Milan, from La Scala to the Quadrilatero
Milan keeps its grand hotels within a few streets of each other. They stand in the palazzi around La Scala and Via Manzoni, along the four streets of the Quadrilatero della Moda, at the edge of Brera, and out toward the new towers of Porta Nuova and the station. We looked at every serious address in the city and kept only those whose service holds up to the palazzo. One holds five-star standing; the nine beside it are four-star addresses that enter on their four-star standing and, where they hold them, their MICHELIN Keys, listed at exactly the tier they hold. Ten made the cut.
Luxury hotels in Milan
10 hotels
Quadrilatero della Moda & Brera
The fashion quarter and, beside it, the old artists' quarter of Brera – with seven of the ten hotels. The four streets of the fashion quarter – Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant'Andrea and Via Manzoni – have La Scala at one corner. Across Via Manzoni, Brera keeps its Pinacoteca and its botanical garden.
The neighborhoods
Quadrilatero della Moda & Brera
The fashion quarter and, beside it, the old artists' quarter of Brera – with seven of the ten hotels. The four streets of the fashion quarter – Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant'Andrea and Via Manzoni – have La Scala at one corner. Across Via Manzoni, Brera keeps its Pinacoteca and its botanical garden.
Duomo & Galleria
The cathedral, its piazza and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – with one hotel, beside the Galleria. The Galleria runs from the Duomo through to Piazza della Scala, and the Museo del Novecento stands on the square.
Porta Nuova & Centrale
The new Milan, between Piazza della Repubblica and Milano Centrale – with two of the ten hotels. Here rise the towers around Piazza Gae Aulenti and the Bosco Verticale; Milano Centrale is the station for Venice, Florence, Rome and the lakes.
Good to know
Which are the five-star hotels in Milan?
One. The five-star hotel we list in Milan is Mandarin Oriental, Milan. Alongside it we keep nine four-star addresses, each listed at exactly the tier it holds: Bvlgari Hotel Milano; Four Seasons Hotel Milano; Portrait Milano; Grand Hotel et de Milan; Hotel Principe di Savoia, Dorchester Collection; Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa; Armani Hotel Milano; Park Hyatt Milano; and Excelsior Hotel Gallia, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan. Each has its own page, reached from the list above, with a concierge behind every stay.
Which part of Milan should I stay in?
Seven of the ten sit in the Quadrilatero della Moda and at the edge of Brera – Mandarin Oriental, Milan, Armani Hotel Milano and Grand Hotel et de Milan around Via Manzoni and La Scala, Four Seasons Hotel Milano on Via Gesù, Portrait Milano on Corso Venezia, Bvlgari Hotel Milano and Palazzo Parigi Hotel & Grand Spa where the fashion streets meet Brera. Park Hyatt Milano stands beside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a minute from the Duomo. Hotel Principe di Savoia, Dorchester Collection on Piazza della Repubblica and Excelsior Hotel Gallia, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan facing Milano Centrale are the two for the station, the Porta Nuova towers and an early train. Choose the Quadrilatero for the shops and La Scala on foot; the Duomo for the cathedral at the door; Porta Nuova and Centrale for the trains and the new skyline.
When is the best season for Milan?
Milan fills by the calendar rather than the weather. Fashion Week in late February and again in late September, and the Salone del Mobile in April, take every room in the city and are booked months ahead – if you want those weeks, book early. April to June and September to October are otherwise the pleasant months: mild days, the parks and the Navigli in use, the terraces open. July and August are hot and humid, and the city empties around Ferragosto in mid-August, when many shops and restaurants close for their own vacations. Winter is gray and often foggy, but the opera season opens at La Scala on 7 December, the feast of Sant'Ambrogio, and the Christmas weeks are lively.
Do I need a car in Milan?
No. The center is compact and largely on foot – from the Quadrilatero to the Duomo is ten minutes, to Brera five – and the metro and the trams cover the rest; a car in the center means the Area C charge and very little parking. Malpensa, the intercontinental airport, is about fifty minutes by car, or the Malpensa Express train from Milano Centrale or Cadorna; Linate, the city airport, is a short drive east. For Lake Como, Bergamo or the outlets, the hotel arranges a driver; for Venice, Florence and Rome, the high-speed trains from Milano Centrale beat the road.
How do I reserve a stay?
Search your dates on the hotel's page to see reference rates, then send the concierge a request. The concierge confirms exact rates and availability with you before anything is booked, and any payment and its timing are set out before you confirm.
