Hotel Atena

The converted building was lovely, and I slept amazingly in its simple, comfortable bed. It’s an apartment on the second floor turned into several single rooms, with views of a lush courtyard below and balconies around it. The area is lively, with restaurants and bars nearby. The location is handy: a 20-minute walk to El Duomo, even less to some of the best gelato in the country, and two metro stations within stumbling distance. It’s an eight-minute Uber ride to Linate airport. Milano Centrale station takes 25 minutes on foot, and an Uber is only a little quicker. The shower gets very hot, though squeezing through an awkward, very tight double door to reach it is a challenge. There’s a dangerous step down into the room from the hall and washroom. The door is very thin, and I could hear every door closing and footsteps in the hall, which I imagine could be difficult when it’s busier.

We found this a good choice for a weekend. The staff were extremely kind, and the place was very clean throughout. Our room overlooked a quiet green courtyard; the bed was comfortable, though the shower was a bit tiny. It’s modest accommodation in a nice part of the city. You might prefer breakfast at one of the artisan bakeries nearby.

It’s a budget friendly hotel, but the bed was really a repurposed bunk bed, and they didn’t even provide a duvet. That’s a first for us in a hotel. They gave us a blanket instead. A loud group in the corridor sounded as if they were talking in our room. The sound insulation is unbelievably bad.

The location is great, and the staff were friendly and helpful, probably the best part of the hotel. We weren’t disappointed because you get what you pay for. What bothered us was the lack of soundproofing, especially since our room was extremely close to reception, which felt awkward. The bathroom was tiny too, and there was no shower caddy for soap and shampoo.