In 1928 Henry Ford arrived at the Excelsior on the Lido with his golf bag and asked where he could play: Venice did not have a single course. Almost a century later, choosing a luxury hotel for golf in Italy is nearly the opposite exercise, because the options are many and very different.
A luxury hotel for golfers can be a sixteenth-century villa that bought back its own course in 2024, a resort with 45 holes and motor vehicles banned, or a masseria where the bedroom window looks onto the green. Luxury in Italy comes down to three things: the relationship with the course, the spa that follows the round, and the table.
The hotels at a glance
| Hotel | Area | Link to golf | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villa d'Este | Lake Como | Owns the Montorfano club | 1568 villa, pool on the lake |
| Verdura Resort | Sicily | 45 holes by Kyle Phillips | Motor vehicles banned |
| Cala di Volpe | Costa Smeralda | Pevero, Unlimited Golf package | Olympic-size saltwater pool |
| Argentario Golf & Wellness | Tuscany | PGA National course within the resort | 2025 Italian Open |
| QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga | Lake Garda | 27 holes by Nicklaus II and Player | Fifteenth-century villa |
| Quellenhof Passeier | South Tyrol | Four holes of its own | 10,500 m² of spa |
| Hotel Castel | South Tyrol | Golfcard included | Two Michelin stars |
| Masseria San Domenico | Apulia | San Domenico Golf, same owner | Guest rates from 65 euros (2026) |
| Borgo Egnazia | Apulia | San Domenico Golf next door | 2024 G7 |
| Terme di Saturnia | Tuscany | 18 holes in the resort | Spring at 37.5 °C |
| Castiglion del Bosco | Tuscany | Private golf club by Tom Weiskopf | Brunello Hole |
| L'Albereta | Franciacorta | Partner of Franciacorta Golf Club | Chenot Method |
Hotels with an estate course
The most obvious advantage: the course is a bag's throw away.
Verdura, in Sciacca, has 45 holes designed by Kyle Phillips across 230 hectares overlooking the sea, where the European Tour played the Sicilian Open. It has 203 rooms, the 4,000 m² Irene Forte Spa with four thalassotherapy pools, and a Performance Centre with Trackman. Worth knowing: as of 3 October 2026 the West Shore is open with works under way on the Bermuda grass, and the Executive course remains closed until spring 2027.
The Argentario Golf & Wellness Resort stands above the Orbetello lagoon: its course, opened in 2006, hosted the 82nd Italian Open in June 2025, won by Adrien Saddier at -14. It has a 2,700 m² wellness centre. At Terme di Saturnia the course has 18 holes, par 72, and has held GEO certification since 2014; the Golf Inclusive formula includes one green fee a day and 50% off for the second player.
In South Tyrol the Quellenhof Passeier has four holes of its own, a driving range with 20 bays and the Gourmetstube 1897, one Michelin star in the 2026 guide. In Garlenda, La Meridiana (Relais & Châteaux since 1978) is within walking distance of Golf Club Garlenda. At the QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga the course is that of Arzaga, with 27 holes by Jack Nicklaus II and Gary Player.
Smaller but intriguing: at Torre Maizza, in Apulia, the executive nine-hole course lies within the estate (par 27, 1,150 metres); at Torre Coccaro there is one 400 metres away; at the Hermitage on Elba the nine holes sit behind the hotel, above Biodola beach.
The great names of the lakes
Villa d'Este in Cernobbio is a residence dating from 1568, a hotel since 1873. In 2024 it bought back the Montorfano golf club, about 14 km away, designed by Peter Gannon in 1926 and host to twelve Italian Opens. The 2026 golf package runs from 21 March to 21 November, with a minimum of two nights.
On Lake Garda the Grand Hotel Fasano, an imperial hunting lodge from 1888, recommends Gardagolf, Arzaga and Bogliaco; its restaurant Il Fagiano has one Michelin star. On Lake Maggiore Villa e Palazzo Aminta, in Stresa, lists nine affiliated clubs, the nearest 5 km away, and books green fees through the concierge. In Franciacorta L'Albereta is the first partner hotel of Franciacorta Golf Club: 27 holes by Pete Dye and Marco Croze, and the only Italian home of the Chenot Method.
