Recommended Hotels

Bologna has a wide range of accommodation from the large modern hotels on the periphery aimed at business travellers to the smaller hotels and B&Bs in the historic centre, which have far more appeal for tourists. Bologna is a city for all seasons but during the main trade fairs hotels can be booked up months in advance and prices double or often treble. Prices tend to fall in mid-summer and are generally at their cheapest in February, the quietest month. If you arrive without a reservation the Bologna Welcome tourist office (www.bolognawelcome.com) in Piazza Maggiore offers a free hotel-booking service.

Hotels are officially categorised from one-to-five stars, or, at the very top end of the scale, five-star deluxe. The stars assigned denote facilities (which sometimes don’t exist) and are no real indicator of charm or atmosphere. The most prestigious hotel is undeniably the five-star deluxe Grand Hotel Majestic. Some of the most appealing hotels, right in the centre and integrating seamlessly into the medieval context, are the Bologna Art Hotels, a chain of three: The Commercianti, Orologio and Novecento (www.bolognarthotels.it). They also have a handful of centrally-located four- and five-star apartments available. B&Bs in Bologna are now plentiful but because of space restrictions in the city centre many of them only have one or two rooms.

Hotel rates usually include breakfast, though check first as a few hotels have started to charge it separately. Being Bologna, breakfast is usually a fairly substantial fare including a spread of fresh fruit, Parma ham, cheeses, yoghurts and freshly baked patisserie. If breakfast is not included in the room rate it is usually better value to pop out for a cappuccino and croissant in the local café.

As is the case in many of Italy’s cities a tourist tax applies to any non-resident staying in a hotel or B&B. Children under 14 are exempt. The rate is €1.50−5 per person per night depending on the room rate, for up to a maximum of five nights. For a couple staying in a 4-star hotel for three nights there would be an extra cost of around €15. The tax must be paid to the hotel before departure (it is never paid in advance either to the hotel or to a tour operator or hotel website).

As a basic guide the symbols below indicate rack rates per night for standard double room including VAT, service and breakfast, but excluding tourist tax.

€€€€ over 300 euros

€€€ 200−300 euros

€€ 120−200 euros

€ under 120 euros

Piazza Maggiore and Around

Art Hotel Commercianti €€-€€€ Via de’Pignattari 11; tel: 051-745 7511; www.art-hotel-commercianti.it. Set in a side street beside San Petronio, this frescoed medieval palace is home to a stylish yet seductive hotel in the very heart of the city. Well-restored public rooms lead to romantic bedrooms under the eaves, many of which have views across the alley to the Gothic windows of San Petronio or over the rooftops. Best rooms are at the top. Excellent buffet breakfast and free bikes.

Art Hotel Corona d’Oro 1890 €€−€€€ Via Guglielmo Oberdan 12; tel: 051-745 7611; www.hco.it. On a cobbled, traffic-free street close to the famous two towers, this delightful, peaceful hotel is one of the most sought-after city-centre retreats. An atmospheric medieval palazzo, it is said to have housed Italy’s first printing works, and has been offering accommodation and a warm welcome since it first opened in 1890. A Renaissance portico, 16th-century coffered ceilings and the former winter garden, transformed into an elegant entrance hall, all add to the charm.

Art Hotel Novecento €€−€€€ Piazza Galileo 4/3; tel: 051-745 7311; www.bolognarthotels.it. A chic and glamorous designer hotel in Art Nouveau style right in the centre of the city. Guest rooms, which include suites, overlook historic corners of the medieval centre.

Art Hotel Orologio €€−€€€ Via IV Novembre 10; tel: 051-745 7411; www.bolognarthotels.it. This small, family-run, three-star hotel is much in demand for its unbeatable location beside Piazza Maggiore and for its old-world charm. Some rooms have views of the medieval Due Torri and the heart of historic Bologna.

Ca’ Fosca Due Torri €€ Via Caprarie 7; tel: 051-261 221; mobile: (00 39) 335 314761; www.cafoscaduetorri.com. Set in the shadow of the medieval Due Torri this is a gem of a B&B, boasting a gracious Art Nouveau inspired interior and views of city towers and domes. Patrizia is a font of city knowledge and an exceptionally welcoming, extrovert and helpful hostess. Amenities include a library, guest kitchen and a winter garden where breakfast is served. Studios also available.

