Bologna's Bounty: A Guide to the City's Most Luxurious and Historic Hotels
Bologna's Bounty: A Guide to the City's Most Luxurious and Historic Hotels
Bologna
Welcome to Bologna, the learned and gastronomic heart of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Known by its three nicknames—’La Dotta’ (the learned), ‘La Grassa’ (the fat), and ‘La Rossa’ (the red)—this city is a feast for the mind and the palate. From its ancient university to its world-famous cuisine, this guide to the best luxury hotels in Bologna reveals the city’s most elegant stays.
Welcome to Bologna: The Gastronomic Soul of Italy
Welcome to Bologna, the learned, vibrant, and deeply gastronomic heart of Italy’s magnificent Emilia-Romagna region. Affectionately known by its three historic nicknames—’La Dotta’ (the learned), for hosting the oldest university in the Western world; ‘La Grassa’ (the fat), for its incredibly rich and world-renowned cuisine; and ‘La Rossa’ (the red), for its beautiful, red-tiled terracotta rooftops—this city is a true feast for both the mind and the palate. From its ancient university and its iconic leaning towers to its world-famous culinary traditions, this comprehensive guide to the best luxury hotels in Bologna will reveal the city’s most elegant, historic, and sophisticated stays.
1. Grand Hotel Majestic ‘già Baglioni’
The Place: The only 5-star hotel in Bologna, this magnificent and historic property is housed in a 18th-century palace. Located on the main street in the heart of the city, it is the undisputed grand dame of Bolognese hospitality. It offers a timeless experience of classic, opulent luxury, with priceless antiques, frescoes, and impeccable, old-world service.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s magnificent ‘Camerino d’Europa’ room, a stunning frescoed masterpiece from the 16th century, is one of the most beautiful historic rooms.
1. Grand Hotel Majestic ‘già Baglioni’: The Epitome of Bolognese Grandeur
The Place: The only true 5-star hotel in the historic center of Bologna, this magnificent and deeply historic property is housed in a grand 18th-century palace that was designed by the famous architect Alfonso Torreggiani. Perfectly located on the main street, Via dell’Indipendenza, in the absolute heart of the city, it is the undisputed grand dame of Bolognese hospitality. It offers a timeless and unforgettable experience of classic, opulent luxury, with priceless antiques, original frescoes, and impeccable, traditional old-world service.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s magnificent ‘Camerino d’Europa’ room is a true highlight. It is a stunning, beautifully preserved frescoed masterpiece from the 16th century by the school of the Carracci brothers, making it one of the most beautiful historic rooms in Italy.
Look my personal experience
2. Hotel Corona d’Oro 1890
The Place: A beautiful and deeply historic hotel with an unbeatable location in the heart of the medieval city, just steps from the Two Towers. The hotel is housed in a magnificent historic building that features a stunning Art Nouveau-style hall. It offers a sophisticated and timelessly elegant experience with a deep and palpable sense of history.
My Top Pick: The magnificent medieval tower that is integrated into the hotel’s structure, offering a unique and authentic connection to the city’s architectural heritage.
2. Hotel Corona d’Oro 1890: A Journey Through Time
The Place: A beautiful and deeply historic hotel that boasts an absolutely unbeatable location in the heart of the magnificent medieval city, just a few steps away from the iconic Two Towers. The hotel is housed in a magnificent historic building (‘palazzo’) that features a stunning and well-preserved Art Nouveau-style hall from the early 20th century. It offers a sophisticated and timelessly elegant experience with a deep and palpable sense of history in every corner.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and original medieval tower (‘torre’) that is beautifully and uniquely integrated into the hotel’s main structure offers a direct and authentic connection to the city’s unique architectural heritage of towers and porticoes.
Look my personal experience
3. NH Collection Bologna de la Gare
The Place: A large, modern, and very comfortable hotel with a highly convenient location directly opposite the city’s main train station. The hotel is known for its spacious rooms, its extensive business facilities, and its excellent service. It provides a perfect and practical base for both leisure and business travelers exploring the city and the wider region.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s prime location makes it incredibly convenient for travelers arriving by train or for those planning day trips to nearby cities like Florence.
