"To start, the cognoscenti can’t stop talking about how Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa in San Cassiano, in the UNESCO listed Dolomite Mountains, has become an Aman partner hotel. Owned and run by the Pizzinini family since 1939, the property is implementing a series of changes to match Aman’s style. The rooms are being redesigned, for one, to be larger and have a contemporary mountain style aesthetic with timber and natural stone."

"Also in northern Italy, Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como (Lake Como) just debuted a redesign of the rooms in one of its buildings. They now have a modern and clean soothing look with oak parquet floors and green hues that mirror the surrounding landscape."

"Nordelaia, in Piedmont, is another new property in the north. With just 12 rooms, it’s built around a farmhouse dating back to the year 800 and set among 12 acres of land planted with vines. The hotel has two restaurants, a spa with vaulted windows overlooking the valley, a yoga room, and an outdoor pool."

"Looking to southern Italy, in the Amalfi Coast, where new hotels are a rarity, the upscale and unbelievably chic Borgo Santandrea opened with a splash this summer in the town of Amalfi. Featuring a design that’s a combination of midcentury and Mediterranean, the 45-room family-run property has a private beach club, three restaurants, and gorgeous terraced gardens with sea views and laden with colorful blossoms."

"First, the legendary San Domenico Palace, on the island’s southeast coast in the romantic town of Taormina, has been rebranded as San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel. Set on a cliff and featuring views of Mt. Etna, the resort has a newer and brighter look. Amenities include a clifftop infinity pool, spa, and multiple food and beverage outlets."

"Villa Igiea in Palermo, a coastal villa turned luxury hotel, debuted in June with a restoration that was a collaboration between Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen of Nicholas Haslam Studios, and the brand’s director of design Olga Polizzi. The rooms, each individually decorated, feature antiques, hand-painted Sicilian tiles, and locally sourced Carrara marble in the bathrooms. Then there’s the beautiful bar with frescoes, library lounge, pool bar, swimming pool, and spa."

"Families or groups of friends traveling together may want to consider Rocco Forte Private Villas, part of Verdura Resort, on the southwest coast. Set on a hillside, the 20 villas are either three or four bedrooms and range in size from 2,150 to 3,200 square feet. They all have large swimming pools and landscaped gardens."