The sea: Sardinia, Liguria, the Adriatic, Venice
On the Costa Smeralda three hotels send their guests to Pevero by Robert Trent Jones: Cala di Volpe, which sells an Unlimited Golf package, Pitrizza and Romazzino. Further south Forte Village opens the way to the 27 holes of Is Molas, while the neighbouring Is Molas Resort has the course on its estate. In San Teodoro Due Lune has a nine-hole course with the 6th hole perched above the sea.
In Liguria the Excelsior Palace in Rapallo recommends the town's club, open since 1931; the Royal Hotel Sanremo organises the Royal Golf Challenge on 24 and 25 October 2026 at Circolo Golf degli Ulivi; Grand Hotel Alassio points to Garlenda, about ten minutes by car. On the Adriatic the Grand Hotel Rimini, open all year, has a package with two green fees at Rimini Verucchio Golf Club, and the Almar Jesolo offers discounted green fees at three clubs. In Venice the Hotel Excelsior arranges tee times and transfers for Circolo Golf Venezia, about twenty minutes away: according to its own history, the club was born precisely from Ford's visit. In Asolo the Villa Cipriani points to Asolo Golf Club, about 12 km away, with 27 holes.
South Tyrol: golf and spa
It is the most natural combination in Italy, and the course closest to more than one hotel is St. Vigil Seis. The Hotel Castel in Tirolo includes the Golfcard with a 20% discount on green fees at South Tyrolean courses, and has a restaurant with two Michelin stars. The Parkhotel Marlena, according to the hotel, founded and runs Golf Club Lana; the Hohenwart is a founding member of the same club; the Preidlhof, adults only, is a partner of Golf & Country Südtirol. The Romantik Hotel Turm is five minutes from St. Vigil Seis, according to the hotel.
The Apulian masserie
The Masseria San Domenico is, according to the Michelin Guide, the first property where the word "masseria" was used for a hotel. Guests have an agreement with San Domenico Golf: in 2026 the 18-hole green fee costs 65 to 105 euros instead of 95-150. Borgo Egnazia stands next to the same course: from the clubhouse you can see the rooftops of the village. In Melendugno, Posia points to Acaya Golf Club, the first course in southern Italy with 5 BVGA stars, 15 minutes by car away.
Castles, vineyards and private golf
Castiglion del Bosco, in Montalcino, has an 18-hole course designed by Tom Weiskopf which, according to the club, is the only private golf club in Italy; hotel guests are among the few non-members admitted, with advance booking. After the eighteenth, the "Brunello Hole" is played, a par 3 in match play with a magnum of Brunello at stake.
What golf costs at these hotels
Golf is rarely included in the room rate, but guests almost always get better terms. Some examples: at the Masseria San Domenico the 2026 18-hole green fee runs from 65 to 105 euros instead of 95-150; at the Quellenhof Passeier it is 72 euros, against about 105 at the full price; at Il Picciolo 90 euros instead of 110; at La Meridiana 60 euros on weekdays and 80 at weekends, with a pass for five consecutive days. At Argentario the 2026 price list starts at 120 euros in low season and reaches 170 from June to September; at Arzaga it goes from 65 euros in winter to 110-130 euros in high season.
Packages often include several rounds: Verdura's Golf Inclusive covers two green fees per room per night, use of the driving range and a 30-minute lesson with Trackman; Saturnia's one green fee a day and 50% off for the second player; the Royal Hotel Sanremo offers a minimum of three nights with two green fees per person and a dinner. For this reason it pays to compare packages with the price of the green fee on its own, without trusting a label.
The spa after the round
In Italy the spa is as much a part of golfing luxury as the course. The comparison of sizes, according to the hotels, gives an idea: the Quellenhof Passeier has 10,500 m² of spa, the Preidlhof 5,500 m² with eight saunas and seven heated pools, Verdura 4,000 m², Argentario 2,700 m², L'Albereta 2,000 m² with the Chenot Method, the Almar Jesolo another 2,000 m², the Grand Hotel Alassio 1,500 m² with an indoor seawater pool, Il Picciolo 940 m².
Some spas have a distinctive feature. At Saturnia there is the spring at 37.5 °C and a 20,000 m² Thermal Park. At the Grand Hotel Fasano the Aqva Spa has five pools, from the outdoor pool at 34 °C to the cold one at 15 °C. At the Royal Hotel Sanremo the seawater pool heated to 27 °C bears the signature of Gio Ponti, 1948.
