Keyser

thanks for the info but i would prefer to stick with spg....i was looking to use points in any case so can't stay anywhere else....

TRAVELSIG

I would suggest emailing the hotel directly to see if they can help you- even with the big conventions on presumably this is more just room blocking than actual sales AFAIK.

When I stay in a hotel in Milano I don't like to pay more than 250 EUR per night- there is just nothing that has a price/value ratio that warrants the outrageous spending that can come in Milano (i.e. Junior Suite which is truly Junior at some of the "luxury" hotels can easily come in over 900 EUR).

I also don't particularly like the area around the train station- it is OK but there are a lot of shady characters around and from time to time they do tend to snatch the odd laptop or purse which is not a very fun experience for anyone.

The Diana Majestic still receives my top marks and they treat returning guests extremely well. Also from this hotel it is a very simple walk over to the Duomo area where there is more life.

The Westin is quite close to the USA consulate if that matters to anyone so can be convenient if you need to do anything there. The Westin is also far enough away from the train station to not have the shady characters issue whereas the 4 points is right in the middle of it all (as is the nearby Hilton- but the Hilton has secure underground parking which is closed off from the street).

Keyser

i've stayed at the hilton before so i don't quite mind the area the four points is in however i would have liked to stay at either the westin or sheraton....

the sheraton is showing no rooms available at all during my dates whereas the westin has prepaid rooms starting at €450 a night....that's a little more than what i'm willing to pay....thanks for the suggestion on getting in touch with the property directly....i'll definitely do that....

beltway

It might be simpler to contact SPG customer service, which is often able to book reward stays even when the website shows no availability for a given property. (I've encountered this myself, although not at the Westin Milano.)

MarkedMan

FWIW a car was parked on the street outside the Westin, back window smashed in in typical smash & grab fashion during our recent stay two weeks ago. Then again this happened to me in Hayes Valley here at home, too ...

TRAVELSIG

Milano is terrible for car vandalism.

I always choose an underground garage which has security and closes at night.

ckendall

A quick note on the wifi here that seems to be improved (and perhaps cheaper for those who have to pay, apparently 9E/day). A quick test showed 4.8M up and down speeds and no problems on skype last night so maybe things are better here.

AirTheory

Just checked in. Was upgraded from a junior suite to an executive corner suite with a steam room. Very nice view! The hotel seems a little dated but over all it's a nice property. That being said, I'm staying in one of the better rooms so I can't really have much to complain about!

AirTheory

Update: after staying 1 night here I would give it exactly 3.6 stars out of 5 (as would the SPG app). Shower didn't drain, faucet barely ran, no water pressure. Had to call maintaince twice. While it wasn't horrible I doubt I would ever really stay here again. I was charged an extra 50 euros to check in early, something I've found other hotels will accommodate, if possible, free of charge. Very excited for other spg options opening in Milan soon.

TRAVELSIG

In Milano nearly all hotels charge to check in early unless you are a very regular guest to a particular property. I do agree with you that there are many other options in Milano which come to mind as good choices.

AirTheory

I like the Rosa Grand, I've stayed there before and it was great. My loyalty (and desire to hit 50 nights for SNA's) led me to stay at the Westin. Sigh, never again

TRAVELSIG

If you want to stay with SPG in Milano and you are Gold or Platinum the choice is typically the Diana Majestic.

If you don't want to stay with SPG there are many Milano hotels- the area around Navigli for example has some interesting choices.

gfunkdave

Just stayed at the Westin Palace Milan last weekend. It was overall a nice experience. It felt perhaps just a little dated, but not awful. I thought it was kind of odd that they escorted us to the room on checkin - haven't had that happen in the past unless I asked for help with luggage.

The bathroom did smell slightly of sewage. I think the U trap in the bidet kept drying out. The showerhead needed to be cleaned - it didn't really have good flow.

Wifi was nice and fast - and free. They tried charging me for it, but I pointed out that they had told me it would be free when I checked in, and they removed the charge.

The bar made a good cappuccino in the morning too.

canon5dfan

Does this apply to the Excelsior Hotel Gallia too?

I have a night reserved there - only staying 1 night in Milan and am wondering if I'd get better value staying here instead? 12k vs 20k Starpoints.

The only sightseeing I plan to do is the Last Supper so not sure if location to the duomo is important. Can you all give your input on how they treat Plats and if you do recommend this hotel whether I should use a SNA?

mauld

I am Gold and just had a one night stay at the Excelsior Gallia this past week. I arrived around 11am and was told that I'd been upgraded to a Signature Suite, but it was not yet ready. I was then given the choice of waiting or getting a upgraded room immediatly. There was no mention of an extra fee for early arrivals. As I had plans (tour of the Last Supper), I opted to wait and took the suite. I was told I could check back at 1pm to see if it was ready, but I didn't get back to the hotel until closer to 6pm-- at which time I was escorted up to a fantastic suite. You will also get the free breakfast without any problem. Again, I'm only Gold and was told I that as my SPG gift, I could choose between the free breakfast or points.
The hotel is literally just across from the main Central FS train station and with easy access to the metro.