Pellegrino Artusi, the father of the national cuisine of Italy supposedly said: “When you hear speak of Bologna cuisine make a bow, for it deserves it.” The food of Bologna, Italy, is known throughout the world—from tagliatelle to ragù, to mortadella. And, in order to fully explore the cuisine of Bologna, it helps to find a comfortable, and unique Bologna accommodation. In this post, we offer our advice on where to stay in Bologna Italy.
Other Bologna Blog Posts
This Bologna travel blog includes Bologna accommodation options as well as some additional Bologna travel tips. Check out these other Bologna blog posts to help you plan your stay in Bologna:
What is Bologna Italy Known For? Food! Check out our Ultimate Bologna Food Guide
Our recommendations for the Best Things To Do in Bologna Italy
What to do in Bologna outside of the city center: 25 of the Best Day Trips From Bologna
Where to Stay in Bologna Italy
Unlike similar cities in the US or larger cities in Europe, there are few international or chain hotels in Bologna. Places to stay in Bologna, like most of Emilia Romagna, tend to focus on more independent hotels. The chain hotels in Bologna include a Holiday Inn Express near the convention center and a few Best Western Bologna hotels. Our recommendations include options for hotels in Bologna city center as well as some great options for accommodations or retreats in the Bologna Hills to explore the region more.
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One thing to note when choosing a place to stay in Bologna that is common to many of the cities and towns in Italy. Most of the hotels are within the old city walls. But, most of the Bologna city center is a restricted driving zone. There are no real signs that tell you this. You just sort of need to know. Even if the hotel offers parking nearby, this can be a problem. When staying at a Bologna city center hotel, you technically are exempt from these driving restrictions, but the cameras that monitor the cars in the city don’t seem to know that. We’ve been caught at least once with a ticket mailed to us months later because we were driving to our hotel.
The best way to avoid this issue with the accommodations in Bologna city center is to email the hotel ahead of time to confirm directions and parking. Specifically ask if they are in a restricted area, and if so how you can avoid driving through the restricted area.
Get more tips on Driving in Italy here
City Center Accommodation – Bologna
Almost every food traveler in Emilia Romagna ends up in Bologna at some point. And, most likely, that traveler is staying in the center of the city. There are a lot of benefits to staying within the city center, most notably that you can walk everywhere in the city. That makes it the best place to stay in Bologna, particularly if you don’t plan on renting a car.
There is no shortage of options for a hotel in Bologna city center, but these are our recommendations for places to stay in Bologna Italy.
Casa Bertagni – Boutique Accommodation in Bologna
Amongst a sea of typical European-style hotels, Casa Bertagni stands apart from the rest. The bed and breakfast Bologna accommodations are within a luxury guest house with a focus on art and architecture. Enjoy rooms with themes such as Justice, The Force, and Temperance while enjoying the artwork and the beautiful inner courtyard. Each room is uniquely themed and decorated. Even the breakfast room is exquisite, with the owner’s favorite artwork on the walls. Casa Bertagni can also arrange unique culinary experiences within Bologna and help with other things to do in Bologna and the surrounding area.
Rooms start at €130 a night. Parking is available for a charge. And, they will provide directions on how to reach Casa Bertagni without getting caught with the Bologna driving restrictions. Piazza Maggiore and the center of town is only a 10-15 minute walk away. This is our number one recommendation for where to stay in Bologna, but with only a handful of rooms, book early! (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Check for the best prices for Casa Beragni on Booking.com
*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.
Hotel i Portici – Luxury Bologna Hotel
Hotel I Portici is one of the top luxury hotels in the city and has an enviable position on the center road leading into town, Via Independenzia. Breakfast at i Portici is inside their stunning restaurant, in a restored theater, underneath a fresco painted ceiling. Rooms include funky attic suites. If you are Eric’s size, watch your head. He banged his several times during our stay! Non-attic suites don’t have this danger.
