8 Buzzy Hotels in Italy on My Radar, and a Packing List for Each Spot

I’m perpetually planning my next getaway and always stay tuned into the longstanding spots that fashion insiders frequent and the latest in new hotel openings. One of my favorite areas of the world to travel to is Italy for its Mediterranean climate and cuisine, rich culture in art and architecture, and beautiful destinations that vary by locale. While I’ve spent time in many areas in Italy, I continue to have a running list of buzzy hotels I plan to visit someday.

Many of these are cult insider spots. Classic destinations such as Hotel Il Pellicano have been top holiday spots of insiders dating back to the 1960s, when celebrities were lensed by Slim Aarons. More recent hotel openings are also topping the travel itineraries of the fashion set, who are flocking to the most talked-about new places. Ahead, I’m highlighting the top Italy hotels the fashion set will be booking for their holidays, for this summer and beyond.

Hotel Il Pellicano, located in Porto Ercole, Tuscany, by the blue Tyrrhenian sea, is an iconic Mediterranean escape that the fashion set has frequented since it opened in the 1960s. Slim Aarons captured its glamorous guests on holiday decades ago, and the hotel continues to draw those looking to step back into the golden age of travel on the Italian Riviera. Marie-Louise Sciò, CEO and creative director of Il Pellicano, has also opened sister properties, including Mezzatorre and La Posta Vecchia, which have drawn a similar cult fashion crowd, and recently announced the upcoming much-anticipated openings of La Suvera and La Badia.

Another destination that encapsulates the glamour of the Italian Riviera? Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, which is located in Portofino. Over the years, it has similarly drawn the jet-set crowd, including iconic stars like Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot, cementing it as a destination that continues to attract fashion people today.

The Portrait hotels, which are owned by the Ferragamo family, have a clear fashion tie-in. While there are also locations in Rome and Florence, the Portrait Milano is a hub for the fashion set, especially during the buzz of Milan Fashion Week. It’s elegant, private, and refined—a nod to the timelessness of Milanese style.

Once a lesser-known area to tourists on the east coast of the country, Puglia is now one of the top spots travelers are visiting in Italy. The area is known for its rural vistas and farmlands, distinctive stone “truli” huts, and regional specialties like orecchiette. Though Puglia has a growing number of must-see hotels, Borgo Egnazia is at the top of that list.