For travelers looking to avoid the typical hotel chains, Bologna is a great city to visit. There are only a handful of chain hotels in the Bologna area. Beyond that, there are a variety of options, from budget hotels to luxury accommodations. When traveling to Bologna and looking for something truly unique, though, we have five of the best boutique hotels in Bologna Italy. These Italian boutique hotels include renovated historic buildings and art and design hotels, each of which tells a story of Bologna.
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Bologna’s Best Boutique Hotels
In this post, we share our recommendations for the top boutique hotels in the Bologna City Center. Each of these is walking distance to all of the top things to do in Bologna. We include a detailed description of each property, why it is considered boutique, and practical information about the hotel property. For the best rates, click the red box and simply enter your travel dates.
Casa Bertagni Bologna
Built in the 1950s, Casa Bertagni is a luxury guest house located in the heart of Bologna’s historic center, near the university campus and just a stone’s throw away from the city’s main historical and artistic attractions. It is a 20-minute walk from Bologna Centrale and 15 minutes from Piazza Maggiore. The rooms in Casa Bertagni are furnished mixing elements of antique and contemporary art and design. According to the owners, “each room of the guest house leads into a different dream universe.” The rest of the property includes a spacious and comfortable living room, kitchen, and private garden. Dinners, including a private chef option, may be reserved with a minimum of 48 hours advance notice. The guesthouse also offers a paid laundry service. Breakfast includes homemade pastries and fresh-squeezed juices.
Casa Bertagni, Via G. B de Rolandis, 7, rates from €150 a night
Hotel Facts: Four-star, breakfast included, wifi, air-con, parking available at extra charge in the private courtyard
Hotel Metropolitan Bologna
The Metropolitan Hotel recently completed a renovation to offer visitors to Bologna a taste of ultra-modern design in a Medieval city. The Metropolitan Hotel is perfectly located in the city centre of Bologna, 10 minutes walk from Bologna Centrale train station and five minutes walk from Piazza Maggiore. Amenities in the hotel include a roof-top garden (March to October), lounge bar, swimming pool, and fitness center. For longer stays or for more room, the hotel also offers contemporary studio, one-room and two-room apartments in the center of Bologna.
Hotel Metropolitan Bologna, Via dell’Orso, 6, Rates from €180 a night
Hotel Facts: Four-star design and boutique hotel, with apartments. Breakfast is available at an extra charge. Rooms include WiFi and Air Con. Parking is available 100 meters from the hotel at an extra charge.
Hotel Touring Bologna
The Stegani family opened Hotel Touring over 100 years ago. They are Bolognesi through and through. The family’s contemporary hotel is a 10-minute walk to both Piazza Maggiore and the Towers of Bologna. The hotel is a mix of warmly decorated rooms and upgraded contemporary rooms featuring modern furnishing. The La Terrazza Mattuiani rooftop terrace provides stunning views of Bologna while enjoying an evening aperitivo during the summer. The Hotel Touring premises originally dates back to the turn of the century with the design and décor exquisitely combining Baroque influence and modern furnishings. Breakfast is served in what used to be the wine cellar for the friars of the nearby Church of San Procolo.
Hotel Touring Bologna, Via dè Mattuiani, ½, Rooms from €160 a night
Hotel Facts: Four-Star contemporary boutique hotel. Breakfast is included. Rooms with WiFi and Air Con. Parking available for €25 per day.
Art Hotel Commercianti
Originally a 13th-century guildhall, Art Hotel Commercianti is conveniently located adjacent to the Gothic structure of the Basilica of San Petronio and a 2-minute walk from the vibrant Piazza Maggiore. The property is the sister hotel of the Art Hotel Orologio. With a long history, Art Hotel Commercianti once housed the original seat of the Municipality of Bologna in 1116. One hundred and fifty years later, it became the Headquarters of the prestigious “Compagna dell’arte dei Brentatori,” the guild responsible for guaranteeing the quality of wine. The property retains many original features such as wood beams, 14th-century frescoes, and Gothic-style glass decor while providing modern amenities like free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Art Hotel Commercianti is a 20-minute walk from the Bologna Centrale train station.
Art Hotel Commercianti, Via Dè Pignattari, 11, Rooms from €200 a night
Hotel Facts: Four-Star art hotel with breakfast, WiFi, and air-con included. Parking available for €28 per day
Art Hotel Orologio Bologna
Art Hotel Orologio is located less than a block from Piazza Maggiore and San Petronio Basilica, opposite the Palazzo Comunale City Hall. A perfect mix of Bologna’s past and modern comfort, Art Hotel Orologio sits in a building dating to the 19th century. After a recent renovation, the hotel has retained its original classical Italian style while incorporating marble bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and satellite TV. A number of the rooms include balconies offering a stunning view of Bologna. The hotel is a five-minute walk from the Towers of Bologna. Art Hotel Orologio is pet-friendly and one of the three members of the Bologna Art Hotel mini-chain. Each room is designed differently, some with a contemporary whimsical design and others with a classically European design.
Art Hotel Orologio, Via IV Novembre, 10C, Rooms from €225 a night
Hotel Facts: Four-Star boutique and luxury hotel with breakfast, WiFi, and air-con included, parking available for a fee
