26 Best Hotels in Naples, Italy

You'd never guess from the blandly modern exterior that this is the oldest of the city's great seafront hotels—the place where Enrico Caruso died, where Oscar Wilde dallied with lover Lord Alfred Douglas, and where Bill Clinton charmed the waitresses—but, fortunately, the spacious, soothing interior compensates for what's lacking on the outside. Guest rooms, the best of which overlook the bay, are luxurious and traditional, with antique accents, vibrantly colored walls, and gleaming bathrooms. On-site amenities include the famous Caruso restaurant, the rooftop Sky Lounge, a small gym, and a spa with myriad (though pricey) pampering services.

A little up the hill from Chiaia, with fine views of the bay and distant Capri, this landmark hotel first opened in 1870 and continues to offer a supreme dose of elegance. The glittering interior is an homage to the neoclassical style brought to Naples by Napoleon and his general Joachim Murat, with gilt-trimmed Empire bureaus, shimmering chandeliers, fluted pilasters, and ornate ceilings. Drink in the view from the superb rooftop-garden at George's restaurant, which serves outstandingly good regional specialties—its chef, Domenico Candela, has been awarded a second Michelin star.

This contemporary upscale hotel near the Centro Storico's major sights occupies an early-20th-century palazzo, but you won't find heavy, ornate furnishings—the emphasis is on light and space, both in short supply in old Naples. The services and professional approach are on a par with the grander hotels on the seafront, making the Decumani a great choice if your focus is classic Napoli.

Enjoying perhaps the most enchanting setting in all of Naples, this modestly priced hotel tops many a traveler's dream list of places to stay. In one of the buildings of the toy-size Borgo Marinaro harbor, in the shadow of the Castel dell'Ovo medieval fortress, Il Transatlantico has guest rooms fitted out in faux-yacht style, featuring a blue-and-white color scheme and swab-the-decks wooden trim. The vistas—over the harbor and the Lungomare and toward Vesuvius at the end of the bay—are better even than those from far more expensive luxury hotels just across the pier on the mainland.

Just off the chic Piazza dei Martiri, this intimate hotel pairs modern facilities with a traditional feel. Beyond an elegant stone passageway, a chandeliered, marble-floored lobby welcomes you, its impressive size suggesting a much larger property. Although not ultra-luxurious, guest rooms are quiet, tastefully furnished, and equipped with marble bathrooms. Breakfasts are excellent.

Sleek, soigné, and swank, this hotel set in the majestic palace of the very majestic Caracciolos (one of the most gilded names in Neapolitan history) is definitely a diamond in the rough—the rough being its immediate neighborhood, which is a bit off the main tourist track. The duomo, however, is a mere five-minute walk, and the hotel is steps away from the "family" church, San Giovanni a Carbonara, favored by Carracciolo princes, warriors, lovers, and cardinals. Although the palace dates from the 14th century, this lodging has been refurbished for 21st-century visitors with red sofas, Gio Ponti–inspired ornaments, burnished black globes, and artworks that mirror Lucio Fontana minimal masterpieces. Done up in silvers and taupes, the guest rooms are cool and contemporary, and they all have thick piperno walls to buffer the din from the noisiest motorcycles, of which there are more than a few in this district. The cloister, where the restaurant is located and breakfast is taken, hosts temporary exhibitions of young artists, which are open to nonguests.

Patrizia and Paolo run this homey upscale B&B in a handsome stile-Liberty (Italian Art Nouveau) palazzo on the well-to-do Vomero hill. Breakfast of home baking and relaxation revolves around the kitchen and adjoining cozy lounge; most guest rooms have tasteful decor although some corners look dated and have odd layouts; overall a lovely, homey reliable spot, with a chic suite with a Jacuzzi.

This impressive hotel on the hillside of Posillipo is famous for its Bay of Naples view, its roof-garden Paradiso Blanco restaurant, and its garden terrace. From your own flower-bedecked balcony you can also take in the immediate neighborhood, less enchantingly filled with apartment buildings. Although the hotel is at the western edge of the city, the nearby funicular takes you efficiently to the harbor port and transportation hub of Mergellina, a short walk from the end of the Riviera di Chiaia.

This 18th-century palazzo has a great location, and its apartments, all on the first floor, have plenty of atmosphere. It was originally owned by the Marchese Nicola Le Caldano Sasso III, whose portrait hangs above the lobby's fireplace, and is still run by his descendants. Antiques from when the palace was new add a personal touch to the elegant guest rooms, some of which have whirlpool baths. One section was once a brothel; rooms there are named for the ladies who then occupied them.

An oasis of what Italians call stile liberty (Art Nouveau style), with impressive stained-glass fittings and striking artwork, this serene, elegant hotel is well placed for touring the Centro Storico and visiting the Museo Archeologico Nazionale. Each room is individually decorated—in the warmer months ask for one with a balcony and enjoy your breakfast alfresco, or opt for a garden room that opens onto the small swimming pool.

In what was the 19th-century residence of Cardinal Sisto Riario Sforza, this charming hotel has pleasant, spacious rooms, some with frescoed wooden roof beams. Each of the two floors has a large welcoming communal area, but the showstopper is the breakfast room, covered from floor to ceiling with mirrors and gold decorations.

Perfectly located near the posh Via dei Mille shopping street, the buzzing Chiaia nightlife, and the contemporary art gallery at Palazzo Roccella, this hotel has a welcoming lobby area and restful guest rooms with cool colors and sleek windows. Only the junior suites on the 10th floor have sea views, however.