The table: Michelin stars and Keys
Those who play well eat well, and several of these hotels appear in the 2026 Michelin Guide. The Hotel Castel has two stars with its Castel fine dining and only five tables; Castiglion del Bosco has Campo del Drago, with two stars and chef Matteo Temperini; Castel Fragsburg one star with the Prezioso restaurant; the Quellenhof Passeier one star with the Gourmetstube 1897; the Grand Hotel Fasano one star with Il Fagiano. Borgo Egnazia held a star every year from 2019 to 2024 with Due Camini. Among the masserie, Torre Coccaro has one Michelin Key and Torre Maizza two.
When to go: seasons and closures
The calendar varies greatly from hotel to hotel. On Lake Como Villa d'Este's 2026 golf package runs from 21 March to 21 November, and the Montorfano club is open from March to December, closed on Tuesdays. In South Tyrol valley-floor courses open in March, mountain ones from April or June. On Lake Garda the QC Grand Hotel Villa Arzaga splits the year in two: high season from 16 March to 8 November, winter months with lower green fees. In southern Sardinia, in the Maremma and in Liguria many clubs stay open all year, and winter is the time of the lowest price lists. Some hotels, by contrast, are seasonal: the Masseria San Domenico, according to the Michelin Guide, closes from November to February, and Due Lune has a 2026 price list running from 1 April to 10 November.
How to choose: ten questions to ask yourself
- Do I want to play every day or just one round? With an estate course, the first answer is easy.
- Is the course open when I am travelling? South Tyrol and the mountains close in winter.
- Is the green fee for guests discounted? At San Domenico, in Passeier and in Lana it is.
- Is there a guaranteed tee time? Preidlhof and Turm offer one.
- Do I need the golf licence? Some resorts, such as the Quellenhof in Lazise, organise a course and exam.
- Where would a non-golfer stay? The spa counts: Verdura 4,000 m², Quellenhof Passeier 10,500 m².
- Does the resort accept children? Some are adults only (Preidlhof, Golf Lodge, Quellenhof See Lodge).
- Is it open in winter? The Grand Hotel Rimini is open all year; the Hotel Castel in 2025-26 closed from 8 November to 15 April.
- How far is the airport? Pitrizza is 35 km from Olbia.
- What style of cuisine? Michelin and beyond.
Curiosities
- A hotel that bought back its course. Villa d'Este owned it until the end of the 1970s and bought it back in 2024.
- The first masseria. According to the Michelin Guide, San Domenico is the first time "masseria" designates a hotel.
- A Picasso in the bar. The Romantik Hotel Turm, in Fiè allo Sciliar, in a thirteenth-century tower, has a genuine Picasso among the roughly 2,000 paintings and prints collected by the family.
- Brunello at stake. The Brunello Hole at Castiglion del Bosco puts a magnum on the line.
- An artificial lake to swim in. At the Quellenhof See Lodge a 4,500 m² lake serves as the pool.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best luxury hotels for golfers in Italy?+
It depends on what you are looking for: Verdura for a resort with 45 holes, Villa d'Este for historic golf on the lake, Argentario and Saturnia for golf in Tuscany, Cala di Volpe for the Costa Smeralda.
Which hotels have a golf course on the estate?+
Verdura, Argentario Golf & Wellness, Terme di Saturnia, Is Molas Resort, Il Picciolo, the Quellenhof Passeier with four holes, and the nine-hole courses of Torre Maizza, Hermitage and Due Lune.
Can I play golf if I am not staying at the hotel?+
In many cases yes, by paying the club's green fee; at Castiglion del Bosco, however, access is reserved for members and hotel guests.
Do green fee discounts apply to all guests?+
Often yes: at San Domenico guests pay 65-105 euros instead of 95-150 (2026); at the Quellenhof Passeier 72 euros instead of about 105.
Are the most luxurious hotels open all year?+
Not all of them. The Grand Hotel Rimini is open all year, the Hotel Castel in 2025-26 closed from 8 November to 15 April and the Masseria San Domenico, according to the Michelin Guide, closes from November to February.
Do I need a handicap and a membership card?+
It depends on the club: for example Pevero asks for a maximum handicap of 54, and many South Tyrolean clubs ask for the federation card. Ask the hotel concierge.
When is the best time to go?+
Between April and October in the mountains and on the lakes, from November to March in Sardinia, Tyrrhenian Tuscany and Sicily, where many courses stay open.
