Grand Hotel et De Milan ★★★

Perhaps Milan's most intimate luxury hotel—an 1863 property so devoted to a complete overhaul it actually closed down from 1993 to 1995—the Grand Hotel et De Milan balances family management with refined service

 

The Grand Hotel et Du Milan has been the place to stay since the 1863, halfway between La Scala opera house and the cathedral in the heart of the Quadrilatero d'Oro high fashion shopping district.

Completely overhauled in 1993–95, it's now a mix of modern luxe and old-fashioned plush luxury, harking back to the days when Callas would stay nowhere else.

Need more pedigree? Composer Giuseppe Verdi spent his final 30 years ensconced in the presidential-style suite, which retains the desk upon which he composed many of his operas. (Whilst the maestro lay dying, the hotel staff went out each morning to spread fresh hay on the surrounding cobblestone streets to muffle the clatter of hoofs and carriage wheels so the great man could have his rest.)

When choosing a room, "deluxe" set themselves apart from "classic" by being larger and coming with genuine antiques and piped-in opera (perhaps something by Maria Callas, once a regular guest). The suites, divided into a good-size living room and separate bedroom, genuinely feel like small apartments rather than hotel rooms with their home-like arrangement of antiques.

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