Palazzo Segreti

Rooms

The décor in the 18 rooms varies wildly: sleek elegance with petrol-blue walls and contemporary wooden furniture in one, breezy Spartan chic in the next, industrial minimalism with cool-grey concrete in another. There’s even country romance in one of the Junior Suites (12), with antiques, vintage rugs and a four-poster.

All rooms have kingsize or twin beds, WiFi, safe boxes, phones, TVs, minibars and a designer chair or two. Bathrooms (some open-plan) are spacious, bright and ultra-modern, with rain showers, hairdryers, fluffy white cotton towels and fabulous organic toiletries by L'Occitane.

Most rooms fall into the Standard category, and I stayed in one of these: the all-white Room 3, which was very comfortable and zen, with painted floorboards and brick walls. Also lovely is Room 5, which has a small courtyard-facing balcony, and the super-modern grey-and-white Room 4, which is very popular with guests and would definitely be my first choice.

If you can afford to splurge a bit, get one of the 3 Junior Suites or the sole Suite, all a bit larger with separate sitting areas. The all-grey Suite (8) is truly stunning, with dramatic décor and a large Jacuzzi bathtub by the bed, as is the ultra-classy, colourful Junior Suite 18, which has a huge tub in its ensuite. I was less keen on the dark mood of Junior Suite 6 and found its black tub a tad dingy, though its modern four-poster is certainly appealing. Note that Junior Suite 12 has no tub.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Minibar/fridge
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is included in the room rate. It’s a relatively simple Italian affair with cereal, a range of breads, yoghurts and spreads, fresh fruit, several delicious homemade cakes (almond, apple, raspberry) and savoury tartlets. Cooked options are limited to eggs any style; I had the omelette, which was rich, tasty and served with cherry tomatoes.

No other meals are available at the hotel, but delivery from a nearby restaurant can be arranged on request (except Mondays), and The Winery bar is an excellent place for an aperitivo or nightcap. It carries a selection of fine wines from Tuscany and Sardinia, as well as a few cocktails.

There’s no shortage of great eateries on the doorstep. Pescheria da Claudio (Via Cusani 1) is a casual, very popular fish restaurant a short walk from the hotel; for hearty, traditional Italian food and an old-fashioned atmosphere, head to Emilia & Carlo (Via Guiseppe Sacchi 8) or Trattoria Milanese (Viale Gorizia 30; known for its excellent ossobuco). Truffle lovers should check out Tartufotto (Via Cusani 8), a contemporary truffle bar, restaurant and shop whose products also make great take-home gifts. If a quick sandwich fix is all you’re after, then try De Santis (Corso Magenta 9), a wildly popular hole in the wall with over 200 sandwich concoctions.

Features include:

• Minibar/fridge
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Visit the Duomo, which took 500 years to complete, and check out the panoramic views from the roof
  
• Go shopping! Head to the designer boutiques of the Quadrilatero d’Oro and the beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and fully expect to remortgage your house when your credit card bill arrives
  
• If antiques, vintage clothing and boho-chic are more up your alley, then head to the Brera district, particularly the area around Via Madonnina
  
• Catch a performance at Milan’s world-famous opera house, La Scala
  
• Take a stroll through the antiques market along the Grand Canal in the Navigli area, which happens on the last Sunday of every month
  
• Explore the city on 2 wheels - there are rental bikes right outside the hotel
  
• View ‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci, considered the greatest Renaissance painting ever and on display at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Pre-booking is essential
  
• Take a day trip to beautiful Lake Como, just over an hour from central Milan by train. Board a boat cruise across the water, and stop at the scenic village of Bellagio for lunch

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets
• Wine tasting

Kids

The hotel accepts children of all ages, and baby cots and extra beds can be provided in some Deluxe Rooms for an extra charge. However, neither the layout of the rooms nor the tiny stairwell or lift make it particularly suitable for families, and we’d say it’s best suited to couples or friends travelling together.

Family friendly accommodation:

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The hotel is in the centre of Milan, in northern Italy. It’s a few minutes’ walk from the Duomo and other major sights, and near the Cordusio and Cairoli Castello metro stations.

By Air:
Linate (10km away) is the closest airport, but most flights to Milan land at Malpensa, 50km outside the city. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
Private transfers can be arranged (see Rates), or you can take a taxi. It's easy to take public transport from Malpensa though: catch the express train or shuttle bus, both of which will run you straight into the city's Stazione Cadorna or Stazione Centrale in around 50 minutes. From there you can walk or jump on the metro.

By Train:
The imposing Stazione Centrale is served by high-speed links from most major cities in Italy, and Stazione Cadorna has trains out to Lake Como. Trenitalia is the Italian state railway and you can prebook tickets and see schedules online. Validate your ticket by stamping it in the yellow machine on the platform before boarding.

By Car:
We don’t recommend driving in Milan - the streets are clogged with traffic and it’s easy to explore on foot or by public transport. If you do want a car to explore the wider area, see our car rental recommendations. The hotel has valet parking (reserve in advance).

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Italy and getting around