As Italy’s cosmopolitan fashion center, Milan blends the past and present with remarkable style. What other city can boast one of the world’s largest Gothic cathedrals and the haute couture temples comprising the Golden Square? Naturally, Milan’s hotels share the city’s worship of the well-designed, some even operated by Italy’s most iconic luxury brands.
To find the best hotels in Milan, Forbes Travel Guide’s incognito inspectors posed as ordinary guests and checked in for a three-day, two-night stay at each property. The inspectors test hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, which accounts for 70 percent of a property’s rating. The remaining 30 percent comes from the quality and condition of the facilities.
No matter which of Milan’s Forbes Travel Guide-rated hotel you select, you’ll find a tasteful marriage of Old World elegance with the trendiest of the new.
Five-Star Hotels in Milan
Mandarin Oriental, Milan mixes timeless Milanese design with the brand’s signature Eastern charm and legendary hospitality. At the hotel, four interconnected 18th-century palazzos house 104 rooms and suites that overlook cobblestone streets and tranquil courtyards. As a former bank headquarters, the understated main entrance is on a discreet backstreet next to La Scala opera house, near the Duomo and Via della Spiga (where luxury shopping dreams are made).
Designed by Italian Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel Interiors, its stylish contemporary-meets-classic look nods to Old World Milan with its feet firmly planted in the present. A luxe Four-Star spa and hair salon, a refined Italian restaurant and a bar with a lovely alfresco courtyard add to the considerable appeal of this glamorous Five-Star hotel. Read more.
Four-Star Hotels in Milan
The luxurious aesthetic of Giorgio Armani is brought to life at Armani Hotel Milano, where you can immerse yourself in the designer’s vision. The A-shaped building’s 1930s façade appears austere, but step inside and the glossy elegance that has come to define the brand creates instant attraction.
Ascend to the upper levels, where the bar and restaurant are located, and take in the stunning views of the Duomo and the city skyline in the company of a sophisticated crowd. From the namesake Italian restaurant to the beautiful spa, the 95-room hotel is sleek and luxurious. If you find yourself inspired, pop into the Armani store in the same building.
Everything here is incredibly refined — a true reflection of the fashion icon’s impeccable taste. Read more.
When historic Italian jeweler Bvlgari expanded into hospitality in 2004, it chose Milan as the city to behold its vision. Under the five-story hotel’s clean, black-and-white marble facade with black granite eaves and dyed oak frames, you will find opulence at every turn, from the gold-lined pool to the revamped penthouse suite.
Crowned by a private 43,000-square-foot terraced garden — a rare commodity in downtown — Bvlgari Hotel Milan is tucked away on a private cul-de-sac steps from Via Monte Napoleone’s luxury shopping quarters. It is far from sleepy, though — fashionable patrons continue to populate the buzzy bar and restaurant.
For the property’s 10th anniversary, Italian architect and design team Citterio-Viel and Partners renovated all aesthetic aspects of the luxury hotel, from facade to foundation. Clad in rich natural materials, the contemporary interiors play to the strengths of the made-in-Italy design and craftsmanship. Read more.
Excelsior Hotel Gallia, A Luxury Collection Hotel
Excelsior Hotel Gallia, A Luxury Collection Hotel is an art deco landmark and a chic beacon for Milan’s latest “it” neighborhood, Porta Nuova.
Renovated in 2015, with a nod to the decadence of the Jazz Age, the hotel’s gorgeous design and tech-forward accommodations bring Gatsby into the 21st century. The 1932 hotel is now composed of the original building and a connected, new glass-and-steel tower — the combination of old and new is all thoroughly modern Milan at its finest.
Perhaps a less flashy perk but useful nonetheless, the hotel’s location across the street from the city’s central train station makes it convenient for business travelers. Read more.
In the center of Italy’s fashion capital sits the stylish Four Seasons Hotel Milano, housed in a former 15th-century convent. The hotel exudes Old World charm with its frescoes, stone accents and vaulted ceilings.
A far cry from its humble beginnings, the hotel is surrounded by the most luxurious names in fashion, making it an ideal location for those looking to fill their suitcases with the season’s latest designs.
Sophisticated Italian fare at the restaurant Zelo and bespoke cocktails and bites at Stilla Garden and bar mean you don’t have to leave the hotel to be a part of the city’s fashionable scene. And the Four-Star spa is a true respite from the city’s busy, buzzy streets. Read more.
