MikeFromTokyo

Four Seasons is my top choice. With Mauro Governato as GM, I see no need to look further as top notch service is assured.

Although under same ownership as FS, I have lost interest in MO. I will stay at FS and perhaps visit MO for a meal.

Although I have not stayed yet, I am more interested in Excelsior Gallia than PdS in that part of own.

bhrubin

Size of rooms and feeling less like a business hotel is what I mean for the MO.

bhrubin

I am a big fan of Park Hyatt, too. I just stayed in and loved the PH Sydney and also loved our PH Istanbul stay. But I call it like I see it...

The PH Milan was surprisingly tired, both in the public spaces (I really didn't like the covered atrium lobby, which felt dated and claustrophobic) and rooms and suites (wow, many of the furnishings, fixtures, and finishes looked like they hadn't been changed since 2000...and it was more blatant in the suites!). It's overrated.

To be fair, the rooms and suites (but less so the public spaces) at the FS were just as disappointing.

And the Excelsior Gallia (category 6) requires fewer points than the PH Milan (category 7). So the points discussion IMO still favors EG. But I'd pay for the EG and wouldn't think of paying for the overrated and overpriced FS or PH. If I had to stay in the center, I'd prefer the FS. The PH is simply too overpriced and resting on past glory.

It's not just that people previously discussed how tired the PH and FS might be; it's that the EG hasn't had any mention here at all. Pretty sad when it obviously is as good or at least comparable as any of the others so often mentioned.

xray

My truth be told, MO Paris was lovely as was MO Milan. I am not sure why in thinking that one is beautiful, the other is not ?!

We are all drawn to different aspects of luxury hotels. When I planned my trip to Milan, MO was brand new so I wanted to try it out. My second choice would have been PH for location and the fact that I was Diamond at the time. I don't like SPG Hotels in general so probably never would have considered Excelsior. If I were to return to Milan today, I would book MO again without hesitation.

The best part about being a luxury traveller is doing as you wish and having your own opinion

scented

Park Hyatt Milan opened its doors on October 8, 2003. Most of the furnishings are custom, designed by Ed Tuttle and produced by Interna to highest standards. I still think it's a classic design that doesn't need a lot of changes. If it is not to your taste, it probably has to do with the location -- Ed always uses materials that are quintessential for the country the development is in, and interprets them in a contemporary manner. PH Milan has a lot of Italian marble and not everyone likes that -- still the details and composition are on a totally different level compared to Excelsior Gallia, which could be anywhere. There is nothing Milanese about it, maybe that's the reason it is not mentioned here.

The biggest challenge of the Park Hyatt is the lack of daylight in 90% of the rooms and suites, it is so dark there. That's the reason I stayed 3 or 4 times but prefer Four Seasons these days. I cannot stand that. And service cannot be compared.

vuittonsofstyle

Back in the day, Ciga Hotels had 3 hotels in Milan - Principe di Savoia, Excelsior Gallia and The Palace.

Principe di Savoia was seen as the high-end option, whilst The Palace was more of a business hotel and the Gallia was a long-stay all-suite property, considered at the time to be the lower-end option. All were clustered in the same square, within waling distance of each other.

When Ciga broke up, ITT Sheraton took over, then Starwood Luxury Collection, then Dorchester took over Principe di Savoia and the remaining two hotels in that square stayed with Starwood.

I agree that Excelsior Gallia is more of a good 4-star.

Kagehitokiri

odd that gallia and eden rome were le (royal) meridien & LHW
gallia probably sold 2007, looking at starwood forum thread
perhaps ITT/starwood sold some CIGA hotels in 1990s/2000s

le meridien was first acquired by forte, which also bid on CIGA

uggboy

Thanks.

Cheers & Safe Travels. ^

vuittonsofstyle

I think this is what happened, Kage. Much of the Ciga portfolio was gradually split up after ITT Sheraton 'merged' with Ciga in 1994. The 'merger' did not last long and Ciga and its staff were ousted fairly quickly.

Le Meurice used to be Ciga - now Dorchester. The 3 resorts in Sardinia are now Cala di Volpe (Luxury Collection), Hotel Pitrizza (Luxury Collection) and Hotel Porto Cervo (now Sheraton).

In Venice, there was Hotel Danieli, Gritti Palace, Hotel des Bains (Lido) and Excelsior Lido (both Lido hotels privately owned, although des Bains is closed, I believe).

Seville - Hotel Alfonso XIII - Luxury Collection.

Etc etc

vuittonsofstyle

Here's a potted history of what happened with Ciga, under the Aga Khan -

http://content.time.com/time/magazin...161846,00.html

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury...language=en_US

cruisr

I was in Milan two weeks ago and did some damage on Via Montenapoleone. I visited the Excelsior and I would agree it does seem four star though the spa looks lovely. The really annoying thing was that there were groups of teens in various states of sitting, leaning against each other and lying down on the sidewalk just across the driveway from the hotel. Different ones were there every day. Annoying as you have to navigate by them to get to Central. I never did ask why they were there. Waiting for a tour bus perhaps?

When I visited there were not enough check in people and there were a few lines. As it was still before noon and rooms weren't ready there seemed to be a lot of guests in the lobby waiting for their rooms.