Cappello Rosso €€€€ Via de Fusari 9; tel: 051-261 891; www.alcappellorosso.it. Luxury hotel in the centre, set in a former tavern that was renowned for its roast partridge. There are 33 rooms, each one different, but all contemporary, sleek and equipped with luxuries such as big-screen TVs and silk kimonos. Designer rooms include: the Silent Cage Room 4’33”, dedicated to the American composer John Cage, the Shock in Pink room, which pays homage to Schiaparelli’s surreal universe and Lettera 305, dedicated to the old Lettera 22 typewriter (with a gigantic keyboard on the ceiling).

Centrale € Via della Zecca 2; tel: 051-006 3937; www.albergocentralebologna.it. One of Bologna’s best two-star hotels: central, with clean and simple rooms in classic-style, excellent continental breakfast and staff who go out of their way to help. Rooms are on the third and fourth floor (with lift) of an 18th-century palazzo with fine views over the rooftops.

Delle Drapperie €−€€ Via delle Drapperie 5; tel: 051-223 955; www.albergodrapperie.com. Small and charming hotel in the heart of the bustling Mercato di Mezzo. Pretty rooms come in Art Nouveau style, all in different colours with lovely floral designs and antiques. Four junior suites overlook the rooftops.

Roma €€−€€€ Via d’Azeglio 9; tel: 051-226 322; www.hotelroma.biz. The location of the Roma is hard to beat: on a smart pedestrianised street, popular for shopping and la passeggiata, just a few steps from the Piazza Maggiore. The hotel has a civilised atmosphere, traditional rooms and personal service. Emilian specialities are served in the C’era Una Volta restaurant.

Torre Prendiparte €€€€ Piazzetta Prendiparte; mobile: (00 39) 335 5616858; www.prendiparte.it. A unique opportunity to rent your own 60m (197ft)-high medieval 900-year-old tower with a panoramic terrace (12 floors to climb). This is a romantic retreat − accommodation is for one couple only. The living areas with bedroom, kitchen and sitting room, take up three floors. All requirements are catered for including a private chef for a candlelit dinner. Popular for special occasions or a romantic and exclusive B&B for two. This unique experience comes of course with a high price tag.

University Quarter

Casa Ilaria € Largo Respighi 8; tel: 051-412 4760; www.casailaria.com. Very handy for the Teatro Comunale (main venue for opera, concerts and ballet), this is a quiet and welcoming B&B with spacious rooms and garden views. Tiziana is a gracious host and very helpful with information on the city and advice on local restaurants. Continental breakfasts come with delicious home-made cake − or there are eggs and bacon on request. The hosts also hold cookery courses and organise gourmet tours.

North and West

Allegro Italia Espresso €€ Viale A. Masini 4/3; tel: 051-255 035; www.allegroitalia.it. Design hotel with well-conceived rooms, chic public spaces and a fresh, contemporary feel. It’s handy for the station but on a busy main road, 15−20 minutes’ walk from Piazza Maggiore.

B&B Bologna nel Cuore €€ Via Cesare Battisti 29; tel: 051-269 442; www.bolognanelcuore.it. Expect a warm welcome and expert local knowledge from Maria Ketty, who has been running this B&B for 10 years. There are two attractively decorated and well-equipped double rooms and two apartments with cooking facilities.

B&B Galleria del Reno € Via Marconi 51; mobile: (00 39) 346 2214121. Simply furnished, affordable B&B enjoying views of the city centre. Very convenient location between the historic centre and the station. Free Wi-fi, tasty varied breakfast, but shared bathroom.

Cavour €−€€€ Via Goito 4; tel: 051-228 111; www.cavour-hotel.com. This friendly and professionally run three-star has an excellent location in a side street just off Via dell’Independenza, with plenty of good places to eat nearby. The 47 rooms vary in size and style from standard and superior to the newly furbished deluxe rooms, available with jacuzzi.

Grand Hotel Majestic €€€€ Via dell’Indipendenza 8; tel: 051-225 445; www.grandhotelmajestic.hotelsbologna.it. In a former 18th-century seminary, the hotel lives up to its name and provides a rendezvous for the most affluent Bolognese, many of whom come to dine in its prestigious restaurant I Carracci. Many a Hollywood legend has stayed here. Public rooms retain their former splendour: frescoed walls, moulded ceiling and grand chandeliers. Guest rooms combine classical charm and contemporary luxury and palatial suites are furnished with antiques and marble bathrooms with jacuzzis.