For nearly a century, the neoclassical Hotel Principe di Savoia, Dorchester Collection has been the benchmark hotel for all of Milan. Despite its large size, the Principe has the intimate atmosphere of a boutique hotel.
Elegantly decorated in late-19th-century finery of lavish damasks, rich colors and collectors’ antiques in marbles and woods, the Principe still offers 21st-century comforts. If the Principe’s unabashed style makes it the landmark destination for fashion royalty, its rooftop spa, hush-hush vibe and enviable address (just a 10-minute drive to the fashion capital’s epicenter, Via Monte Napoleone) create an enticing getaway for those who seek privacy.
Prep for afternoon tea, cookies and people-watching at the pastel-hued ground-floor lounge Il Salotto and later hold court at the Principe Bar, a hot spot for Fashion Week’s royal entourage as well as the local Milanese weekender. Read more.
Strategically located within walking distance of the famous Quadrilatero della Moda (fashion district) and the modern Porta Nuova quarter, ME Milan Il Duca is a destination for those looking for a fashionable getaway in Italy’s style capital.
Upon entry, fashionistas will be delighted with the sight of beautiful Italian furnishings and interiors, while superior quality linens are pleasing to the touch. Your taste buds will savor the property’s top-notch dining and drinks while a contemporary soundtrack playing in the common areas and pleasant, exclusive scents complete the scene — this hotel pleases all the senses.
The ME’s Radio Rooftop Bar is the place to sit back and take in the view while sipping an aperitivo, perhaps before dinner at the renowned STK Milan restaurant onsite. Read more.
Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa Milano
Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa Milano is one of the best examples of Milan’s fluid mix of tradition and style. Opened in 2013 as a large-scale boutique hotel, Palazzo Parigi is a fabulous stage for design created by architect and owner Paola Giambelli, who combined Parisian chic with Milan flair, aiming to herald the renaissance of a city that was originally known as Rome’s austere sister but is now the Italian darling of fashion, finance and gastronomy.
Located on Corso di Porta Nuova, an area rich in contemporary art galleries, boutiques and restaurants, the luxury hotel is within an easy 10- to 15-minute walk in any direction of the city’s must-visit destinations: the fashion Quadrangle, Via Monte Napoleone and architectural timepiece Villa Necchi Campiglio. Read more.
The first Hyatt hotel on Italian soil, Park Hyatt Milan is a landmark of Milanese style and elegance. Appointed in warm Italian travertine limestone and black marble inlay, the 1,032-square-foot palazzo dates from 1870 — it was once a bank.
The exterior is Baroque elegance at its finest, while inside the luxury hotel, you will find a neutral color palette inspired by the Duomo and distinctly Milanese architectural details. It opens onto Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a glass-encased, 19th-century shopping arcade dotted with luxury boutiques and restaurants bridging the historic Teatro alla Scala opera house with the Gothic Duomo. Its centrality to the city’s cultural landmarks and luxury quarter makes it walkable, even in stilettos. Read more.
Perfectly perched within the upscale Piazza della Repubblica neighborhood, The Westin Palace, Milan is a stylishly contemporary stay that belies its 1920s-era shell.
In 2021, it unveiled a fresh look in the lobby, The Lounge Bar and the meeting spaces that blends the hotel’s classical architecture with contemporary lines. It’s also lush — the Westin incorporated biophilic design, immersing guests in nature and greenery outside and inside the hotel.
Accommodations are airy and chic with a gray color palette and framed sketches from Milanese designer Jole Veneziani. PanEVO’s modern dining room invites you to savor the flavors of Northern Italy.
But the highlight of a stay at this luxe lodging might just be soaking up the spectacular city views from the rooftop terrace. Read more.
Recommended Hotels in Milan
Scents reignite memories. Magna Pars, l’ Hotel à Parfum, built on the foundations of an old perfume factory, knows this well enough to make scent the official guide through a journey of discovery into its past filled with beauty and heritage.
In 2013, the Martone family converted its factory to Magna Pars, the first “hotel à parfum” in the world. Located in the buzzing Tortona design district in Milan, the property is a quiet hidden gem of only 60 elegant suites, many facing the peaceful inner garden where fragrant trees and bushes grow year-round. Fragrance infuses everything from your room to the cocktails at this one-of-a-kind hotel.
A penchant for beauty and thorough attention to detail have always been distinctive Martone family traits, providing the keys to success as perfume makers and luxury innkeepers. Read more.
