COUNTRY LIFE writers reveal the hotels that stood out to them in 2025

The Italian Lakes are renowned for being the playground of the rich and famous, so it’s no surprise that the scenery is stunning, the climate good and there is beauty all around in the form of histori

‘La Serenissima’ can be at its most romantic out of season — when the fog drifting over the canals is so thick the gondolas seem to float on air, and summer’s visitors have thinned. You’ll still want to book your accommodation in advance but you’ll hardly be short of options. Some of the grandest stays are in the shadow of St Mark’s Square, while more residential sestieri (districts) such as Santa Croce offer a slice of local life. For something different, opt for nearby islands — such as the Lido, site of the Venice Film Festival, or Mazzorbo, where grapevines have grown for centuries. Whichever you choose, the most atmospheric way to arrive is by ferry or water taxi — this is a city best experienced on water, after all.

This 19th-century Milanese villa has been completely revamped to show the creative side of an avid art collector and his family

Teresa Levonian Cole climbs aboard the latest iteration of the Orient Express for a sybaritic journey to the ‘underground city’ of Matera

A French medieval hilltop town is the location of Toile Blanche, a former 19th-century farmhouse reimagined as a boutique hotel