Il Guercino € Via Luigi Serra; tel: 051-369 893; www.guercino.it. This is a discreet, classic hotel in a quiet (although unfashionable) area 5 minutes’ walk from the station, 20 plus to the historic centre. Rooms are comfortable and good value, though some are on the small side. Friendly, helpful staff and good breakfasts.

I Portici €€€−€€€€ Via dell’Indipendenza 69; tel: 051-42185; www.iporticihotel.com. This restored Art Nouveau palazzo is a four-star deluxe hotel and member of SLH group, Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The chic minimalist interior was the work of leading Italian and international designers. Guest rooms have parquet floors, pastel shades and, in the case of the deluxe rooms, original Art Nouveau frescoes. Rooms look out on to the park or Via dell’Independenza, a main shopping street. The I Portici Restaurant is one of the best in the city.

Metropolitan €€ Via dell’Orso 6; tel: 051-229 393; www.hotelmetropolitan.com. The location between the city centre and the station combined with a fresh, contemporary Far Eastern decor make the Metropolitan a popular choice both for business travellers and tourists. Book well in advance for the cool new apartments at the top.

Royal Carlton €€€−€€€€ Via Montebello 8; tel: 051-249 361; www.royalhotelcarltonbologna.com. This austere-looking tower near the station contains a grand hotel with helpful staff, large comfortable bedrooms and hotel parking. The professional ambience and convenient location five minutes’ walk from the station and 10 from the historic centre make it a popular choice for executives and tourists alike. Inside the emphasis is on space, modern comforts and cool efficiency.

Touring €€ Via De’ Mattuiani 1; tel: 051-584 305; www.hoteltouring.it. Friendly, family-run three-star hotel with a panoramic roof terrace looking onto the city and San Luca in the distance. Guest rooms vary from the older classic-style to the newly renovated contemporary rooms and spacious suites. In the summer months guests can enjoy the jacuzzi on the rooftop. Ten minutes’ walk from Piazza Maggiore.

UNA Hotels Bologna Centro €€ Viale Pietramellara 41/43; tel: 051-60801; www.gruppouna.it. Right in front of the station this is a modern design hotel and part of the Italian UNA chain. Chic, clean lines set off colourful panels and minimalist furniture makes for pleasantly uncluttered rooms. Offers some good deals off season (but not during trade fairs).

South

Antica Casa Zucchini €€ Via Santo Stefano 36; mobile: (00 39) 347 9110731; www.anticacasazucchini.it. This charming B&B near the church of Santo Stefano occupies an historic house, parts of which date back to the mid-15th century. Features include a portico with Istrian stone capitals, grand 18th-century staircase and frescoed ceilings and antiques in the three bedrooms.

Il Convento dei Fiori di Seta €€ Via Orfeo 34/4; tel: 051-221 697. Converted from a nunnery dating back to the 15th century, this little boutique hotel on the southern edge of the city has plenty of personality. Original features, such as vaulted rooms, frescoes and sacred altar sculptures have been retained but there’s a nod to the modern era with chic contemporary lighting and seating, and mosaic tiled bathrooms. Four of the guest rooms have been fashioned out of the aisle and apse of the church, six are on the upper floor, individually designed in contemporary style.

Porta San Mamolo €€−€€€ Vicolo Del Falcone 6/8; tel: 051-583 056; www.hotel-portasanmamolo.it. This welcoming and very accommodating B&B is near the Porta San Mamolo on the southern edge of the city, 10−15 minutes’ walk from the centre, with the advantage of a pretty courtyard garden for breakfasts in summer. Rooms, in traditional style (either doubles, triples or suites), are a good size and some have their own terrace.

Porta Saragozza € Viale Carlo Pepoli 26; tel: 051-644 7437; www.portasaragozza.it. This charming B&B retreat is set in a quiet residential zone just outside the city walls. The reception rooms are studded with antiques; the two bedrooms have a shared (but spacious and modern) bathroom. Talia Franceschini is a helpful (English- and French-speaking) hostess. Cash only.

Santo Stefano €−€€ Via Santo Stefano 84; tel: 051-308 458; www.bedandbreakfastsantostefano.com. This B&B by the Church of Santo Stefano wins many plaudits for its location and stylish contemporary design. The quietest guest rooms overlook the courtyard, and there are also well-equipped apartments. Weekly rates available.