Where to Stay in Bologna… Three Hotels Worth Checking Out

Over the past five years, Bologna has fully transitioned from being a hidden gem or a student hub into one of Italy’s most sought-after destinations.

The city’s long-held reputation as one of the food capitals of the world was further enhanced in 2021 by UNESCO recognition of its porticoes, which proved the catalyst for what in Italy has become colloquially known as the Bologna Boom.

Even by Italian standards, Bologna’s outstanding culinary offerings coupled with its rich history – the city is home to the oldest university in Europe – and beautiful architecture make it deserving of a place on every itinerary.

TV shows such as Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy have made eating in Bologna a bucket-list item, while the football team’s success under Vincenzo Italiano – the club won its first trophy in 51 years last May – has broadened the appeal to fans.

It is why, according to preliminary data from Emilia Romagna’s regional tourism board, Bologna welcomed 1.8million tourists in 2025, a six per cent increase from 2024, which was itself a record year for the city.

Bologna has firmly cemented its spot among Italy’s top-10 destinations and it is well served when it comes to accommodation, in terms of hotels and Airbnbs.

When we visited Bologna last season, we opted for the latter, paying £110 a night for a two-bedroom flat at the top of Via Guglielmo Oberdan, a stone’s throw away from the Due Torri and Piazza Maggiore.

More recently, at the start of this year, we opted for a hotel stay and called in at the Hotel Internazionale on Via dell’Indipendenza.

A five-minute walk from Bologna’s central station, the Internazionale offers everything you would expect from a four-star hotel. The staff are attentive and friendly, the room was spacious and felt modern, despite being furnished in a classic style.

Rooms come with all the trimmings, from television with Sky to a mini-bar, safe and marble finishing in the bathrooms. A double room was £95 per night.

Where the hotel really comes into its own is the location. A busy thoroughfare which connects the central station to the centro storico, Via dell’Indipendenza is the perfect starting point for exploring Bologna’s main sights and its porticoes, as well as for venturing down its cobbled backstreets that are packed with trattorias and bars.

And the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara is 45 minutes away – far enough to walk off those pre-game pints or that post-match tagliatelle al ragu.

If you prefer something with a more boutique feel, get a room at the Art Hotel Commercianti. Located right next to the Basilica of San Petronio, this four-star hotel is set in a 13th-century guild hall and its rooms feature original wooden beams and antique furniture.

It is by all means a unique hotel, yet at £120 a night for a double room, the prices aren’t prohibitive.

But if you do feel like splurging… at over £400 per night, the Grand Hotel Majestic is the place. Bologna’s only five-star hotel, the Majestic is further up the road than the Hotel Internazionale on Via dell’Indipendenza, just a block away from Piazza Maggiore and is housed in an 18th-century palazzo completed with frescoes, antiques and a luxury spa.