Best hotels in Milan: where to stay when visiting the World Fashion Capital

Milan is often referred to as the World Fashion Capital, due to its historical reputation in design and fashion style. But the city also offers art, culture, traditions and events, not to mention one of the most vibrant nightlife in Italy. 

So, which are the best hotels in Milan where we can set out and enjoy all its beautiful attractions? Let’s find out together on a journey through the main neighborhoods in search of the perfect place to explore the city.

Boutiques, jewellers, exclusive clothing, furniture and design shops: this is what we can find in the district known as Quadrilatero della Moda, enclosed within Via Monte Napoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga and Corso Venezia

The Quadrilatero della Moda is a real mecca for luxury shopping enthusiasts, among historic buildings that host prestigious brand stores or events of the famous Milan Fashion Week.

The hotels in this area are very refined and luxurious, with prices increasing accordingly. It’s the ideal place to stay if shopping is our main reason for visiting Milan, and if we do not mind paying a little more to have access to particularly classy services.

The Corner Duomo Hotel is a perfect accommodation both because of the elegance of its rooms and furnishings, and for the presence of a spa with sauna, jacuzzi, emotional shower and more. This hotel is located outside the Quadrilateral area, but only 200 meters from Via Monte Napoleone, the most famous shopping street of the city and one of the most "expensive" of the world.

The Hotel Manzoni is located in Via Santo Spirito, right in the heart of the district, halfway between Via Monte Napoleone and Via della Spiga. This hotel also offers a luxury accommodation, with a discreet value for money when compared to the cost of rooms in other hotels of this area. An additional convenience is the presence of the metro stop M3 Montenapoleone at less than 300 meters.

Brera is a district rich in art and culture, home to the Academy of Fine Arts and the Pinacoteca di Brera, a splendid and famous national museum of ancient and modern art. We are located just north of the Teatro alla Scala, not far from Piazza Duomo, which is easily accessible on foot, and near the Castello Sforzesco.

In this area we can find many venues, in particular a lot of restaurants of the Milanese tradition. In Brera there are also many art galleries which, together with the presence of the students of the Academy, contribute to create a sort of bohemian and picturesque atmosphere.

Two of the best hotels in the area are located slightly north of the heart of the district, a short walk from the metro stop M2 Moscova. These are the Urban Hive Milano and the Vmaison Brera Milano.

The first is a 4-star hotel located under the arcades of Corso Garibaldi, a street full of shops, galleries and restaurants, and very lively in the evening. Among the services offered, we point out in particular the excellent breakfast buffet, generally very appreciated by guests, and the possibility to bring your pets into the room with a small supplement. The price of the rooms is less challenging than the hotels around Piazza Duomo or in the Quadrilatero della Moda area, but keep in mind that we are still a short distance from the center, so the costs will not be trivial.

The Maison Brera Milano hotel, for example, has a slightly higher price, also justified by its 5 stars (and by the nice entrance garden). The location is basically the same as the Urban Hive, just a little further west, near Parco Sempione, where there’s also the Arena Civica dedicated to the great journalist Gianni Brera.

Finally, for visitors who like to discover neighborhoods different from the usual tourist routes, the Isola district can be a great alternative, not only for accommodation but also to spend some pleasant evenings.

In fact, it’s an area that has developed a lot in the last decade, with the opening of countless venues frequented by a young and fashionable customer base. To reach Isola, we have to go towards the northern part of Milan, leaving behind the Biblioteca degli Alberi and the skyscrapers of Piazza Gae Aulenti.

Most of the hotels, however, are not located within the neighborhood, but just outside, near the station of Milan Porta Garibaldi, which is a sort of gateway to Isola, making it very convenient to travel by public transport from here to other parts of the city.

A very beautiful and elegant design hotel is undoubtedly the Hotel Tocq, which has the lowest price among all the accommodations we have seen so far, but still offers a very refined atmosphere, with modern and spacious rooms. In addition, the hotel is located just 100 meters from the famous pubs and discos of Corso Como, while to enter the trendiest area of Isola we need to go just past the station.

A short distance away there’s also the last hotel on our list, Milano Verticale | UNA Esperienze. This hotel, in particular, has a fitness and wellness center, a bar with a very refined garden, and a private garden of 1000 m².

Different accommodations, in different areas of the city, all united by the ability to offer visitors to Milan the most suitable and personalized services, to live the best experience while travelling in the World Fashion Capital.