Tag: italy

Milan, Italy ~ Senato Hotel Milano

September 2024

In a fashionable and sophisticated city like Milan, the experience of searching for a hotel is an embarrassment of riches. Beyond international chains like the Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons, Milan hosts dozens of smaller independent hotels that, in our exploration, looked promising. In the end – and following the advice of Condé Nast and its “best boutique hotel” designation – we chose Senato Hotel Milano.

A private residence turned hotel

Senato Hotel is the former home of the Ranza family, who converted their neo-classical residence on Via Senato into a hotel and now operate the 43-room property. We arrived via taxi from Milan’s central train station and stepped from the almost-always bustling street (Via Senato is one of the roads that rings central Milan) into a tranquil lobby that adjoins the central courtyard, the expanse of which is covered by a shallow reflecting pool. Because we were quite early and our room wasn’t ready, we settled into the garden space of the café for a cappuccino and the “salad everyone loves” (we loved it too) before checking into our room. On our way back to the registration desk, we paused to admire the tillandsia collection, which is tended by Milan-based gardener-landscape duo Bonanomi Benatti.

Our hideaway on the top floor

As we exited the elevator on the top floor, we were greeted by a skylit corridor with angled roof beams and only one other room besides ours. We felt a little like we had been given a passkey to a secret attic chamber. Our room at the end of the hall – the Senato Junior Suite –  was really three rooms: a living space with daybed, desk, coffee and tea bar, and large closets; a bedroom with a big terrace, and a beautiful Carrara marble bathroom with a separate water closet.

In our suite, the white floors, walls, and beamed ceilings served as a neutral and cheery palette to highlight the custom-designed furnishings made by Milanese craftspeople and well-chosen lighting and accessories. The room felt clean and uncluttered, and we appreciated that every surface wasn’t covered with something. This allowed the architectural elements of the room to shine, and we loved that the structure of the building was incorporated into the room’s design. (Side note: On this holiday, we had an unplanned overnight in Amsterdam, and were able to stay in one of our very favorite hotels, The Dylan. The room at The Dylan was also on the hotel’s top floor and featured attic-like ceiling lines with exposed beams. Both Senato and The Dylan do a fabulous job of capitalizing on a building’s architecture.)

Form following function

When we’re staying somewhere for more than one night, we like to unpack and stow away our luggage, which is never more than two carry-ons and a backpack. The large closets in our suite featured drawers, shelves, and hanging space that allowed us to put our clothes and our bags behind closed doors. In the bathroom, a long vanity with two sinks provided room for both of us, and we appreciated the separate water closet with toilet, bidet, and free-standing sink. The bedroom – also simple but beautiful – was oriented toward the terrace and the courtyard; we loved sleeping with the doors open and couldn’t hear any of the activity down below.

Four standouts

Our room featured two dormer windows oriented toward Via Senato: one in the living room and the second adjoining the jacuzzi tub and shower. The particular location of the windows in relationship to the rest of the building was the topic of some debate because we couldn’t see them from the street, but we eventually concluded, based on the footprint of the 5th floor, that they were likely set back from the rest of the building. Both of these windows were encased in short walls, and a lovely little tree – perhaps a maple or plumb – was planted outside each one.

When we were at the hotel in early October, the trees were just beginning to change color for autumn. Taking a bath or shower in a rooftop room with a view out to a live tree made our suite feel like a sanctuary. We will note that neither these windows facing the street nor the glass doors to the terrace afforded any kind of panoramic view, but that didn’t bother us; after all, a view is what the terrace of the Duomo is for!

Our second favorite feature of the Senato suite was a marble sculpture that served as a speaker for playing music from our iPhones. The OVO amplifier worked so well that we were tempted to bring one home, and the hotel shop sells them, but carrying home something made of Carrara seemed a little weightier than what we had in mind.

Following the theme of design and function, we both loved the espresso machine that allowed for a customized espresso shot. And for one of us, the Dyson hair dryer and hair straightener – the equipment our hair stylist uses – felt luxurious and came in very handy on the days it rained.  

At the top of our list

We arrived in Milan after a short stay in Como at a vacation apartment that we found on the Plum Guide. While that experience was worth trying, we looked forward to checking into a hotel, and we were hopeful that our experience at Senato would match our expectations. It did; we loved everything about Senato. From the central location that provided easy access to all of Milan’s charm to the understated calm of our top floor oasis, everything worked. The Ranza family can certainly count us among its fans, and we can’t wait to return to get to know the hotel and Milan a little better.

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