3. NH Collection Bologna de la Gare: Modern Comfort and Convenience
The Place: A large, modern, and exceptionally comfortable hotel, the NH Collection de la Gare enjoys a highly convenient and strategic location directly opposite the city’s main central train station. The hotel is known for its spacious, contemporary rooms, its extensive and modern business facilities, and its excellent, professional, and highly efficient service. It provides a perfect and incredibly practical base for both leisure and business travelers who are planning to explore the city and the wider Emilia-Romagna region.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s prime location is its greatest asset. It makes it incredibly convenient for travelers who are arriving by train or for those who are planning easy and frequent day trips to nearby cities like Florence, Venice, and Parma.
Look my personal experience
4. Art Hotel Commercianti
The Place: A charming and deeply historic boutique hotel with an incredible and unique location, nestled in a quiet alley directly behind the magnificent Basilica of San Petronio. The hotel is housed in a restored 12th-century medieval building and offers a tranquil and atmospheric escape. It provides a unique, historic, and deeply romantic experience for guests.
My Top Pick: The spectacular, direct, and incredibly up-close views of the Gothic arches and intricate details of the Basilica of San Petronio from some rooms.
4. Art Hotel Commercianti: A Room with a Basilica View
The Place: A charming and deeply historic boutique hotel, the Art Hotel Commercianti has an incredible and unique location, perfectly nestled in a quiet, pedestrianized alley directly behind the magnificent and imposing Basilica of San Petronio. The hotel is housed in a beautifully restored and protected 12th-century medieval building and offers a tranquil, deeply atmospheric, and unforgettable escape. It provides a unique, historic, and deeply romantic experience for its guests.
My Top Pick: The spectacular, direct, and incredibly up-close views of the magnificent Gothic arches and the intricate, unfinished details of the Basilica of San Petronio from some of the hotel’s privileged rooms and suites are truly unforgettable.
Look my personal experience
5. Aemilia Hotel Bologna
The Place: A large and modern hotel located just on the edge of the historic center, offering a comfortable and sophisticated experience. The hotel is known for its excellent facilities, including a magnificent rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi. It provides a tranquil and convenient base with easy access to both the old town and the main ring road.
My Top Pick: The spectacular rooftop terrace on the 7th floor, which features a beautiful jacuzzi, offers breathtaking, panoramic views of the city’s towers and rooftops.
5. Aemilia Hotel Bologna: A Modern Rooftop Retreat
The Place: A large and modern hotel located just on the edge of the historic city center, offering a comfortable, sleek, and highly sophisticated experience for its guests. The hotel is known for its excellent and comprehensive facilities, including a magnificent and very popular rooftop terrace which features a relaxing jacuzzi. It provides a tranquil and highly convenient base with easy access to both the old town (a short walk away) and the main ring road for those arriving by car.
My Top Pick: The spectacular and expansive rooftop terrace on the hotel’s 7th floor is a true highlight. It features a beautiful jacuzzi and offers some of the most breathtaking, panoramic, and sweeping views of the city’s famous towers and historic rooftops.
Look my personal experience
6. Phi Hotel Bologna
The Place: A unique and stylish hotel housed in a beautifully restored historic palazzo on one of Bologna’s most prestigious streets. The hotel is known for its stunning interior design, which masterfully blends historic architectural features with a chic and sophisticated contemporary aesthetic. It offers a luxurious and deeply atmospheric boutique experience with great attention to detail.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s magnificent central hall, with its original, beautifully restored 18th-century frescoes, provides a truly spectacular and memorable welcome for every guest.
6. Phi Hotel Bologna: A Palace of Art and History
The Place: A unique and incredibly stylish hotel, the Phi Hotel is housed in a beautifully restored historic palazzo on one of Bologna’s most prestigious and elegant streets. The hotel is known for its stunning interior design, which masterfully blends the building’s magnificent and protected historic architectural features with a chic, sophisticated, and deeply comfortable contemporary aesthetic. It offers a luxurious and deeply atmospheric boutique experience with exceptional attention to every detail.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s magnificent and dramatic central hall, with its original and beautifully restored 18th-century frescoes by the famous painter Guarana, provides a truly spectacular, historic, and memorable welcome for every single one of its guests.
Look my personal experience
7. Hotel Touring
The Place: A classic and beloved family-run hotel with a prime location in the historic center, known for its warm, personalized hospitality. The hotel has been recently renovated and is particularly celebrated for its magnificent and unique rooftop terrace. It offers a comfortable, welcoming, and sophisticated experience with some of the best views in the entire city.
My Top Pick: The spectacular 360-degree rooftop terrace, which features a beautiful jacuzzi, offers the most breathtaking, panoramic views of Bologna’s historic rooftops and hills.
7. Hotel Touring: A Rooftop with a 360-Degree View
The Place: A classic and beloved family-run hotel, the Hotel Touring enjoys a prime location in the quiet part of the historic center and is known for its exceptionally warm, welcoming, and personalized hospitality. The hotel has been recently and beautifully renovated and is particularly celebrated for its magnificent and unique rooftop terrace, which is one of the best in the city. It offers a comfortable, welcoming, and sophisticated experience with incredible views.
My Top Pick: The spectacular, 360-degree rooftop terrace on the 5th floor is the hotel’s crowning glory. It features a beautiful and heated jacuzzi and offers the most breathtaking, panoramic, and uninterrupted views of Bologna’s historic rooftops, towers, and surrounding hills.
Look my personal experience
8. The Social Hub Bologna
The Place: A vibrant and dynamic new-generation hotel with a unique hybrid concept, located next to the city’s main train station. The hotel is a lively hub of activity, combining stylish hotel rooms with student accommodation, co-working spaces, and extensive public areas. It offers a fun, energetic, and contemporary experience with a focus on community.
My Top Pick: The magnificent rooftop swimming pool and its surrounding terrace offer a fantastic and vibrant social space with incredible, panoramic views of the city.</p
8. The Social Hub Bologna: A New Generation of Style
The Place: A vibrant and deeply dynamic new-generation hotel, The Social Hub has a unique and innovative hybrid concept and is perfectly located next to the city’s main train station. The hotel is a lively and bustling hub of activity, cleverly combining stylish and modern hotel rooms with student accommodation, extensive co-working spaces, and fantastic public areas, including a cinema and a games room. It offers a fun, energetic, and contemporary experience with a strong focus on community.
My Top Pick: The magnificent rooftop swimming pool and its surrounding expansive terrace offer a fantastic and vibrant social space for guests and members. It provides incredible, panoramic views of the city and is a perfect spot for relaxing in the sun.
Look my personal experience
9. Mitico Hotel & Natural Spa
The Place: A unique and modern hotel with a strong focus on sustainability and wellness, located in the city’s modern business district. The hotel’s design is inspired by nature, featuring natural materials and a calming aesthetic. It is known for its magnificent natural spa, which offers a range of holistic treatments, providing a deeply restorative experience.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and serene ‘Mon-rif’ natural spa is a true highlight, offering a beautiful indoor pool and a comprehensive wellness circuit for relaxation.
9. Mitico Hotel & Natural Spa: A Sanctuary of Wellness
The Place: A unique and modern hotel with a strong and commendable focus on sustainability and holistic wellness, the Mitico Hotel is located in the city’s modern business and trade fair district. The hotel’s innovative interior design is inspired by the natural world, featuring extensive use of natural materials, a calming aesthetic, and biophilic design principles. It is known for its magnificent natural spa, which offers a range of holistic treatments, providing a deeply restorative experience.
My Top Pick: The magnificent and deeply serene ‘Mon-rif’ natural spa is a true highlight of the hotel. It offers a beautiful, large indoor swimming pool and a comprehensive wellness circuit, all in a tranquil and beautifully designed environment for ultimate relaxation.
