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Suspicious Security But Free Mini Bar at AC Milano
A hotel next to a cemetery ... it doesn't start out with the best of impressions (unless you want to stay next to the dead center of town ... ha, ha), but the Hotel AC Milano gets better the more you read of a recent NYT review.
The Milan AC (part of a chain named after the founder, Antonio Catalán) just opened last October but sounds like a good place to stay particularly if you're going to Milan to shop. It's located very close to Via Maroncelli, a popular shopping area.
With a pretty sleek design, to be expected in Milan, and a decent room service menu, and a minibar stocked with beer and soft drinks that are already included in the room price, there's nothing really wrong with this hotel. The reviewer did find one problem, though:
At midnight, when I returned to the hotel without my key card, the front desk gave me a new one without asking anything except my room number. (I could have been a criminal; more likely, I could have gotten the number confused and walked in on another guest.).
But since you're next to the cemetery, you should probably be more afraid of ghosts than room crashers.
[Photo: Turca]
Related Stories:
· Milan: Hotel AC Milano [NY Times]
· Milan Hotel Reviews [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hotel Hell / Milan Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
'Nasty Italy Hotel' Uses Bait and Switch Tactic, Says One Guest
[Ed. Note: A hotel maven lets us know about a "nasty Italy hotel." As always this is one person's side of the story.]
Nasty Italy Hotel. Please post so that others will be aware of a "bait and switch" tactic used by the Hotel Astoria Gallarate (Varese) in Milano, Italy.
The hotel is close to Malpensa airport which was convenient as we had an early flight the next morning. We were quoted a rate of 80 Euros per night at check-in. After a sleepless night because of broken air conditioning (not mentioned at check-in), we were told that the rate was 100 Euros. When we complained about the increase of 20 Euros, the manager threatened to call the police--we told him to go ahead. Of course he did not follow through.
The hotel manager was rude and not accommodating in any way. We definitely would not recommend this hotel and warn all travelers to stay away as there are many other hotels that welcome travelers and honor their rates. The manager said that no one would read the internet reviews so please share.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Astoria Gallarate reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Hotel Hype / Milan Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Nhow Hotel Keeps Boutique Trend Alive
And you thought there was a boutique hotel backlash. The NHow Milano begs to differ. A spin-off of the European chain NH Hoteles, it's got the mandatory sleek furniture, sexy artwork and post-industrial neighborhood location. And coming soon is the spa, which the hotel says will
cut guests off from their daily environment opening up their minds so that they can discover a fundamental sense of peace and positive energy.
Tré new age. In fact, looks like the hotel staff may have gotten into the body scrubs and aromatherapy oils a little early:
The staff are a real pleasure too. Smily faces, welcoming and very helpful, discreet. Yes, OK, perhaps a little more relaxed and easy going than what you would usually find in a big city, but hey, we are in Italy!
Related Stories:
· TripAdvisor
Tags: Milan Hotel Reviews / Design Hotels / → All Tags
At Hotel Straf, the Concrete is Warm and the Lobby, So Cooool
This week we continue our series on European hotels. Since Vogue and Versace have apparently heralded the return of the supermodel, we decided to check in on Italy's fashion capital, Milan, for some cool places to stay and at least one to avoid. But if you have any suggestions for us on what to hit up or to stay far far far away from, let us know.
Hotel Straf is just about the farthest thing away from a traditional Italian hotel.
The hotel's "concept" is to partner "extreme" high-tech functionality" and a minimalist feel, with guestrooms that have a warm intimate atmosphere, having been designed from innovate materials like quarry rough slate, burnished brass, iron and concrete. Which is interesting because we never would describe the slate or concrete as "warm."
Fulfilling their committment to high-tech, inside each of the 64 rooms is high-speed internet access, LCD TVs, a laptop-size safe and movie and music channels on demand.
Situated close to the duomo, the hotel also features a bar/restaurant that serves food during the day and has set aside a couple of well-being rooms where you can relax with some chromotherapy and aromatherapy treatments. Not quite the hotel spa you are used to. Here's one quest's take on the place:
The first impression about entrance and lobby was "so COOL, all black and concrete. Reception staff young and polite, next door a nice typical coffee bar, part of the hotel but opened to passers-by.