It’s one of two hotels in town that fall within the category of “see or be seen.” Rates start at €100. (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Check for the best prices for Hotel i Portici on Booking.com
The option for luxury hotels in Bologna Italy includes the Grand Majestic Hotel Bologna, which is closer to Piazza Maggiore. Rooms start at €350 a night. Rumor has it that this is where celebrities stay in Bologna.
Hotel Roma
Mere steps from Piazza Maggiore sits Hotel Roma, a more classical and traditional option for Bologna hotels. Décor follows a French Provencal style, and the hotel façade embraces beautiful classical architecture. The rooms, in the end, are much more classical Italian hotel than the other recommended places to stay in Bologna. But, you can’t beat the location.
Prices start at €119. (Check out Bologna Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Check out the best prices at Hotel Roma in Bologna city center on Booking.com
Another of the traditional Italian-style hotels in Bologna Centre is Zanhotel Tre Vecchi. It’s also located on Via Independenzia, between the Bologna train station and Piazza Maggiore. Rooms start at €100 a night.
Where to Stay in Bologna: Bologna Hills
Heading south from Bologna are the smaller towns and villages that make up the Bologna Hills. As famous as Bologna is, the real treasures of the area lie in the Colli Bolognesi, or Bologna Hills: home to the city of truffles and wine regions that produce spectacular wines.
The Bologna Hills can be visited in a single day trip from Bologna, but an overnight stay can also offer the perfect break from the city. Even if you are visiting Bologna to explore FICO Eataly World, a stay outside of the city could be perfect. Then, it’s possible to just drive to Eataly World.
Locanda Amerigo in Savigno
Locanda Amerigo is operated by Chef-Patron Alberto Bettini at Michelin Star Amerigo dal 1934 and are located around the corner from the restaurant. Enjoy the funky restoration of historic buildings, but book early. There are only a few rooms available. Both the restaurant and the hotel are set in Savigno, the city of truffles. So, that must appeal to any food traveler.
Room rates range from €70-150 a night. (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Corte d’Aibo in Monteveglio
Renovated with nature in mind, this hotel boasts a bio lake, a freshwater pool in front. Located in the Pignoletto area, Corte d’Aibo is closed over the winter months. But during the rest of the year, it is worth a stay. If you’re unable to make reservations to stay at Corte d’Aibo, stop in for lunch at its restaurant, and try their Pignoletto, one of my favorite Italian sparkling wines.
Room rates start from €55 a night. (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Casa Vallona in Monte San Pietro
Casa Vallona is a rural B&B in an old renovated farmhouse, with a focus on the countryside feeling. You’ll immediately fall in love with the home cooked food and the stunning scenery. Their restaurant uses local, seasonal ingredients, but only serves on the weekends. Reserve ahead.
Rooms start at €60 a night. (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
Admiral Park Hotel in Monte San Pietro
A surprising option in the Bologna Hills. Centrally located, from the outside the Admiral Park looks like a typical business hotel. But, rooms are surprisingly comfortable, roomy, and modern. They have all of the conveniences that many Italian hotels lack. Rooms start at €95 a night. (Check out Tripadvisor reviews here | Book here)
*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.
Tourist Information Bologna
We’ve traveled to Bologna more times than I can count. During that time, we’ve been hosted by Emilia Romagna Tourism and Bologna Welcome, the Bologna tourist office. We’ve also been several times on our own over the years. It’s why we have one of the most comprehensive lists of Bologna highlights and what to see and eat in Bologna Italy.
The Bologna tourism office, Bologna Welcome, is located right in the heart of Bologna, on Piazza Maggiore, across from the Basilica. They can provide free tips and resources, Bologna tourist maps, and can tell you about events and what’s on in Bologna.
Amber Hoffman, food and travel writer behind With Husband In Tow, is a recovering attorney and professional eater, with a passion for finding new Food and Drink Destinations. She lives with her husband, Eric, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Together over the last 20 years, they have traveled to over 70 countries. Amber is the author of the Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna.