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It’s on the high end of inexpensive, but worth it for the charming, semi-rustic wood panelling, good-sized rooms and location on a quiet street west of the Duomo. Many rooms come with third beds that flip down from the wall – great for budget-minded families.

A lovely retreat. The much-requested rooms at the front overlook the restaurant (see Il Sole di Ranco, Lake Maggiore).

A fantastical 1879 Moorish-style villa, complete with minaret, lies at the turn-off for Orta San Giulio. Suites and rooms are sumptuous, with either mosaic or parquet flooring, carved wooden furnishings, silk brocaded walls, and bed canopies. The restaurant serves excellent regional cuisine.

This sumptuous Renaissance villa is consistently rated among the top 10 hotels in the world and has long attracted royalty and celebrity. No expense is spared (antiques and silks, marbles and mahoganies), as reflected in the bill.

Stay in the suite where Mussolini and his mistress hid out in their last weeks, then dine on the lakeside terrace.

Originally built in 1860 as a wedding gift for the owner’s daughter and Italian hero Garibaldi. A genteel 19th-century air still clings to the rooms.

This bastion of 19th-century luxury overlooks Lugano from its Swiss hillside. Facilities range from a business centre to a fitness room, beauty spa and swimming pool. The Villa offers sumptuous suites; the Residence annex more subdued double rooms.

Brescia’s only real hotel in the historic centre offers all the five-star amenities you could ask for in an imposing Fascistera pile. Freestanding columns in the suites are a nice touch. Shame it’s priced for businessmen’s expense accounts.

The general décor is a genteel Empire style, but the “smart rooms” have high-tech facilities, and the plush business centre has on-staff translators. Choose from 13 well-equipped conference rooms. There is also a fully equipped gym.