When we made later our way to the room, we found it as cozy as the rest of the hotel: modern and minimal, all black & white and concrete walls. The bathroom, well hidden behind a wooden wall, was small but with everything we needed and so cooool....This hotel is indeed a design hotel!
Price is not low, but it is in the heart of Milan...Only recommendation: if you like traditional old style hotels, stay away!
In case you missed our other stories this week on Milan, here they are:
· To and Fro Machines Will Keep You Awake at the Gray Hotel
· Milano's Budget Option
· Where the Famous People Stay in Milan
· Hotel Spadari Could Be Inspiration for Gramercy Park Hotel
Image via Uberdilly/Flickr
Related Stories:
· Hotel Straf reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Milan Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
To and Fro Machines Will Keep You Awake at the Gray Hotel
This week we continue our series on European hotels. Since Vogue and Versace have apparently heralded the return of the supermodel, we decided to check in on Italy's fashion capital, Milan, for some cool places to stay and at least one to avoid. But if you have any suggestions for us on what to hit up or to stay far far far away from, let us know.
The Gray Hotel is a luxe design hotel centrally located to all the sights of Milan, with 21 guest rooms (2 of which have private gyms!) and hip furnishings. We have to admit, looking at some of the hotel pictures got us excited.
Which is why the review of the place has us so disappointed.
The location is indeed superb, just minutes away from il Duomo, but along with the central location comes noise. Not just normal chattering...noise from the cleaning teams that clearly make this area the sparkliest tourist area in Europe. The machines start up at midnight and seem to continue to and fro, to and fro until at least 3am. I am positive it was only one side of the hotel that suffered (my side) but basically rooms 105 and neighbouring 104 and 106 will have had equally sleepless nights so make sure you ask to NOT have these rooms. Totally ruined my entire stay.
Things did not end there with the cleaning crews. The TVs only have one English channel, there's a DVD player but you have to bring your own DVD, a "poor" room service menu, a bad shower drain and a tiny hotel bar. But perhaps the real measure of how bad the guest's stay was that even though work fronted the 330 Euros a night bill, he won't even think of returning.
Related Stories:
· Gray Hotel reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Milan Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Milano's Budget Option
This week we continue our series on European hotels. Since Vogue and Versace have apparently heralded the return of the supermodel, we decided to check in on Italy's fashion capital, Milan, for some cool places to stay and at least one to avoid. But if you have any suggestions for us on what to hit up or to stay far far far away from, let us know.
Prices for hotel rooms in Milan are scary with it being near-impossible to find a rate under 200 Euros.
But there is one option for you if you are traveling to Milan on a budget or are looking for a cheap overnight stay there. The Hotel Terminal (named for its proximity to the Central Station where trains and buses pass through) has 42 clean and nicely furnished rooms although on the small side with private bath, air conditioning, hair dryer, TV and a safe. A single room costs about 70 Euros and a double, 90. This also includes breakfast.
We should tell you again, this is by no means a five-star hotel but rather a pretty doable budget option. Here's one reviewer's take on the place:
Posh-looking hotel considering the neighborhood. Just a few blocks from the train station; I don't know that I'd feel comfortable walking around at night, but during the day it was fine. We were quite impressed with the hotel interior, including the wood floors. Breakfast was great, including a variety of pastries and breads, meat and cheeses, cereals, and fruit.
Guests also approved of the staff's helpfulness in directing them to places of interest in the city.
The real downside is that you compromise on location as all the city sights are about a half-hour walk away. So get to know the subway system which is literally steps from your hotel.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Terminal reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Milan Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Where the Famous People Stay in Milan
This week we continue our series on European hotels. Since Vogue and Versace have apparently heralded the return of the supermodel, we decided to check in on Italy's fashion capital, Milan, for some cool places to stay and at least one to avoid. But if you have any suggestions for us on what to hit up or to stay far far far away from, let us know.
