Rating
"Budget hotel with 5* service!!!!" Well what can I say, this hotel definitely lived up to our expectations and in some cases exceeded them! The room was well presented, clean and had everything we needed. We stayed for a long weekend from Wednesday - Tuesday and it cost EUR484/GBP330. Definitely value for money when you take in to consideration how much other hotels in the area cost! We flew in to Malpansa with Easyjet and got the shuttle bus for EUR5.00 to Stazione Centrale. There is a taxi rank just outside the entrance to get you to your hotel. The staff were nice and friendly and available 24-7, the majority also spoke excellent English. Even when our plughole in the shower became a little blocked ( drained slowly ) we only had to ask once on our way out and it was fine when we returned. Each room has their own air con control - which was a relief after a day shopping/sight seeing. Temperatures between 35-40 degress every day!!! The Lobby was great for an early drink or a nightcap and had a good variety of drinks at reasonible prices. And when the court yard is finished it will be a lovely place to enjoy a few! If you fancy a pizza - reception will order one in for you, we did and it arrived within 15 mins. They also have a direct phone link to a local taxi firm, which they will call for you, and it will arrive in minutes. The longest we had to wait was 3 mins! However don't be surprised if you see a big difference between fares. When we went out at night we took a taxi and the fare differed between EUR5.00 and EUR10.00 and each trip covered the same distance. And don't attempt a taxi in rush hour - expect to pay nearer to EUR15.00!!! To be honest you are better of walking to 'SONDRIO' metro station and paying EUR1.00 to get to your destination. It's approx a 15min walk down down a main street. Worth it if you can stop and get a delicious ice cream in one of the little shops - made from fresh fruit - yummy!! But after a few days sight seeing and shopping your feet may not be able to take it - you can expect to cover miles if you want to see everything. Which we did and have the blisters to prove it! The public transport system is great and you can get pretty much anywhere in the city in minutes. We found the best places to get off the metro and explore for shopping were Via Montenapoleone, Duomo and San Babila. At these stops you will see the best of Prada, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, YSL, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Louis Vuitton and many more. We did venture to Corso Buenos Aires but were disappointed as it was a busy street with hardly any appeal. Its ok if you want to do a load of outlet shopping but we wanted to see the boutiques and top designers so we were in the wrong place. For a nice meal I'd recommend Armani Nobu ( Via Montenapoleone) which is an amazing Japanese restaurant. Very exquisite! ( Don't forget to go there in the day as the Armani store covers several floors and is FAB! ). I'd also recommend visiting Corso Como ( Porta Garibaldi FS) for bars. We dined at Corso Como 10 which has a very lovely court yard which is surprisingly discreet and romantic for a busy street. Both of these restaurants are quite pricey so expect to pay approx EUR130 for 2 people to eat and drink. But when you're saving on accommodation, you have more money for these kind of treats! There are just a few more things that I should mention. 1) Always carry a map with you ( free from reception, get them to mark where you are) as the hotel is new and some taxi drivers will not know where you want to go. 2) Make sure you have your confirmation as I booked on the website and there was a special offer, but the hotel system still had full price - this was easily resolved when I showed them. 3) Try not to go to breakfast too early or too late as there will be limited amounts of food avail. We found best time was around 0830. If there is something missing that you would like don't be afraid to ask. The girls are helpful and will get it if they have any left. 4) GET YOURSELF A GUIDEBOOK - They are invaluable in a city like Milan - We couldn't have done without ours! 5) If you plan to visit the Duomo, make sure your knees and shoulders are covered as security is strict and you will be turned away. ( no shorts or vests) Ciao!!

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