Look my personal experience
10. Savhotel
The Place: A modern and sophisticated hotel located in the city’s business and trade fair district, offering a comfortable and stylish base. The hotel is known for its clean, contemporary design, its spacious rooms, and its excellent business facilities. It provides a tranquil and efficient experience, perfect for business travelers but also great for leisure visitors.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s acclaimed restaurant, which serves excellent and creative interpretations of classic Bolognese and Italian cuisine, is a true highlight for any guest.
10. Savhotel: Modern Comfort in the Fair District
The Place: A modern and deeply sophisticated hotel located in the city’s main business and trade fair district (the ‘Fiera’), offering a comfortable and incredibly stylish base for visitors. The hotel is known for its clean, contemporary, and minimalist design, its exceptionally spacious and light-filled rooms, and its excellent business facilities. It provides a tranquil and highly efficient experience, which is perfect for business travelers but also great for leisure visitors seeking modern comfort.
My Top Pick: The hotel’s acclaimed on-site restaurant, the Nero Arancio, serves excellent and creative interpretations of classic Bolognese and wider Italian cuisine. It is a true highlight for any guest and is very popular with local residents as well.
Look my personal experience
Bonus: Palazzo di Varignana
A magnificent and sprawling resort and agricultural estate located in the beautiful hills just outside of Bologna. This destination resort is a true sanctuary of wellness and gastronomy, featuring a world-class spa, multiple swimming pools, beautiful gardens, and its own production of wine and olive oil, offering the ultimate luxury countryside escape from the city.
Bonus: Palazzo di Varignana: A Resort in the Hills
The Place: A magnificent and sprawling resort and agricultural estate, the Palazzo di Varignana is located in the beautiful and rolling hills just a short drive outside of Bologna. This true destination resort is a sanctuary of wellness and gastronomy, featuring a world-class, 3,700-square-meter spa, multiple indoor and outdoor swimming pools, beautiful ornamental gardens, and its own production of wine, olive oil, and other local products, offering the ultimate luxury countryside escape.
Look my personal experience
Expert’s Opinion: One to Choose?
Here’s our recommendation to help you choose the perfect luxury hotel in Bologna for your trip:
- For ultimate, classic grand hotel luxury: The magnificent Grand Hotel Majestic ‘già Baglioni’ is the undisputed top choice.
- For a unique, historic stay: The charming Hotel Corona d’Oro 1890 or the atmospheric Art Hotel Commercianti are perfect.
- For the best rooftop views: The stylish Hotel Touring or the modern Aemilia Hotel Bologna offer breathtaking panoramic vistas.
- For a vibrant, modern scene: The new The Social Hub Bologna, with its spectacular rooftop pool, is the city’s new hotspot.
Expert’s Opinion: One to Choose?
Here’s our recommendation to help you choose the perfect luxury hotel in Bologna for your trip:
- For ultimate, classic grand hotel luxury: The magnificent and deeply historic Grand Hotel Majestic ‘già Baglioni’ is the undisputed top choice for an opulent, five-star experience in the city center.
- For a unique, historic stay: The charming and atmospheric Hotel Corona d’Oro 1890 or the secluded Art Hotel Commercianti, with its direct Basilica views, are perfect choices.
- For the best rooftop views: The stylish and intimate Hotel Touring with its 360-degree terrace or the modern Aemilia Hotel Bologna offer breathtaking panoramic vistas of the city.
- For a vibrant, modern scene: The new and energetic The Social Hub Bologna, with its spectacular rooftop pool and lively atmosphere, is the city’s new social and creative hotspot.
Our search Hotels desgned just for you
Travel Guides: Bologna, Italy
A stay at a luxury hotel is the perfect start to your Bologna adventure. To make the most of your trip, here is a travel guide that complements the article on luxury hotels in Bologna.
1. Best Time to Visit Bologna
- Spring (April-June) & Autumn (September-October): These are the absolute best times to visit Bologna. The weather is warm and pleasant, perfect for exploring the city’s famous and extensive network of porticoes and enjoying its vibrant cafe culture.
- Summer (July-August): This season can be very hot and humid, but the city’s nearly 40 kilometers of porticoes offer welcome and beautiful shade from the strong summer sun.
