|
|
 Milan Hotels
In spite of having some world class sights, Milan is not a tourist city and the hotel scene reflects this. About 80 per cent of the Italian HQs of international companies are based here or in the immediate surrounding area, so it stands to reason that the accommodation on offer is geared towards executives travelling on high end expense accounts. Then there's the fashion industry, of which Milan is a world centre, and fashionistas flock to some of the coolest hotels with the sharpest design in the country. This has negative repercussions on the tourist, especially if you want to avoid large, outrageously expensive, corporate-style hotels, however hip they may be. While bargains in this city are thin on the ground, there are some delightful small hotels where it's not de rigeur to be dressed in head-to-toe black Prada crowned with a massive pair of dark glasses; we have listed our favourites. If you are visiting Milan for pure leisure and want to contain the budget, it's important to avoid the frequent big trade fairs when hotel prices are at their maximum and rooms may be booked months in advance. The hotels below are listed by price category and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Nicky Swallow |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
| Luxury: modern, stylish luxury in a 15th-century monastery |
| Location: Middle of the Quadrilatero d'Oro fashion district |
|
|
|
| Milan’s discreetly luxurious Four Seasons is housed in a 15th century monastery building complete with cloister which encloses a beautiful garden. The spacious bedrooms are individually designed and feature Fortuny fabrics and there’s underfloor heating in the opulent marble bathrooms. There’s a library (with fresco fragments), a sleek lobby bar and an excellent gourmet restaurant, Il Teatro. A spa is due in 2008. The location makes it ideal for an extravagant shopping weekend. |
|
|
 |
|
| Luxury: Classic design goes contemporary in a fabulously central location |
| Location: On the western side of the Galleria two minutes’ walk north of the Duomo |
|
|
|
| With a fantastic position right next to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, the 117-room Park Hyatt occupies a magnificent 19th century ex-bank building, transformed by American architect Ed Tuttle (ex Amanresorts). The serene, airy interior, done out in a soothing palette of cream, beige and soft grey, is a mix of classic and contemporary design. Luxurious facilities include a spa and fitness centre, buzzy cocktail bar and good restaurant. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Ultra cool, 21st century design in a super-central location |
| Location: Between the Duomo and the Galleria |
|
|
|
| Named when it opened as ‘Italy’s most avant-garde hotel’, STRAF continues to make design waves several years on. Behind the façade of a classic 1880s building, expect an ultra-modern, minimalist space where an industrial design aesthetic dominates involving liberal use of burnished brass, polished concrete, glass and iron. An uber-cool crowd of fashionists, designers and media-types love the 66 bedrooms with their black stone and shimmering brass bathrooms and audio visual gadgets galore; rooms at the top even have mini spas. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Sleek, understated glamour with a beautiful garden |
| Location: In the Brera disdrict, 5 minutes walk from La Scala and Via Montenapoleone |
|
|
|
| The only hotel with a garden (and there’s a gorgeous, peaceful acre of it) within Milan’s old city walls, the sophisticated Bulgari, managed by Ritz Carlton hotels, is chic and luxurious. The impressive interior design hints vaguely at ‘30s minimalism or a sleek ocean liner; there’s black and white marble in the main lounge, warm beige, brown and black in the 52 (small-ish) bedrooms, each of which has a teak balcony; the best bedrooms overlook the garden. The spa is small but sensational. The bill, by contrast, is sensationally large. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Elegant yet homely townhouse with a cool terrace bar in summer |
| Location: 1 km east of San Babila in a residential area |
|
|
|
| Occupying a typical late 19th century bourgeois palazzo in a predominantly residential neighbourhood eastern Milan, Town House 31 successfully sets out to be a comfortable home from home. Elegant but laid back and with a touch of Zen, it is done out in cream with brown accents and the odd splash of colour from rugs and Oriental or African artefacts. There’s a comfortable lounge with squashy cream sofas and a chill-out bar in the tented entrance courtyard for balmy summer evenings. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Hip, contemporary boutique hotel with a sense of fun. |
