Bologna Β· Where to stay
Where to Stay in Bologna: Best Hotels by Area
The best area to stay in Bologna is the centro storico around Piazza Maggiore: everything is on foot. Art Hotel Orologio, Hotel Roma and Art Hotel Commercianti are a minute or two from the square, and Albergo delle Drapperie sits inside the Quadrilatero. For a special night, sleep inside the 12th-century Torre Prendiparte. Arriving by train or for a trade fair? Starhotels Excelsior faces the station, and the Royal Hotel Carlton adds a spa five minutes away. The University quarter is young and lively, with Dopa Hostel and B&B Casa Elide for smaller budgets, while Santo Stefano is quieter. Every hotel has its own Holiplanet page: book directly on the official website, with no agency in between.
Piazza Maggiore
1Art Hotel Orologio
Family-run hotel in the pedestrian heart by Piazza Maggiore (1 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a first visit.
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Train station
2Starhotels Excelsior
4-star with 193 rooms, right opposite the main train station (1 min to the station). Ideal if you arrive by train.
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Piazza Maggiore
3Hotel Roma
Welcoming guests a few steps from Piazza Maggiore since 1875 (2 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a first visit.
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Piazza Maggiore
4Art Hotel Commercianti
12th-century building facing San Petronio's Gothic windows (2 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for couples.
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Old town
5Phi Hotel Bologna
Romantic hotel born as a 14th-century tavern (2 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for couples.
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Quadrilatero
6Albergo delle Drapperie
Romantic 3-star hotel in the ancient Quadrilatero (3 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for food lovers.
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Old town
7Hotel Brun
22 modern rooms in the historic centre, opened in 2023 (3 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a central stay.
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Two Towers
8Albergo Garisenda
Small family-run hotel by the Two Towers with a panoramic terrace (4 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a first visit.
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Old Jewish quarter
9Torre Prendiparte
Sleep inside a 12th-century tower, sixty metres above Bologna (5 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a special occasion.
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Train station
10Royal Hotel Carlton
Four-star hotel near the station with the Monrif Spa and a large gym (5 min to the station). Ideal for a spa break.
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Via dell'Indipendenza
11I Portici Hotel
Liberty frescoes and contemporary design in Palazzo Maccaferri (7 min to the station). Ideal if you arrive by train.
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Via dell'Indipendenza
12Hotel Internazionale
Four-star hotel on Via dell'Indipendenza with a secret garden (8 min to the station). Ideal for shopping streets.
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San Domenico
13Hotel Touring
Third-generation family hotel with the Terrazza Mattuiani rooftop (9 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for rooftop views.
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University quarter
14Hotel University Bologna
Homely 3-star near the university district and the main sights (9 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for university visits.
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Porta San Mamolo
15Hotel Porta San Mamolo
Boutique hotel built around an inner Garden Court, with the Orangerie (11 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for couples.
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Behind the station
16Combo Bologna
Former railway residence with garden, bar and events (14 min to the station). Ideal on a budget.
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University quarter
17B&B Casa Elide
Three cosy rooms with views over Bologna's rooftops (15 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a homely stay.
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University quarter
18Dopa Hostel
A unique 99% handmade hostel in the University area (15 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal on a budget.
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Santo Stefano
19Il Convento dei Fiori di Seta
Boutique hotel in a former convent near the centre (17 min to Piazza Maggiore). Ideal for a quiet stay.
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Selected by Holiplanet editors from each placeβs official website. Distances are straight-line from Piazza Maggiore (map data Β© OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles Β© Esri). No platform ratings: contact each place directly.
Where to Stay in Bologna: questions and answers
What is the best area to stay in Bologna?
The historic centre around Piazza Maggiore puts every sight on foot. The University quarter is young and lively at night; Santo Stefano and Strada Maggiore are quieter; the station and Via dellβIndipendenza suit early trains and the BolognaFiere trade fairs.
Is it better to stay near Bologna Centrale station?
If you arrive by train or travel on for day trips, yes: Starhotels Excelsior is opposite the station and the Royal Hotel Carlton is five minutes away. Piazza Maggiore is about 20 minutes on foot.
Is there a tourist tax in Bologna?
Yes: β¬4β7 per person per night in 2026, depending on the room price, paid at the hotel. Children under 14 are exempt.
How do I book these hotels?
Directly with each hotel on its official website or by phone, linked from its Holiplanet page. Prices rise in trade-fair weeks, so book early when a fair is on.
More for your stay: Bologna map Β· Bologna City Guide Β· Best Restaurants in Bologna Β· Things to Do in Bologna Β· Living in Bologna Β· Bologna in the Journal