In 2015, Mandarin Oriental made its debut in Italy by opening doors in Milan, taking over four 18th-century townhouses and unifying them as the Hong Kong brand’s first major play for the country’s considerable luxury sector. While Mandarin Oriental Lake Como was to follow a few years later, it makes perfect sense why this hotel group, known for fashionable accommodations and opulent public spaces, would choose Milan for its inaugural property. Read on for our full Mandarin Oriental Milan review to find out if it’s worth staying or not.
Elegance is expected and delivered in spades. While the Mandarin Oriental Milan feels rather boutique – there are only 70 rooms and 34 suites – and the reception quite small, clever design has made this property feel more expensive inside than it actually is. Key to this is the two internal courtyards, one of which has been turned into an all-day dining restaurant and one reserved as a common area for socialising.
While arriving at Mandarin Oriental Milan doesn’t invoke the same “wow factor” you’d get if you were approaching its sister hotel in Lake Como – for obvious reasons – there’s a really lush sense of occasion you’d get from driving up to the gate and being welcomed by
The discreet entrance is at the end of a side street jutting off one of the main strips of the area. This, of course, helps with the privacy but also means accessing all central Milan has to offer is just a straight shot through the doors and down the alley.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Review – Table Of Contents
Location
Uncompromising and perfectly central, Mandarin Oriental Milan offers one of the most convenient locations in the city.
You’re just a short walk to Via Monteanpoleone, one of the most expensive streets in the world lined with the emblematic boutiques from the likes of Loro Piana and Botegga Veneta, as well as the wider Quadrilatero district. To stay here is to pierce the very heart of Milan’s best shopping, which also means you’re a stone’s throw from La Scala Opera House, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duomo.
The location is important because, despite its central position, Mandarin Oriental Milan feels incredibly private and tucked away. Very few pedestrians would even notice the hotel’s entrance, but most locals know it for the acclaimed Seta. While I wasn’t able to dine at the acclaimed restaurant, Antonio Guida’s two Michelin-starred kitchen enjoys a solid reputation outside of Italy.
Design & Features
Classicism defines Mandarin Oriental Milan as designers have set out to make the hotel feel like an opulent Milanese residence. Homeliness is most certainly felt throughout the property, although I’d say most of the warmth is coming from the friendly, efficient service which I’ll discuss further down this Mandarin Oriental Milan review.
Italian design dominates but there are obvious pop of Eastern design found across the property, which has 70 beautifully-appointed guest rooms and 34 suites. Award-winning architect Antonio Citterio is responsible for how warm and welcoming everything feels, and most of his work is taken care of by the two aforementioned courtyards.
The most head-turning feature in the common areas is the black and white marble bar that you’d find just past reception. Well-stocked, well-serviced and capable of turning out fantastic classic cocktails in the blink of an eye, it’s one of the more valuable spots in the hotel, best paired with a visit to the fantastic and incredibly intimate spa.
Mandarin Oriental Milan’s 900-square-metre spa isn’t quite as unique as the one in the Lake Como property, but the diminutive size creates a really affecting sense of intimacy that helps greatly when you’re cacooned away by the small indoor swimming pool.
For a hotel group so immense, with a reputation for opulence and grand statements, Mandarin Oriental Milan reiterates the value of simplicity. Taking an ornate approach or overdressing the hotel would have easily taken away from the property’s considerable charm.
Rooms
Away from the vintage glamour of the common spaces, my Superior Room feels decidedly modern. That polished oak wood flooring certainly helps add a touch of luxury, constructed nicely against the pristine marble bathroom which has a large shower and separate tub, using the small space quite well with nothing feeling cramped despite this being the obvious entry category.
Having a neutral colour palette also mirrors how simple everything else throughout the hotel is. Nothing particularly pops here, and the room lacks the personality afforded by Lake Como’s sparkling views, but what it misses in views and a sense of place, it makes up for with supreme comfort.
Food & Drink
While Seta’s French and Italian influences mixed with tastes of the Orient have given Mandarin Oriental Milan a great reputation for food and drink, the Mandarin Bar & Bistrot is much more informal.
The best thing about this charming all-day eatery is that it doesn’t feel like a restaurant at all. You’re out in one of those leafy internal courtyards, soaking up the irrepressible atmosphere of guests and locals mingling while tucking into dishes like grilled octopus with mashed potatoes and pistachios. That was one of the dishes I tried alongside one of the pastas, and neither was particularly impressive. Certainly not what you’d expect from the prices, where even the hotel-standard club sandwich is €38 ($59).
Service
Mandarin Oriental has a reputation for excellent, nothing-is-impossible service and my stay left little doubt that it’s well-earned. I’ve stayed at three different Mandarin Oriental properties now, and all stood out dramatically when I think about hotels that left me with a refreshed appreciation for the art of hospitality.
Good service is subtle – as opposed to in your face – and makes you feel like people have put in actual effort to bring your stay much more meaning. Mandarin Oriental Milan defines that perfectly, and from ensuring the guest car was available so I didn’t have to fork out for a taxi, to those small, personalised greetings when I came and went, I checked out feeling genuinely cared for.
Verdict & Value
Price is an issue in Milan. Everything seems very expensive because it is. If I wanted to book a night at the Mandarin Oriental Milan this year, the entry-category room will run me on average AU$1,400 a night, give or take. That’s around the same price as a room at Mandarin Oriental Lake Como, but you replace that picture-perfect destination with just being in a really good location in Milan.
It then depends on what you value more, I guess. If you want to stay so close to Milan’s most expensive shops then it’s likely money would be no issue to you. In which case, $1,400 a night really isn’t too much to invest in such a fantastic hotel, where service is impeccable and the rooms couldn’t be any more comfortable.
That being said, $1,400 is an optimistic rate. Aussies love to travel to Italy during peak periods, over which prices will be considerably higher. It’s obviously much better to go during the shoulder seasons. I was there in early October.
Mandarin Oriental Milan
Address: Via Andegari, 9, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Contact: +39 02 8731 8888
The author, Chris Singh, stayed at Mandarin Oriental Milan as a guest of Mandarin Oriental.
Enjoyed our Mandarin Oriental Lake Como review? Check out our other hotel reviews around Italy:
- Belmond Villa San Michele, Florence
- COMO Castello Del Nero, Tuscany
- Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, Rome
- Forestis, The Dolomites
- Monastero Santa Rosa, Amalfi Coast
- Mandarin Oriental Lake Como
Mandarin Oriental Milan Review – Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best months to visit Milan?
The best months to visit Milan are April, June, September and October – that is, the shoulder seasons when Milan isn’t so crowded.
Is Mandarin Oriental Milan worth the money?
While you are paying a lot for a room at Mandarin Oriental Milan, you’re also in the perfect location for Milan with impeccable service and a high standard of comfort. So yes, the hotel is worth the money.
How much is a room at Mandarin Oriental Milan?
For Australian travellers, expect prices to start from $1,400 for a room at Mandarin Oriental Milan.
