Moon Palace Hotel

For the price, this is a good hotel, especially if you have a car. Elisa, Denice, and Jaja were wonderful, and their hospitality is why I’m giving it five stars. The hotel itself, by its own description, is more of a light four-star place. Thanks, Moon Palace, and best regards, Numan.

A handy place to stay when travelling through or passing by. There’s closed parking, and the rooms are tidy with what you need. The beds and pillows are on the firm side. The staff were very friendly, and the woman behind the bar makes all the breakfast sweets herself. They were lovely.

A great value stop if you’re on the road, and having a car also makes it a good base for visiting Milan. You can use the paid parking or park on the street. Breakfast was excellent, and Angelo’s cheerful service made the stay even better.

Arese is a small commuter town, not Milan, and there’s no train station. Reaching central Milan means taking a bus to one of two metro stations in nearby places, then riding the M1. Expect the trip to take about an hour. An Uber taxi to Milan costs around 40 euros, and rush-hour traffic can make the drive in either direction pretty awful. The hotel has been recently renovated, with basic but new rooms, and breakfast is basic but fine. It sits in a small 1970s shopping centre with a Chinese restaurant, a mediocre pizzeria, a bar, a general store, a DIY shop, a jeweller, and a small supermarket. If your main reason for staying is visiting Milan, this hotel isn’t a good choice. For a stay in the Arese area itself, it works, though it feels a bit expensive for the location.