Magnificence in Milan: Staying at the Mandarin Oriental
by Krish Patel
Within the heart of Milan is a luxurious hotel property outfitted with gorgeous rooms, fine dining establishments, and spacious facilities. It captures the modern luxury of the city blending comfort with the signature pleasing aesthetics present in Mandarin Oriental hotels. If you’re planning a hotel stay in the Fashion Capital, then the Mandarin Oriental Milan should be one on your list.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Location and Convenience
If you’re visiting Milan, chances are you’re flying into Malpensa, the main international airport serving the city. MXP is a 45-minute drive from the hotel and an Uber will typically cost 115 to 200 Euros (approximately $134 to $234).
The Mandarin Oriental is walking distance from the city’s fashion district, providing easy access to several high-end shops. Additionally, the property is also walking distance from famous landmarks like the Duomo and the Galleria, which is packed with excellent shops, cafés, and restaurants.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Lobby, Amenities, and Ambiance
Upon arriving at the hotel, I was greeted by an elegant and luxurious lobby with desks for the concierge and receptionist. The lobby’s furniture adopts an inviting blue color palette and some of the couches come with throw pillows. Additionally, the shelves are well-decorated with coffee table books and vases. In each of the lobby’s seating areas, the floor is separated by a carpet to give off a cozy and comfortable look.
Down one level are all of the wellness facilities, including a pool, gym, and spa. All of them can be found along a stunning corridor complete with a soothing water feature. The spa includes a steam room and sauna, but the treatments are not complimentary. All of the spa treatments involve ancient Feng Shui principles, with soothing touches in the spa’s design that take inspiration from fire, water, and wood.
Unlike the spa, using the pool and gym are both complimentary. Compared to many other hotel gyms, the one at the Mandarin Oriental Milan is on the smaller side. It’s still very functional and includes several bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, and weights.
Mandarin Oriental’s pool is absolutely beautiful, featuring poolside day couches, dark gray curtains, and light blue pool tiles. It’s great for swimming laps or relaxing thanks to its long size. The darker color palette surrounding the pool is complimented well by dim lighting.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Rooms
The Mandarin Oriental Milan has 104 rooms and suites across five floors. Even the standard rooms are quite big and spacious, with contemporary furniture and a plush bed topped with soft white cottons.
Immediately once you enter the room, a mini bar can be found to the left. It includes a coffee machine, cold fridge with soft drinks, and an assorted snack selection with sweet and savory items. The water bottle provided is supplied from Aqua Panna and comes with a dedicated drinking glass.
Once you enter the main bedroom space, you'll notice two twin beds, a TV, and a desk. The desk comes with a working chair and plush couch accented by throw pillows. It’s a wonderful size for either working or dining in the room. Provided on the table itself is a wired phone, reading light, and note pad.
Both beds are placed atop a gray carpet with purple accents. To the front of each bed is a brown leather chair, in between which is a bouquet of fresh orchids. Nightstands can be found at either bed and include Italian outlets and controls for the room’s lighting. During the day, the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows allow for plenty of natural light.
Adjacent to the bedroom area is the bathroom, which is very spacious. It includes an oval-shaped tub complete with luxurious bath products and two sinks. There are also dedicated rooms for the toilet and shower. I love the black marble wall that’s complimented by the sconce lighting around the mirror.
Hanging in the bathroom upon entry were two bathrobes and several towels, each branded with the Mandarin Oriental logo.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Dining Experience
The property has two restaurants, each found in the lobby. Mandarin Garden is the hotel’s casual restaurant with a breakfast buffet, while Seta (two Michelin Stars) offers fine dining. Unfortunately, the latter was closed during my visit in August.
Mandarin Garden still offers exceptional food, with an extensive buffet consisting of sweet and savory items. Buffet options included assorted breads, fruits, cheeses, pastries, and dishes like shakshuka and falafel. It’s also possible to order from the á la carte menu, which was also quite lengthy.
Within Mandarin Garden is a stunning bar offering cocktails after 2:00 PM. The bar displays an eye-catching black marble countertop and hanging light fixture.
There are several seating areas within the main restaurant, each of which feel very cozy. You can choose from couch seating and plush leather dining chairs. Some of the seating even extends outside onto an outdoor terrace. It’s the perfect spot for a meal in the Sun when the weather is pleasant.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Service
Every minute of my stay at the Mandarin Oriental in Milan was great, all thanks to the wonderful service provided by the hotel staff. Shortly after arriving at the hotel, I was given a warm welcome and offered a cold towel and beverage. Throughout my stay, they were always kind and friendly, always asking how I was doing whenever I left the hotel to go out into the city.
Mandarin Oriental Milan Booking Details
The Mandarin Oriental is one of the most expensive hotels in Milan, with Superior Rooms (the entry-level rooms) costing upwards of $1,000 per night. In order to maximize your purchase, it’s best to book through a travel portal such as Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or Capital One’s Premier Collection using an eligible credit card. Qualifying cards include the Platinum Card from American Express (for Fine Hotels and Resorts) and the Capital One Venture X (for the Premier Collection).
Booking through one of the hotel portals makes it possible to enjoy a host of extra benefits such as an on-property credit for $100, room upgrades, early check-in, and late check-out. It’s even possible to earn points on your purchase. The Amex Platinum earns five points per dollar when spending through the Fine Hotels portal, while the Capital One Venture X earns 10 points per dollar when booking through the Premier Collection.
Overall Thoughts
While on the expensive side, the Mandarin Oriental Milan offers a luxurious guest experience with spacious rooms, excellent dining, and wellness facilities meant to help guests relax and recharge. Even the standard rooms are very spacious and comfortable compared to many other hotels, which will leave guests feeling impressed. When booking your stay, it’s best to do so through a travel portal so that you can maximize your purchase.