Milan travel guide
Hotels
There was a time when most of the hospitality options that Milan had to offer were stately – if a little stuck-up – old-world hotels. Today, however, plenty of smaller boutique stop-ins have sprung up, each sporting a peculiarly Milanese character and a quiet modesty that reveals its charm from within.
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Maison Borella, Navigli
Unassuming and discreet, this hotel overlooking the canal is an intimate 30-room affair – and surprisingly quiet, considering its location in buzzy Navigli. Four years of sensitive restoration were needed to revamp the 19th-century casa di ringhiera, a typical Milanese house with a shared balcony. The result, finished in 2011, is all the more tasteful thanks to the vintage furnishings chosen by collector Raimondo Garau. The main part of the hotel wraps around an internal courtyard and each floor’s railings are covered in sweetly scented jasmine. Under a coffered ceiling on the ground floor, Ristorante Bugandè serves chef Davide Brovelli’s contemporary versions of Lombard classics, including the omnipresent cotoletta (veal cutlet) and creamy risotto.
8 Alzaia Naviglio Grande, 20144+39 02 5810 9114
hotelmaisonborella.com
Hotel Viu, Sarpi
This 124-room property sports vertical gardens on two sides of its exterior, displaying an assortment of flora such as jasmine, ivy and wisteria. The interiors have been given a subdued lick of paint and feature a tasteful mix of sandstone, oak and marble. Gio Ponti armchairs sit in the lobby, while pieces from Italian brand Molteni&C are found throughout the rooms. For commanding views of the Alps, head to the top-floor breakfast area with its adjacent rooftop pool. Chef Giancarlo Morelli’s formal restaurant at ground level serves a sophisticated Lombard-centric menu.
6 Via Aristotile Fioravanti, 20154+39 02 8001 0910
hotelviumilan.com
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Senato Hotel, Porta Venezia
Discerning business travellers and holidaymakers flock to the 43-room Senato Hotel for its enviable location between the Giardini Pubblici and the fashion boutiques on Via della Spiga. The former residence of a family of Milanese industrialists, the five-floor neoclassical property was tastefully remodelled by local architect Alessandro Bianchi, who designed every element of the makeover, from light fixtures to furniture. Bedrooms come with oak parquet flooring, while bathrooms feature wall-to-wall grey-white Carrara marble. The understated public spaces – all of which are kitted out with custom furnishings, such as hand-worked brass lighting – include a peaceful patio used for all-day drinking and dining. Lombard influences dominate the menu and the bar serves prized bubbly from Franciacorta.
22 Via Senato, 20121+39 02 781 236
senatohotelmilano.it
Images: Luigi Fiano