Guide · Costs and taxation

Costs and Taxes on an Italian Hotel Purchase

What a hotel acquisition costs in Italy beyond the price depends almost entirely on how the transaction is structured — whether you buy the real estate, the going concern, or the company — and on the status of the seller. This page sets out the categories of cost so that you know what to ask about and can obtain a reliable estimate for your specific transaction.

By the team at KW Hospitality · Updated 2026-09-03

Why this page gives no percentages. Italian transfer taxation depends on the object of the sale, the status of the seller, the classification of the property and the elections available to the parties, and the applicable rates are amended by successive budget legislation. A percentage published on a web page and read a year later is a liability, not a service. Below are the categories that will appear in your costing, so you can obtain current figures for your actual transaction from an Italian tax adviser or from the notary.

The structure decides the tax treatment

Three routes, three different regimes.

Real estate. Transfer taxation on a property sale depends principally on whether the seller sells as a business or as a private individual, and on the cadastral classification of the building. The two possible regimes are materially different in cost, and which applies is not a matter of choice for the parties in every case.
Going concern (azienda). The transfer of a business as a whole follows a different regime from the sale of the assets individually, with the consideration attributed across the components transferred. How that attribution is made has direct consequences and is a matter for advice.
Company shares. A transfer of shares or quotas is a transfer of a corporate participation, not of the underlying property, and is taxed as such. This is one reason share deals are common on larger assets — and also why they demand the most thorough due diligence, since the company's history transfers with it.

Categories of cost to budget for

Transfer taxes. Registration tax, or VAT, together with mortgage and cadastral taxes, depending on the regime that applies.
Notarial fees. The notary's fee for the deed, plus the searches and registrations they carry out. Scales with the transaction and with its complexity.
Brokerage. Regulated commission, earned on conclusion. Agreed and documented in advance.
Legal and tax advice. Your own advisers, distinct from the notary, who acts for neither party.
Technical due diligence. A surveyor or architect verifying planning and building compliance, and cadastral correspondence. On a hotel this is not optional.
Company formation, where relevant. Incorporating an Italian vehicle, with its own notarial and registry costs.
Translation and interpretation. Sworn interpreter at the deed, sworn translations of foreign documents, apostilles.
Post-acquisition. Licence formalities, utility and supplier novations, and any regularisation identified in due diligence.

Recurring costs after purchase

Ownership carries annual property taxation on the building, waste charges, and — where the hotel trades — the taxation of the operating business and the employment costs governed by the applicable national collective agreement for the tourism sector. Municipal tourist taxes are collected from guests and remitted by the operator, so they are an administrative obligation rather than a cost, but they are an obligation with penalties attached.

How to get a reliable number

A credible costing needs four inputs: the structure of the transaction, the status of the seller, the cadastral classification of the property, and the price. With those, a notary will give you a precise figure for the transfer taxes and their own fee before you sign anything — and it is normal and expected to ask for that in advance.

We will put the question to a notary on your behalf as part of evaluating a specific property, so that you are working from a real number rather than a range. Ask us and we will arrange it.

Talk to us about an acquisition in Italy

Write to us with what you are considering. We reply in English, and we will tell you honestly when we think Italy — or a particular market — does not fit the brief.

Contact our team Confidential portfolio

Frequently asked questions

What are the main taxes on buying a hotel in Italy?

The principal transfer taxes are registration tax or VAT, together with mortgage and cadastral taxes. Which regime applies depends on the object of the sale, the status of the seller and the classification of the property. Because the applicable rates are amended by successive budget legislation, current figures should be obtained from a notary or an Italian tax adviser for your specific transaction.

Is it cheaper to buy the company than the property?

The regimes are different rather than uniformly cheaper or dearer, and the comparison has to be made on the actual facts. A share deal also transfers the company's history and liabilities, so any tax comparison must be weighed against the risk assumed and the depth of due diligence required.

Who pays the notary in Italy?

By established practice the buyer chooses and pays the notary, although the notary acts for neither party. The fee can be quoted in advance, and asking for that quotation before signing is normal.

Are estate agent fees regulated in Italy?

Brokerage is a regulated activity and commission is earned on the conclusion of the transaction. The arrangement should be agreed and documented in writing before you commit.

What ongoing costs should I expect after buying?

Annual property taxation, waste charges, taxation of the operating business where the hotel trades, and employment costs under the applicable national collective agreement for tourism. Tourist tax is collected from guests and remitted by the operator.