The major cities are covered here: in the heart of Milan, mecca for designer die-hards, the ultra-modern Spadari Al Duomo lies close to the architectural delight that is the city's main cathedral and major attraction. Contrast this with Venice's 15th-century Palazzo Vendramin, combining "splendid isolation and insulation... with the authenticity and decorative detail of a genuine Venetian palace", or the seductive garden and pared-down interiors of Rome's landmark Hotel de Russie, the place where the capital's cognoscenti love to be seen.

As always, the most interesting places to stay are to be found off the beaten track. Hip Hotels: Italy traverses the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites, Umbria and down to Naples, Capri and Sardinia. Hotel de la Poste, the focal point of the Alpine resort of Cortina, positioned among the beautiful Dolomite mountains, owes its style and culture as much to the Tyrol as to Italy--and it is less than two hours from Venice. Hotel le Dune, situated in the wildest part of Sardinia, is almost a relic, "the coastal equivalent of a log cabin in the forest". But surely the most sumptuous hotel of all is the Relais la Suvera, a former medieval fort turned Renaissance palace near Siena in Tuscany, complete with its own Papal Suite. Ornate and family-run, it's a chance to experience la dolce vita to the hilt--without bumping into a holidaying Tony Blair. --Catherine Taylor