Milano
Italy


The Experience

A business-oriented hotel set in a dramatic late-19th-century palazzo (and hidden on a side street just seconds from the Piazza del Duomo) -- it's a fusing called the Park Hyatt Milano, the brand's first in Italy's most stylish destination. Designed by American architect Ed Tuttle, the Milan property displays a sense of La Scala–styled drama: There's a towering lobby bathed by the sun and crowned with a triumphant glass cupola held afloat by eight circular columns -- all anchored by original Etruscan vases and accented by an impressive display of cutting-edge contemporary art. Who said business had to be drab?

The Rooms

Rooms are comfortable but unusually arranged. Hyatt determined that its mostly business-traveler clientele wanted larger, better-equipped bathrooms -- so that's where they put closets, safes, and even minibars, and the setup can feel a bit crowded. It's an odd fit with the swanky, minimalist feel in the rooms, which include Murano glass and Venetian stucco (and satellite TVs that are visible from nearly every inch of the quarters). Rooms are decently sized at 375 square feet, but deluxe rooms are nearly twice as large for not nearly twice the cost.

The Service

The hotel's style, setting and sense of refinement have made it a favorite of Milan's visiting fashion and corporate elite. General manager Claudio Ceccherelli arrived from the Villa D'Este, and his attention to detail is evident throughout. And in this image-is-everything city, the doormen are also celebrated as among the best-looking in Milan.

The Highlights

Skip a workout in the small lower-level gym (though it's good for a steam or sauna) and opt for a walk instead, out to the shopping of the Golden Triangle. The modern Italian Park is actually one of the better restaurants in this competitive city, both in terms of cuisine and style. The Park Bar may be best only for afternoon tea or predinner cocktails, but it's a design masterpiece of unpolished marble and leather banquettes, all set under its stunning domed roof.

-- David Kaufman

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