A Weekend at Park Hyatt Milano
I have a lot of relations with Milan and visit the Italian city quite regularly. Having seen some of the more remarkable luxury hotels already, one of the most impressive properties was still missing. Just recently reopened, the Park Hyatt Milan now sparkles as the most fashionable five-star hotel in Milan – despite the high number of direct competitors and hotels by a-list designers. Park Hyatt is one of my favourite hospitality brands out there and I loved my stays in Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing. The design is very distinctive and it doesn’t have the corporate branding feel of let’s say a Grand Hyatt or Hyatt Regency. However, the Park Hyatt Milan stands out a bit, also due to its small size, reminding more of a boutique hotel rather than a member of an international hotel chain. This Hyatt-managed property generally fits Milan like no other Park Hyatt fits a city. This December weekend, my friend and I were heading to Milan for leisure reasons and to shop for a few last Christmas gifts. At least we thought Milan is a good idea for Christmas inspiration and to perfectly get into the festive mood. And we couldn’t have been more right with our hotel selection.
Let’s face the most impressive fact first: Park Hyatt Milan has hands down the best location a hotel in Milan can have, directly at the entrance of the Galleria and just one block from the Piazza Duomo. I mean there is another five-star hotel inside the Galleria. Still, theoretically, Park Hyatt lies closer to the Duomo and therefore earns the reputation of the best-located luxury hotel in Milan. Once we arrived by car, we were immediately welcomed by two bellmen and helped with the luggage. Check-in was extremely efficient and fast. Within a few minutes of having driven into the hotel’s own driveway, we were already accompanied to our lovely Junior Suite. We were immediately blown away by the massive amounts of travertine stone used inside the property and how perfectly designer Ed Tuttle combined the fabrics and furniture with the typical-Italian stone. While I see many similarities to the Park Hyatt Paris, which is designed by Ed Tuttle too, I felt that the interiors of Park Hyatt Milan were more intimate and matched the surrounding of the hotel a lot better.
Having mentioned that the Park Hyatt Milan just completed a general refurbishment, I was more than excited to be staying in one of the latest Suites to be finished already (at the time of writing the review, the Signature Suites on the top floor were still in construction). Our room was exactly what I would call a Junior Suite since it had an open-layout living- and bedroom. However, some other hotels might call this room a classic suite considering the square meters and size of the bathroom. The high ceilings, the light colour of the furniture and the bright wooden floors made the Junior Suite look state-of-the-art and out of the latest issue of Architectural Digest. A comfy sofa in bouclé fabric with an adjacent armchair was the centrepiece of the semi-separate living room with a mosaic-tiled coffee table that had an array of welcome amenities on it. Right in time to settle before dinner, we enjoyed the welcome bottle of Tuscan red wine by my favourite winery Petra (which for sure has to be a very fortunate coincidence). On the right side was a cabinet with a coffee machine, the minibar and a selection of complimentary water.
As mentioned earlier, we were super impressed with the vast layout of the Junior Suite with the most sumptuous bathroom ever seen in Milan. A free-standing bathtub with a separate glass-enclosed shower, super-chic double vanities, a stylish make-up desk, lots of wardrobe space, a separate toilet with bidet as well as two sets of full-size toiletries. There is quite an interesting story behind the bath amenities. While most Park Hyatt properties nowadays come with Le Labo toiletries, Park Hyatt Milan has got generously sized 150ml products by Italian perfumer Laura Tonatto – the smell is very unique and it is only available at this hotel which makes the products quite unique as I find. Honestly, they were the perfect addition to an already perfect suite and fit the pre-Christmas getaway perfectly thanks to the sweet scent. Overall housekeeping was also beyond excellent and did an incredible job. Another stunning factor was that we never encountered any noise from neighbours or outside the hotel. Even though we had a view of the courtyard (by the way a perfectly styled one), we really enjoyed the tranquillity that this view comes with. The layout of the rooms is the secret behind the fact that one cannot hear the neighbouring rooms.
Being in Milan for leisure this time, we both were not in a rush. This was the reason why we enjoyed dinner at Langosteria – a classic when it comes to the best seafood in Milan and met a fashionable crowd. After discovering what Milan has to offer post-dinner, we decided to explore the spa the next day. Thanks to the relaxing vibes and romantic lighting of the Park Hyatt Milan’s spa, this was the exact right place for us to spend this Saturday afternoon rather than rushing through La Rinascente getting last-minute Christmas gifts. There is a small jacuzzi with gold mosaics, a steam bath in the men’s changing room, three lounge chairs and a spacious gym for a bit of city relaxation. The entire spa was wonderfully decorated, there was a buffet with snacks and cookies as well as a tea station, so we didn’t miss anything during our time at the spa. After getting ready for another night in the bustling capital of Lombardy, we headed towards a new restaurant recommended by the fabulous Concierge team of the Park Hyatt. Yapa is definitely a restaurant not to be missed for design aficionados and lovers of Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. If you want to extend your evening, you should pass by The Fisher afterwards for another round of drinks or late-night oysters. Just make sure to arrange a car back to the hotel beforehand, as we learned the hard way that it is impossible to get cabs or Ubers after midnight in rainy Milan.
Another highlight of the hotel, besides the amazing design and stunning location, is the breakfast at La Cupola. While of the highest quality, the products displayed and offered a la carte were not topping the service personnel. First of all, a friendly lady who seemed to be the Maitre was making sure we had the best breakfast ever – and I hardly had a better first meal of the day before. When we didn’t order any egg dish, she offered me other options and even brought us a surprise dish which blew our minds. I never thought what a difference such a personality can make in a hotel breakfast experience. Even when I wouldn’t stay at Park Hyatt Milan the next time I am around, I will for sure head to La Cupola and enjoy breakfast in this perfect setting. Hands down, this was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had at a hotel. We are not talking about the huge selection but rather the perfect quality and high level of customer orientation. Speaking of which, the entire team was perfectly managed and every staff member did greet us in a friendly way and went above and beyond to create a memorable time for us. Honestly, this stay was much better than we ever expected - even though I knew what to expect from a Park Hyatt property.
Disclaimer: The stay was provided by the Park Hyatt Milano and we were guests of the hotel for editorial purposes. However the above written has not been influenced and represents the author’s own opinion.