| Location: Facing the Galleria just north of the Duomo |
|
|
|
| Another sleek, design-led, high-end hostelry with a marvellously central location, this boutique hotel is done out in neutrals, with splashes of bold colour such as the fuchsia-upholstered daybed suspended in the reception area. The bedrooms feature white ostrich leather, crocodile, steel and travertine and gadgets gadgets gadgets; two suites have private gyms, one has its own Turkish bath, others have giant round Jacuzzis. There’s an excellent restaurant too, Le Noir, an intimate black den. Expensive, but fun. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Old fashioned luxury with an operatic history |
| Location: 200 metres from La Scala on the corner of Via Montenapoleone |
|
|
|
| Grand yet intimate in a good old-fashioned luxury sort of way, the doyenne of Milan’s five-star hotels comes with bags of character. Opera buffs will appreciate the location just a stone’s throw from La Scala; Verdi spent his last 30 years here and died in what is today the Presidential Suite and Maria Calls was a regular guest. There are rich drapes, antiques and fine paintings throughout, but it’s not at all pompous and the discreetly efficient service comes with a smile. |
|
|
|
|
| Luxury: Warm, Asian-inspired design near the Fiera |
| Location: 5 kms north west of the Castello Sforsesca |
|
|
|
| With its location near Milan's exhibition centre, the Chedi appeals mainly to a business crowd, but it is only a 20-minute train ride from the Duomo and is cheaper than some of the more central up-market choices. The Asian-inspired interiors make a refreshing change from the city’s more design-led hotels. Minimalism is combined with Indochinese elements in the rooms and the overall end result is warm and welcoming. Thai and Indian dishes are on offer in the restaurant and eastern treatments are available in the spa. There’s a pool too. |
|
|
|
|
| Mid Price: Pristine family-run guesthouse with a pretty garden |
| Location: Just west of Santa Maria delle Grazie |
|
|
|
| This immaculate, family-run little hotel lies a pigeon’s spit from Leonardo’s Cenacolo and an easy walk from the centre of town. Nothing special from the outside, once over the threshold, you are greeted by an airy, bright entrance hall and, just beyond, a pale yellow living room with a pretty courtyard garden. The bedrooms (and sunny breakfast room) are upstairs; they have polished wood floors and a mix of reproduction and antique wood furniture. Some overlook the garden. |
|
|
|
|
| Mid Price: Newly-converted townhouse with pretty, reasonably-priced rooms. |
| Location: Off the Via Dante, ten minutes walk north west of the Duomo |
|
|
|
| Sister hotel to the Antica Locanda dei Mercanti, this 6-room charmer occupies the elegant townhouse next door, so enjoys the same super-central location. Prices are similarly reasonable (and here, too, breakfast is charged extra) for inviting, comfortable bedrooms with silk curtains, crisp white bedlinens and fresh flowers. Bathrooms are rather basic by comparison but perfectly adequate. |
|
|
|
|
| Mid Price: Pretty, central accommodation that doesn’t break the bank. |
| Location: Just off Via Dante, ten minutes walk north west of the Duomo |
|
|
|
| Reasonably-priced, centrally-located hotels are hard to come by in Milan, but this 14-room old merchant’s house is an exception. The rooms are certainly not luxurious (and some are quite cramped with tiny bathrooms), but each is prettily decorated in a fresh, contemporary country style. The best are the four suites on the top floor with their wrought iron four-posters and private terrace. Breakfast (extra charge) is served on a tray in the rooms. |
|
|
|
|
| Mid Price: An arty little hotel with bags of character |
| Location: In the heart of the Brera district, northeast of the Castello Sforzesca |
|
|
|
| What the rooms lack in modern comforts at this modest, arty Brera hotel, they make up for in old-world character; it’s the sort of place that you will either love or hate. Instead of TVs, minibars and Wi-Fi in the fairly sparse rooms, there are country antiques, art nouveau pieces and a genuine taste of old Milan. Some rooms have tiny (albeit modern) bathrooms, others have Jacuzzis; a few have air conditioning. Breakfast arrives on a tray in your room. |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
