nicolas75

The MO is part of Statuto group, which also owns the Four Seasons with no renovation investments, and which was also supposed to open the renovated Grand Hotel Duomo under the InterContinental brand... in May 2008.

offerendum

Yeah! That´s one of the best jokes of the century I can´t see it any more on the IC-website....

bearbrick

Any recent stays at the Palazzo Parigi Milan and any updates and stays at the Grand Hotel et Milano ?
Comments appreciated !

MorganDK

Park Hyatt Milan is the best hotel in Milan hands down. And perhaps the best hotel in Italy after FS:FLO. CC has serious work at the new dump he's managing - I hope it will work out.

As for the FS milan, in my opinion, it's an opportunity lost - it could have been as nice as FLO but they just botched it. In my opinion it needs a gut renovation and whomever runs La Veranda should be shipped to GVA for a six month course on how to deliver quality without being fussy, pretentious and stuffy.

M

scented

I think you made some good points. Let me say that on a recent visit I loved the cuisine at FS Milano, as well as the suite I stayed in, which was recently refurbished. Perfect. Service was pretty good, too. However, to a certain extent, the hotel 'suffers' from the very same phenomenon: it just feels so cobbled together, nothing matches. Awful flow. Starting with the spa, which is a beautiful design by Patricia Urquiola, great treatments, to me the best Spa in Milano, also very contemporary I would say. Then you leave the spa and head upstairs the lobby/reception area totally different, La Veranda yet another design approach and just wait till you see the bar and Il Foyer, where another theme awaits. The building itself is nice, just the way everything was furnished and put together is very confusing. Hard to settle down. Eclectic would be a very charming and favorable term for the composition.
Then on to the new suites, to me, the Penthouse suite is downright gorgeous and I'd just move in. If you're in a position where you can settle for the Penthouse, perfect. Anything below, the choice might be a little harder. They have undoubtedly something for every taste, because again, FS Milano, very diverse design choices. Presidential and Renaissance Suites, typically FS, then the 50s style Fashion suite, almost natural choice in Milan, OK, but then someone had the idea to bring in a Brioni designer, now showcased in the designer suite. Oh well. If I had to make a choice, aside from the PH, one of the hotel's Garden Cloister suites would be the best I guess. All in all, very nice suites and the market is asking for it, but as with most of the hotel, I don't really see a line or concept.

But then this seems a Milanese thing, as Park Hyatt Milano had the glorious idea to rip out Ed Tuttle's design and bring in an Italian design company to do a very zen and screamingly contemporary new bar, which is so out of place that I was bereft of words. So you are in the very beautiful Cupola, now no longer a restaurant but rather a lounge and leisurely meeting point within the hotel (great idea as lobby is due to the building's structure very small and cramped), and then you head left and find yourself in a... black nightclub with wood accents and Bonsais. They had a beautiful hotel designed by Ed and no doubt it was time for a re-fresh to keep up but they really, really worked hard to mess it up and feature a mini-Bulgari within the hotel.

MikeFromTokyo

I have been looking at rates in Milan, and have noticed that Principe di Savoia has much lower rates than FS and MO, and slightly lower rates than the Park Hyatt. It has been a very long time since I last stayed at Principe di Savoia (about ten years) so I have no idea how the hotel is these days. Is it still a viable option and a good value proposition? With Dorchester Diamond Club upgrades it can be about half the price of Four Seasons...

Also how is Park Hyatt Milan these days?

offerendum

Never stayed but wanted to book a room last year. They upgrade at Principe guaranteed up to a Junior Suite. If you choose the "right" date you can stay in their Royal Suite for around 1000,00 € per night. Tend to go next year but still not sure if Principe or PH.

MikeFromTokyo

Is that €10,000?

I am leaning toward the Park Hyatt or Principe di Savoia. With confirmed upgrade at Principe di Savoia, or at the PH the ability to get a couple of nights on points, I could stay at either hotel for an average nightly rate of about €500~. FS or the new MO would be my first choice, but not at double the price (at least on this occasion).

Kagehitokiri

january >
€1,450 royal
€3,250 imperial
€4,700 imperial executive
? presidential

at one point royal and presidential had cashmere sheets
http://www.departures.com/lifestyle/...0-count-sheets

SeamasterLux

Hi Mike!

Having stayed at both properties recently, I would still go for the PH. Both hard and soft products were excellent even though the breakfast of the PdS was truly outstanding. I'm also more into zen/asian design than classic Italian royal furniture.
That being said, I was stayed in a Park Suite at the PH and in a mosaic room in the PdS so it's not exactly an equal match. The Principe Suite in which I previously stayed is truly a notch above the Junior/Ambassador. I had originally booked an Executive Room and had a confirmed upgrade to Junior but then paid 250€ more per night to get the Principe Suite which was truly worth the premium.

No idea about MO but FS is really not worth the premium. I wouldn't say the same about FS Florence but in Milan, I've never been impressed, at all.

offerendum

Pictures of FS Milan looks not too great, is it a Minibar on this picture?

MikeFromTokyo

Thanks so much for the advice SeamasterLux, as always I have total confidence in your recommendations.^

I do like FS Milan, but I think I am better off at PH or PdS. This is a prime example of how prices can be really inflated at an hotel that is (perhaps even erroneously) considered the best in town, and how properties perceived as second-tier can offer much better value for money. And, as you say sometimes the less expensive option is in fact a better hotel.

I want to experience the breakfast at PdS in light of your very positive review!

Groombridge

I recently stayed at both the PH and PdS, and liked them both for very different reasons:

- Location: For the historical center (duomo, La Scala, Galleria) and the fashion district, Park Hyatt's is superb, PdS' is not, located in a somewhat soulless stretch between the center and the main train station.

- Service: PH is among the best of any city hotel, ever -- warm, personal, friendly. PdS was very average, and sometimes a bit supercilious.

- Room decor: I strongly preferred the style of PdS over PH, where the Ed Tuttle interiors feel dated and gauche to me, whereas the more traditional luxury of the PdS felt much more special to me. I realize this is a personal taste issue, but after several stays at PH, all of which were very nicely executed from a service perspective, I just won't go back because I dislike the interior design so much. For a contemporary interior, I like the Armani much more than the PH, although it doesn't come anywhere near the PH's service standards.

- Food: I felt the offerings were comparable.

MikeFromTokyo

Thanks Groombridge! Such positive reviews have reassured me that I will be in good hands at either hotel.

The more I think about it saving money by staying at PdS or PH instead of FS or MO makes sense. I would rather spend the money at restautants, shopping, or on hotels like Villa Feltrinelli, Aman Venice, etc... Given the choice, there are better places to spend €€€€/night than in Milan. At least on my budget there are always trade offs to consider.

kamel123

Those pictures look horrific, frankly. There are also pictures of the Cloister Suite on Oyster, which I also find very underwhelming for a >EUR 2000 suite - the room looks barren, and the "garden" view is of lawn in very bad shape and of something that looks like a playground. I have never stayed there and always wanted to, but now I guess I won't.

Regarding PH, of course it's a matter of personal taste, but I feel the Ed Tuttle design has aged pretty nicely. Personally, I have had a quite good track record of upgrades on short stays also (and I don't have any status with Hyatt). Some of the rooms have very large and nicely furnished terraces, which are great in summer. Also, much prefer the PH location to PdS. Milan traffic can be terrible especially during rush hour, and from PH everything is walkable.