Time seems to have stopped at this charming hotel housed in a 19th-century convent belonging to the Stimmatine Sisters. It is located at the base of the Capodimonte hill and adjacent to the Catacombe di San Gennaro and the Madre del Buon Consiglio church, but a fair walk from the central city sights. The large, tastefully furnished Bourbon-style guest rooms open onto an internal courtyard, dominated by an ornamental skylight. Ask for a quiet room on this side of the hotel.

Neapolitan Lungomare enchantment can be yours if you stay at this luxurious, quietly understated hotel, which overlooks the port immortalized in the song "Santa Lucia." Hundreds of boats bob in the water, seafood restaurants line the harbor, and the medieval Castel dell'Ovo presides over it all. The lobby sparkles with chandeliers, mirrors, and gilded antiques, and portraits of Neapolitan aristocrats lend an air of nobility. The comfortable guest rooms are traditional, if somewhat bland (and some are small for the price), the suites come with a whirlpool bath, and the in-house Il Pavone Restaurant offers luxe dining.

In the courtyard of a building on the Mergellina waterfront, this hotel is handy if you're coming or going from the Mergellina pier. On the other hand, perhaps this is why some guests have said they suffer from cabin fever after just a few nights—the constant presence of boats and the portholelike windows might make you think you're on board a ship. The spic-and-span rooms are—no surprise—done in a nautical motif.

Maharajahs, emperors, and Hollywood legends have stayed at this grand-tradition Chiaia seafront outpost, which opened in 1908 and has an interior that's a symphony of soaring columns, gilded French doors, and Venetian chandeliers. Discreet but attentive service is the goal here—if you want to hire a yacht, the concierge will oblige. After a day of sightseeing, repair to the peaceful rooftop bar and restaurant, with its sweeping bay views.

A 17th-century palazzo in the heart of the Quartieri Spagnoli contains this hotel whose rooms—which can accommodate two, three, or four guests—are decorated in modern Mediterranean style and have original architectural features such as arched or beamed ceilings. Two junior suites have private roof terraces.

This high-end hotel retains hints of its former life as a Franciscan monastery, with a small lobby that leads to narrow corridors whose doors seem as if they would open into cell-like quarters but instead lead to surprisingly spacious, simply decorated, majolica-floor-tiled rooms, many with their own hot tubs and furnishings no monk would dream of. The hotel's two restaurants offer regional specialties, and its two terrace bars serve up drinks and views of the city below and the bay beyond.

Tucked behind the beginning of Corso Umberto I, this pleasant boutique hotel has a soothing lobby and a large bar area filled with plush sofas, antiques, and Art Nouveau works. Some rooms are a little on the small side, but are comfortable and airy—the larger, superior rooms have balconies. The hotel's best feature is the roof, where there is a bar and where breakfast is served, with great views of the dome of next door's Basilica of Santissima Annunziata Maggiore.

Masterfully designed by local architect Antonio Scala, formerly of New York City, this concept lodging combines the ultramodern with a playful, at times arcane, take on Neapolitan tradition. The main sitting room proves that with the right lighting and furnishings, the color gray can both soothe and fascinate. In line with a wall quote that declares, "This evening I'm a prince, tomorrow a king," breakfast—including home-laid eggs—is served in tiny white bowls fit not just for a king, but a latter-day Chinese emperor. The guest rooms are well lit and full of playful design touches such as a bathtub in the center of the room and a shower head that changes color with the water temperature. Add in silk sheets and cashmere curtains, and the result is a magical, dreamlike lodging experience.

Set in a centuries-old palazzo that's just a two-minute walk up from Via Toledo, beside the Teatro Nuovo and not too far from the Centro Storico, this boutique hotel has Spanish-style architectural and design elements and a rooftop terrace.

It's not every day you can be a "guest" of a famed 17th-century church, but this distinctive B&B was once part of the giant complex of Santa Maria della Sanità, the main landmark of the Sanità quarter. Before visions of gilded frescoes fill your head, keep in mind that this church was erected by the Franciscans: the hotel's decor would please the spartan taste of their patron saint, though modern majolica flooring and art photographs of local street life inject an upbeat flavor. Guest rooms, however, are minimal modern. La Sanità is a lively, sometimes rough neighborhood, busy with scooters and other traffic, but double-glazed windows cut down on the noise. The owner, Sergio, also offers a comfortable apartment sleeping up to six in the same building, runs an excellent trattoria nearby, La Locanda del Monacone, and  is also responsible for selling tickets to the catacombs of San Gaudioso, situated next door, and those of San Gennaro.

Right off Piazza Municipio, in the shadows of Castel Nuovo, this popular hotel is a good choice if you're taking a boat from Molo Beverello. The lobby is sober yet luminous, and the rooms are quiet and tastefully appointed. Breakfast is served on a delightful third-floor terrace with views over the castle.

Just a few minutes' walk from the Castel Nuovo, Palazzo Turchini is one of the city center's more attractive smaller hotels. In a 17th-century building, it has an elegant design that incorporates several historical styles, as seen in the combination of marble floors and piperno stairs throughout. Guest rooms are small but soundproofed, and many have views over the roofs and domes of the old town.

Within walking distance of both the Teatro San Carlo and the Centro Storico, this efficient, Marriott-affiliated business hotel has a lobby and guest rooms that are bright and airy. A nice plus here is the beautiful roof garden, where breakfast is served.

A pastel oasis of calm amid hectic Piazza Garibaldi, this sleek, clean, and stylish hotel has up-to-date, comfortable rooms. The big pluses are the excellent staff and emphasis on fine food—the chef here is known to invent dishes with what's available at the market on a given day. Other draws include a panoramic roof terrace and a small gym. The closest hotel to the station, Terminus is also near the main highways to Rome and the south.