ROME – Experiences have become the new currency of travel, and Italy’s hotels – hosting more than 62% of the nation’s overnight stays – are redefining how travellers discover, taste, and live a destination. After decades of perfecting the art of Italian hospitality — from craftsmanship and cuisine to design and service – the world’s fifth most-visited country is reimagining what hospitality truly means. The new benchmark isn’t luxury – it’s immersion. With nearly half of global travel budgets now spent on activities, experiences are fast becoming the bridge between Italy’s tourism legacy and its future resilience – helping shift demand beyond the iconic cities and summer hotspots toward cultural, culinary, and community-rich regions that capture the spirit of la dolce vita.
To recognise the hotels leading this transformation, Turneo has announced the winners of the Experiential Hospitality Awards 2025 in Italy, celebrating properties that achieved the highest scores on Turneo’s Experience Index – a global benchmark measuring how well hotels integrate, personalise, and promote experiences.
Turneo’s latest research, covering 122 hotel groups worldwide (12.2 million rooms and €131 billion in annual revenue), revealed that hotels with a strong experiential focus achieved 262% higher revenue per room (RevPAR) than those with low focus. Increasing the share of guests booking experiences by 30% can generate up to a 55% uplift in RevPAR, proving that experience-led strategies are not just guest-centric, but key to long-term financial performance and brand differentiation.
Italy – where tourism contributes nearly 13% of national GDP – is already seeing this shift in motion. With 65 million international visitors in 2024, the country remains one of the world’s most beloved destinations, but faces familiar challenges: concentration in a few regions and heavy seasonal peaks, with 70% of visitors within just 1% of its territory. At the same time, destinations beyond the traditional “golden circuit” – from Piedmont’s vineyards to Sicily’s coastal heritage – are experiencing rising demand driven by travellers seeking authenticity, connection, and meaning. Experiences are emerging as Italy’s most powerful lever for sustainable, year-round tourism that uplifts communities and preserves the cultural heritage that defines the nation’s identity.
The Top 10 Experiential Hotels in Italy for 2025 are setting a new standard for immersive, story-driven hospitality:
- Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte Hotel – An Art Nouveau icon on Sicily’s coast where history, culture, and Mediterranean glamour meet.
- Altafiumara Resort & Spa – Overlooking the Strait of Messina, combining regional art, Calabrian cuisine, and wellness escapes.
- Le Marne Relais – A boutique retreat in the Langhe hills where vineyards, wine culture, and art installations define the experience.
- Grand Hotel da Vinci – A seafront jewel blending Riviera lifestyle with culinary heritage and artistic elegance.
- Cyprianerhof Dolomit Resort – A Dolomites escape where hiking, wellness, and alpine traditions immerse guests in mountain life.
- Oasyhotel – A pioneering eco-retreat inside a WWF reserve, blending conservation, adventure, and slow living.
- Grand Hotel Imperiale – A Versilia landmark offering Tuscan gastronomy, seaside culture, and luxury lifestyle.
- Dolce Vita Hotel Preidlhof – A renowned wellness destination focused on spa rituals, longevity programs, and sensory journeys.
- Vista Ostuni – A design-forward Apulian hideaway overlooking the “white city,” where gastronomy and culture shine.
- Terme di Saturnia Natural SPA & Golf Resort – A world-famous thermal destination combining wellness, golf, and Tuscan landscapes.
“Italy’s hospitality has always been admired for its elegance, warmth, and sense of place. What sets these award-winning hotels apart is how they bring that legacy to life — connecting guests to the soul of the country through culture, food, and creativity,” says Fran Kauzlaric, Chief Commercial Officer at Turneo.“ They embody the evolution from service to storytelling — from stays to experiences.”
Experiential hospitality is not a trend but a reawakening of what travel in Italy has always meant: authenticity, beauty, and belonging. The Awards highlight pioneers of this movement in the five star category, but every hotel can follow their path. With resources such as Experience Index Assessments, the RevPAR Uplift Calculator, and Turneo’s All-in-One Experience Management Platform, hoteliers can measure, improve, and scale their experiential strategy – placing experiences at the heart of their growth and guest journey.
