels you should stay in? Then this guide is for you. It’s my response to the question I’ve been asked time and time again with regards to my Italy itineraries; Do you have hotel recommendations to match the itinerary? Specifically, ones that are close to each of the train stations? Well, yes! Yes, I finally do.

These recommendations are for every overnight stop on my two week Italy itinerary (which also includes all the stops on both my Italy itinerary for ten days and my one week Italy itinerary). They are also specific to the modes of transportation I recommend in those itineraries. That means, they are all chosen with proximity to the train, ferry, and/or bus stations I recommend in my Italy itineraries, avoiding any uphill treks or cobblestone-y walks where possible, etc. As usual, I’ve got you covered!

Rialto Bridge in Venice Italy during sunset — In this guide, I use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, I may receive a small commission at zero extra cost to you (because it’s already baked into the company’s marketing costs).

For every stop on my itinerary, I have recommendations for four categories based types of budgets:

Low Budget Accommodation: This category is for those who are looking to spend as little as possible on housing – within reason! None of those dirt-cheap places that risk your health or safety just to save a few bucks a night. But places that might not have all the comforts of your ideal hotel. For low budget recommendations, I provide two types:
- Hostels (for those of you traveling solo, like I tend to!)
- Budget Hotels (because if you are traveling with even just one other person, splitting these almost always works out to be cheaper than a bed in a shared hostel room)
Mid-Range Accommodation: This category is for those who prefer to pay a bit more per night to have the privacy and comforts expected in your typical hotel, but who are still keeping price in mind as they plan their Italy trip. You won’t get all the bells and whistles of a super nice hotel – which you are okay with, since you plan to be out sightseeing – but you want a nice place to freshen up and rest after a long day out and about.
Higher-End Accommodation: This category is for those of you viewing your Italy trip as a time to splurge a little. It won’t include the glitziest hotels in Italy – the ones that your favorite celebs and the top 1% will stay at (as I would be surprised if they were reading my site!) – but these options are pricier than the rest I suggest. They are in the 4-star category (or similar if a star rating system is not applicable). With these hotels, you can expect either more space, nicer views, higher-quality furniture, or better service to justify the premium.

Things to Keep in Mind While Reading

Prices Fluctuate

Depending on how far in advance you book and the availability left in that particular hotel, a “mid-range” option in this guide might cost the same as (or even less than!) what I have listed as a “higher-end” option. The price ranges I list are per room (or bed, in the case of a hostel dorm room) per night.

Italy is Old

It’s probably the entire reason you’re visiting! The streets and buildings in most places you will be visiting weren’t built with hotels and 21st century tourists in mind. In many cities, elevators in hotels will be rare and rooms will be smaller than what you might be used to at home. Remember that it’s all part of the experience!

Breakfast Might Be a Snack

Breakfast is different across cultures. And in Italy, it can be quite small compared to, for example, North American or UK standards. Be sure to skim through the images and reviews of a place’s breakfast before booking it as an add-on, so that you won’t be disappointed. Some places cater to the breakfast options typical in tourists’ countries of origin, while others don’t and offer a simple Italian breakfast of sweets and a hot drink.

That being said, if you do think you might want your hotel’s breakfast, it’s often cheaper to book it online in combination with your room booking rather than add it on last minute at the hotel.

City Tax is Paid in Cash

In pretty much every touristic place in Italy, and in many other European countries, visitors need to pay a tourist tax. This is per person per night and in cash only. Your host is not going to be able to accept neither credit nor debit card, and it’s not their fault. So have some small change on you whenever you check-in to a new place. This is often included in the booking details, but it can be easy to miss.

Things to Bring With You

You never know who is going to be sleeping in the room next door or above, nor how noisy they will be. So bring your own earplugs, and also an eye mask too, in case you find your curtains don’t block out enough light.

If staying in a hostel, also bring your own lock and towel (make sure it’s a quickly-drying one). While some hostels offer lockers with their own locks and/or complimentary towels, most charge (way too much) to rent these two things out. And if you’re new to staying in hostels, be sure to check out my beginner’s guide to staying in hostels.

And in Case it isn’t Obvious…

Finally, you should know that I have of course not stayed in all these places myself. (I have stayed in a few, and I will mention that where applicable.) But I’ve done all the research of:

scouring the reviews on booking sites
mapping out walking routes to and from train/ferry stations, while keeping in mind where I know the main attractions are
checking out Google Maps street view
and combining all that with my own knowledge of each city (what areas seemed sketchy, what parts of the city were uphill or cobblestone-y) and lessons learned over my multiple visits to Italy over the years

In short: these are the recommendations I would provide my mother to choose from if I were sending her off to follow one of my Italy itineraries without me!

Even so, I recommend skimming through the most recent reviews for each place before booking. You never know when a place might be going through renovations or construction is going on nearby.

Email Me What You Think!

All that being said, it would help me out a lot if you could email me how you liked these places if you end up staying at them. I will definitely be staying at these in my return trips to all these places. So between your feedback and mine, I can know to make any updates to this guide!

So are you ready? Then let’s get to my hotel (and hostel and guest house) recommendations for Italy! I haven’t added photos yet due to copyright issues, but I’ll add them once I can!

My Accommodation Recommendations for Italy

These are listed in alphabetical order of the city name. You can also use your browser search function, normally by pressing either Command + F or Control + F on your keyboard.

Florence

Budget Accommodation: Hostels

Hostel Archi Rossi

I stayed at this hostel during my first visit to Florence (and my first fully solo trip ever!). I remember loving its decor and proximity to the main train station. This hostel offers shared female-only and mixed dorm rooms, as well as some private doubles, triples, and quadruple rooms. It does not offer a communal kitchen nor breakfast for guests. But, on the bright side, you can relax in their garden and terrace while doing your laundry at the hostel.