Looking for a pricey getaway in Milan?
The Grand Hotel Et De Milan is the hotel in Milan that combines luxury with history and counts famous people--mostly from the opera and art world--among its guests for over 100 years.
The hotel originally opened in 1863 and was a big favorite of composer Guiseppe Verdi. Though its fourth floor was later destroyed during World War II, the hotel has undergone two reconstructions--one immediately after the war ended and another back in the early 90s. Among the famous people who have stayed at the hotel, often called the Albergo di Milano, recently? Mostly fashionistas and filmmakers like Roman Polansky, Roberto Begnini, Helmut Newton, Sofia Loren, Jean Paul Gautier, Claudia Schiffer, and watch out housekeeping, Naomi Campbell.
Although the booking site says a classic room starts at 300 Euros, it's more like over 400 and breakfast is not included, unless there is a package for it. Room choices are the smallish classic room, a slightly large deluxe room, then junior suites (either the Maria Callas or the Tamara de Lempicka, a Polish painter) and the regular suites, like the Guiseppe Verdi suite.
The location is prime on the Via Manzoni and opposite the Via Montenapoleone, which is right around the corner from La Scala, the Cathedral, and within walking distance to the musuems and the Financial District. And if you're going to Milan to drop some dollars, ask the hotel to send a chauffered car to pick you up at the airport.
Inside the hotel is a bar and two restaraunts, Caruso and Don Carlos. The latter which has a wine cellar of "prestigous wines" that might be worth a look. When you're done gorging on Italian food, the hotel has a fitness center on its second floor with views of the city.
The reviews on this place are short and sweet, with almost everyone praising the hotel's location, staff and comfortable rooms. And though there has to be something wrong with this place, the only big negative seems to be the price. But as fashion insiders would say, If you got it, work it.
Related Stories:
· Grand Hotel et de Milan [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Milan Hotel Reviews / Gramercy Park Hotel / Design Hotels / → All Tags
Hotel Spadari Could Be the Inspiration for Gramercy Park Hotel
This week we continue our series on European hotels. Since Vogue and Versace have apparently heralded the return of the supermodel, we decided to check in on Italy's fashion capital, Milan, for some cool places to stay and at least one to avoid. But if you have any suggestions for us on what to hit up or to stay far far far away from, let us know.
Hotel Spadari al Duomo in Milan currently ranks #1 on TripAdvisor for most popular Milanese hotel.
As with most #1-ranked hotels on the site, Hotel Spadari combines a unique hotel experience with affordable rates. The small 7-story, 40-room hotel is devoted to works of art and design furniture. (And we mean real art like worthy of a colleciton. Perhaps this is the type of game-changing hotel Ian Schrager is going after?) But not so much that it makes you feel uncomfortable or that you feel as if you are staying in an art gallery. The varying blue and cream colors in the guestrooms were probably chosen to put you at ease and make things more approachable. Overall the decor is modern and a tad funky but only enough so that it's just a hip boutique hotel instead of another small European hotel.
Guests rave about the staff there, all of whom speak English and are even willing to take the blame for any bad recommendations they make:
The staff were fantastic and sent us to a couple of great restaurants and one bad one. I left my jacket at one and the staff had it sent back by taxi and insisted on paying for the cab as we had a bad experience at the restaurant which they had recommended.
Lastly, the hotel is centrally located, just around the corner from the duomo (cathedral), and close to the Teatro la Scala, Il Castelllo, and the Galleria.
A single standard room costs 218 Euros while a double is 228. Superior rooms which include a widedesk and a couch and baths with tub or shower are 228 for a single and 258 for a double. If you can splurge on the King room, do so as they are the biggest rooms the hotel has to offer at a price of 238 Euros for a single and 268 for a double. Another hint? Rooms on the 7th floor offer views of the duomo.
Despite what room you choose, each comes with free internet access and breakfast. But if you're a wannabe runway walker, then you probably won't care about the latter.
Related Stories:
· Hotel Spadari reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Gramercy Park Hotel coverage [HotelChatter]
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