Palazzo Delle Stelline Hotel

The suite was quite nice, with a large balcony, two rooms, and, more importantly, two separate air conditioning vents. I’d asked to upgrade from my superior single because that first room was very small and hot, and they offered the suite for a very good price. Sadly, they keep the air conditioning off from 4am until around 2pm, saying it’s a city rule, so the suite was unbearably hot, especially on the top floor. I travel a lot for work and holidays and have never had air conditioning limited like this before. The internet was unreliable too, which made things difficult since I work online constantly. This was my second stay. I first came last year for the Elton John concert and loved the hotel and area, so I’m really sad this important getaway went so badly.

The breakfast was fairly good and had plenty to choose from: juices, fresh and tinned fruit, tea, coffee and water, toast, croissants, cakes, ham and cold salad, bacon, and scrambled egg. Our room was okay, fairly spacious, with lots of sockets, a roomy wardrobe and clothing shelves, and a comfortable enough bed. The minibar was in the fridge, which still had room for our own drinks. The bathroom was tiny like the lift, though it was clean, the shower worked well, and there was a good hairdryer. The lift barely fits two people, so luggage makes it a squeeze. The decor photos are misleading, since they make the hotel look modern and well furnished. The furnishings are shabby and need an upgrade. The air conditioning was centrally controlled, which wasn’t mentioned when booking. With the temperature at 30, that was disappointing and important to us. The location is very central, with an open-top bus stop around the corner. It was fine for a two-night stay while exploring Milan, but I thought it was overpriced for what it offers.

The building was amazing, and my room was lovely. Breakfast had everything you need, and I was impressed with the accessible room, including its wet room and special needs toilet. The lift door was rather narrow, though. I didn’t ask if there was a freight lift, sorry. No complaints otherwise. The staff were extremely polite and spoke English. Fabulous city.

I’ve never stayed anywhere as dirty as this hotel. The entrance looked like a garbage dump, and inside there was rubbish, cigarette ends, and dirt all over the hall. It looked as if no one had cleaned it. The corridors were a construction site, the elevator didn’t work, and the rooms were terribly neglected and dirty. In ours, the toilet was loose from the floor and leaking water. The dryer was taped together, with wires sticking out, and the air conditioning didn’t work. There were lots of mosquitoes in the room. Breakfast was practically inedible: there was barely anything to eat, the plates were dirty, and tables weren’t cleaned regularly. The room terraces were a joke, with cigarettes and a stink everywhere. The owner’s photos on booking and Google don’t show what the place is really like. Don’t go there!