As an aside, I highly recommend day trips to Torino, Pavia, Bergamo and Stresa on Lake Maggiore. I actually like LM better than Como.

bhrubin

I am disappointed by the so-called reviews from so many herein about a hotel at which no one has stayed or even really investigated beyond the lobby! I'm not sure I've experienced this level of prejudice in the Luxury Forum in some time.

The furnishings at the Excelsior Gallia are all bespoke by local Milanese designers, despite the erroneous statements made herein. Anyone claiming the furnishings or decor at the EG is somehow cheap or unworthy of a 5 star hotel is either confused or mistaken...or showing prejudice. The appointments at the EG were often (but not always) much nicer than those at either of the PH or FS.

The lobby of the Excelsior Gallia is tremendously beautiful, an Art Deco masterpiece. There is nothing 4 star about it. That's why all of the appropriate ratings groups consider the EG to be a 5 star property. That's why Forbes puts the EG in the same 4 star classification as all of the other luxury hotels discussed herein with the sole exception of the 5 star MO Milan. Yet the Gallia is somehow subpar in this thread? I don't think so.

The rooms and suites at the Excelsior Gallia are spectacularly beautiful. If you like the PH's or MO's modern take on design, and can't admit that the EG knocks the PH out of the water and is comparably beautiful with the MO, then there's something wrong. If you like the FS's more traditional take on design and can't admit that the FS is still tired and needs refurbishment, then there's something wrong again.

Food and beverage at the EG was outstanding. It compares very favorably with that of the FS, where we also had a lovely lunch. Those were slightly better than the lunch I had at the MO. I did not eat at the PH.

The lobby and reception desk of the PH Milan was slammed at about 10:30 am when I visited, but that has nothing to do with my perspective on the hotel. That had nothing to do with the tired furnishings in all categories of rooms, and in the multiple categories of suites that I visited. Those have been discussed at length here in this thread...so I'm not sure why so many are troubled by my repeating what is obviously true. The lobby of the PH is not nearly as beautiful (nor open) as that the EG. I don't care if you love Tuttle. His design here is dated.

The lobby of the FS Milan was busy around 1:00 pm when I visited, but that has nothing to do with my perspective on the hotel. The check in desk had a line, too, but that didn't make me think one way or another of the service level. Those had nothing to do with the tired decor in rooms and suites, or the odd layout in so many suites. Those also have been discussed at length in this thread. The lobby of the FS is beautiful. But so is that of the EG.

I've conceded that there was a slightly higher service standard at the PH and FS (but not the MO) compared to what I experienced at the Excelsior Gallia. But no one seems willing to admit what the staffs at the PH, FS, and MO Milan all readily admitted to me--that the Excelsior Hotel Gallia is among the most beautiful or perhaps the most beautiful, in the city.

Obviously, the location of the hotels is another story. If you want a more central hotel, the EG and several of the other top hotels are not going to be for you. But that doesn't mean they aren't 5 star. If you want a hotel with easy transport options, however, the EG is among the best.

Anyone prescribing that the EG is only 2 yrs old as an excuse for any other sentiments is only making excuses to not include the Gallia in the discussion.

I question the judgment of anyone who hasn't visited a hotel and critiques or rejects its quality based solely on the management group. if that were true, then so many should also be rejecting the MO Milan since it's been open long enough that its service slide should be comparable to those of MOS almost everywhere else but Bangkok. I actually didn't experience good service at the MO Milan when I visited. I had no such issue when I visited the PH or FS.

The apparent prejudice against the Excelsior Gallia is unfortunate for this forum...but it's prejudice nonetheless. I hope that by pointing out the unfortunate prejudice, it may cease or be mitigated.

Trickster10

During my last stay at PH in Milan Mr. Hamad Abdulla Al-Mulla, CEO and Board Member of Katara Hospitality (owners of Gallia) was staying there with his family. Apparently he is the regular guest there.

Lobby at Gallia remembers me more a generic shopping mall in Middle East than an "Art Deco masterpiece". Not my pair of shoes.

uggboy

Interesting info Trickster10, the Park Hyatt Milano is beautiful IMHO, having stayed twice there and would consider it again in our future.

Why would the CEO/Board Member lodging at the Park Hyatt when the company owns the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, any background on this one?

Katara [Qatar] must have however spent lots of money and thought of how to re-position the Excelsior Hotel Gallia.

Fascinating that it's officially a 5 star, but some describe it as 4 star.

It's modern, stylish and different, at least on their website it feels/looks like a newly renovated 5 star hotel with ambition to be memorable and among the Milan's best. [In fact the hotel wants to be counted as one of the best in Milan as evidenced bellow]

So, interesting to know overall what the "forum think" as comparison [star rating] since the Excelsior Gallia is and should be indeed iconic.

Please see:

http://www.katarahospitality.com/pre...-gallia-milan/

Cheers & Safe Travels. ^

scented

What bothers me about E.G. are the unfortunate choices in terms of lighting. And in general, the property looks very cold and stark. Granted, it's all new and fresh, but it has that distinctive 'hotel' look, and by that I mean convention hotel. It's the materials, and how they are used. That undoubtedly a lot of funds went into the renovation is clear, but the outcome is not residential. And that's what many like -- a home away from home. In all of the pictures, the little touches are missing -- and those make the place feel warm and inviting. If I would see the pictures and not know the brand I would guess it could be a Meridien or a W hotel, but most definitely a 4* chain hotel.

Since you praise the hotel that much I will have a look on a future Milan visit.