- Winter (November-February): The weather is cold and can be foggy, but it’s a wonderfully cozy time to enjoy the city’s rich and hearty cuisine in its many traditional osterias and trattorias.
1. When to Go?
- Spring (April-June) & Autumn (September-October): These are the best times to visit, with warm, pleasant weather perfect for exploring the city’s famous porticoes.
- Summer (July-August): Can be very hot and humid, but the city’s porticoes offer welcome shade.
- Winter (November-February): Cold and can be foggy, but it’s a cozy time to enjoy the city’s rich cuisine.
2. Getting Around Bologna
- Walking: Bologna’s magnificent historic center is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and is incredibly walkable. Its famous and extensive network of porticoes makes walking pleasant and comfortable, even in rain or strong sun.
- Buses: An efficient local bus service is useful for reaching areas outside the immediate city center, such as the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, or for traveling to and from the airport.
- Train: Bologna’s central station is one of Italy’s most important railway hubs, making it an excellent base for day trips to other famous cities like Florence, Venice, and Parma.
2. Getting Around Bologna
- Walking: Bologna’s historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is incredibly walkable. Its famous network of porticoes makes walking pleasant even in rain or strong sun.
- Buses: An efficient local bus service is useful for reaching areas outside the immediate city center, like the Sanctuary of San Luca.
3. Must-See Sights
- Piazza Maggiore and Basilica of San Petronio: The magnificent and sprawling main square is the true heart of the city, home to the impressive and famously unfinished Basilica of San Petronio.
- The Two Towers (Le Due Torri): The iconic, leaning symbols of Bologna. Be sure to climb the 498 steps of the Asinelli Tower for breathtaking, panoramic views of the red-roofed city.
- Archiginnasio of Bologna: The first permanent seat of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the Western world. Don’t miss the incredible, wood-paneled 17th-century Anatomical Theatre.
- The Porticoes of Bologna: A UNESCO World Heritage site, this extensive and unique network of over 38 kilometers of covered walkways is unique in the world and defines the city’s architectural character.
3. Must-See Sights
- Piazza Maggiore and Basilica of San Petronio: The magnificent main square and the city’s huge, impressive, and famously unfinished basilica.
- The Two Towers (Le Due Torri): The iconic symbols of Bologna. Climb the Asinelli Tower for breathtaking panoramic city views.
- Archiginnasio of Bologna: The first permanent seat of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world. Don’t miss the 17th-century Anatomical Theatre.
- The Porticoes of Bologna: A UNESCO World Heritage site, this extensive network of covered walkways is unique in the world.
4. Unique Experiences
- Go on a Food Tour: Bologna is the capital of one of Italy’s most famous culinary regions. A food tour is absolutely essential to taste local specialties like prosciutto, mortadella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca: Walk up the world’s longest portico, a stunning, covered walkway with 666 arches that stretches for nearly 4 kilometers, to this beautiful basilica on a hill overlooking the city.
- Discover the Hidden Canals: Find the famous ‘Finestrella di Via Piella,’ a small, hidden window in a wall that opens up to offer a surprise and picturesque view of one of Bologna’s few remaining historic canals.
- Visit the Quadrilatero: Explore the ancient and incredibly vibrant medieval market district, located just off the Piazza Maggiore. Its narrow streets are filled with incredible and historic food shops, delis, and cafes.
4. Unique Experiences
- Go on a Food Tour: Bologna is the capital of one of Italy’s most famous culinary regions. A food tour is essential to taste local specialties.
- Climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca: Walk up the world’s longest portico (nearly 4km) to this beautiful basilica on a hill overlooking the city.
- Discover the Hidden Canals: Find the ‘Finestrella di Via Piella,’ a small hidden window that offers a surprise view of one of Bologna’s hidden canals.
- Visit the Quadrilatero: Explore the ancient and vibrant market district just off Piazza Maggiore, with its incredible food shops and delis.
https://voyagedeal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bologna-luxury-hotel-guide.webp
Our search Hotels desgned just for you
