Piecing Together Giorgio Armani's Puzzling Pristine Milano Palazzo

Where: Via Manzoni 31, Milano, Italy, 20121

January 12, 2012 at 10:59 AM | by ASchechter | Comments (0)

�Though we took a quick look last month at what Tripadvisor reviewers were saying, we still feel a little out of the loop about the new Armani Hotel Milan, which has been open for almost two months now.

What kind of fancy Armani unforms do the staff wear? Are the rooms really that big? How do the hotel's Lifestyle Managers fit in, exactly?

Sadly, the hotel provided little in the way of a response�choosing only to reiterate Giorgio's vision of creating a "precisely defined ambiance of total comfort." But we have managed to scrap together at least a fragmentary sense of the interiors. For starters: similar to the property in Dubai, the Armani Milan's rooms are homogenized in soft beiges, tans, and dark browns. Emphasis here is more on texture�with limestone bathrooms, backlit shingled headboards, and cabinets that vanish into walls. All of which, hopefully, don't get in the way of comfort.

Another feature of the hotel that remains a mystery are the Lifestyle Managers, who are each assigned not just to particular guests, but also particular floors of the hotel. So upon your arrival, you'd be greeted by someone whose duty it is to heed your every demand, and who furthermore specializes in the "lifestyle" of your particular floor.

How the hotel distinguishes between those lifestyles remains unclear. We're guessing it goes something like this: Fashionable floor. Super fashionable floor. Untouchables.

All of the hotel's public spaces are concentrated on the top seventh and eighth floors�which are set apart from the rest of the 1937 stone palazzo in a penthouse-like glass-wrapped "hat." Yes, that's what the hotel is calling it. Must be some rough transliteration of the Italian cappella or cappello.

The best part here seems to be the view, which encompasses Milan's signature commingling of the old (the Duomo) and new (skyscrapers). On the seventh floor, you'll find Armani/Ristorante (above) as well as Armani/Lounge, a double-height ceilinged lounge area with a bamboo bar, giant window for sightseeing, and connecting bridgeway for smokers (because this is Italy, after all...)

Got a shot of the Armani Milan? We'd sure love to see! Drop us a line, or let us know your impressions in the comments below!

[Photos: Armani Hotel Milan]

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