Mandarin Oriental, Milan

My husband and I stayed here a few nights on our way in and out of Milan. Everything about our experience was superb—especially the service and room. Luca from In Room Dining couldn’t have been funnier or more helpful and Giacomo, the concierge, was also extremely helpful. I hope we get the chance to stay here again.

The Mandarin Oriental in Milan shines in many ways: 1. The location - it’s tucked away on a side street away from the traffic and the potential tourists distractions 2. The decor - the decor in the room and throughout the hotel is inviting and warm, yet with a quiet sense of sophisticated glamour 3. The food option - the breakfast leaves the hotel guests wanting for nothing more, especially with its huge selection of pastries and a wide assortment of buffet-style options of protein, fruits, cereals, cheeses, etc.; on top of that, they also have an a la carte menu of other breakfast options for the guests to select from. The amazing selection of pastries and cakes, along with plentiful croissant options, was a real bonus for breakfast. Their all day menu and lunch / dinner menu also boast an excellent selection of options for various types of eaters - whether you enjoy beef, seafood, pasta, vegan/vegetarian, etc. 4. The people - whether it’s the staff opening the door for the guests or helping with the luggage, or the staff helping you check in or check out of the hotel, or the wonderful staff taking care of the guests at the restaurant, or the staff cleaning the room, or any other staff members working behind the scene to contribute to the excellent services seen throughout all aspects of the hotel - are the heart and soul of this hotel. - One clear example of this are the staff members in the hotel’s non-Michelin star restaurant. During our 4 nights of stay at the hotel, we were greeted with warmth and smiles from every member of the staff at the restaurant - that is over 4 breakfast meals, 1 lunch, 2 dinners, and a handful of afternoon drinks. They remembered our room number and names after the 1st breakfast or lunch that we had… and this includes members of staff that we did not met previously - it’s almost like they studied up on their guests. And shared details about their guests with each other to ensure everyone is familiar with the guests. They remembered what we had for beverages at our various meals, what condiments we needed before we even asked for them, where we preferred to sit, and the list goes on. This meticulous level of observation and service were all not expected by us, but were very much appreciated. We especially want to commend Paulo, Nicole, and Benedetta for taking such wonderful care of us, and also being so very patient with us. - There was an incident in which we were sitting in the garden for an early dinner the night before we checked out of the hotel, and a bee just wouldn’t leave us alone. Nicole was very patient (and another colleague of hers whose name I did not get) and accommodating with us in setting up a table inside the restaurant immediately in case we wanted to move inside to finish our meal - and that we did. She and David also arranged a very special dessert plate for us to send us off. Again, it was not expected at all, but we were very touched by the special gesture and the thought they put into it. - We would also like to highlight David for taking such good care of another table of guests who were having drinks near us that night. One of the guests felt that one of the ceiling lights focusing on her seat was a bit too bright. Despite not asking to having anything adjusted, David had a maintenance staff come with a ladder to adjust the angle of the light so that it was not focused on the guest’s seat. We can tell that the guest did not expect such attention and service, but was definitely very touched by the action that David took. There were so many other staff members at the restaurant that made us feel like home. They truly made our stay at the hotel a memorable and wonderful experience. Please thank them all for us once again.

We stayed here for a couple of nights. Check in and check out was efficient and prompt. All staff very friendly. Rooms spotless and well equipped with toiletries. Lots of charging points catering to UK and US plugs plus newer USBs. Very well located for an easy walk to Duomo, other sights and a plethora of restaurants. Concierge helpful with restaurant recommendations. Plenty of cafes nearby for a quick breakfast. A very comfortable stay.

Just stayed here for three nights, as a very experienced Mandarin Oriental Pearl member. The hotel had some great aspects, but also some aspects that could be improved. Location is great, could not be better for a tourist or a shopper / fine diner. Service was also great, very great in fact. Especially the doormen, concierge, and the reception staff. They new my name, roomnumber, car, and any cases we had discussed right away. It was so easy talking to them, as they always new what had been discussed and any details regarding any topic. The hotel lobby / yard literally felt like coming home, as it is so small and intimate and everyone greets you happily by name. I also had 2 shirts pressed at 10pm. They came back in 10 minutes, incredible. The only lacking part of the service was at breakfast, where it felt like they were heavily understaffed. Each morning we felt like we were forgotten to our table, glasses empty, plates piling up, no refills, no clean up, no asking if we wanted something else. Each morning I also had to go grab orange juice myself from their station, as no one ever came to refill despite asking. Otherwise breakfast was ok, but I still believe at that price point, all dishes should be included to complimentary breakfast. Or just raise the roomrate by 20€, but feels stupid to charge extra for a pancake, that most hotels offer for free, with cheaper room rates. The paistries were the highlight of the breakfast, they were incredible. Rooms are modern but still feel local. They are quite small, but have really high ceilings. Do note that if your room is facing the street, and especially if you are on first floor, you will hear a lot of noice from the streets at night. There are sirens, cars, mopeds, etc driving all the time. The windows do not have a proper noice cancellation. I do not know how are the king beds, but we had 2 single beds. They were quite narrow, which I understand due to the small room. However, they were missing the soft down topper, that all MO beds have had before (mainly slept in King beds tho). I might be wrong, but I expected the single and king beds to feel the same. An incredible attention to detail were the named towels in the room. Felt really high end! The spa is one of the best parts of the hotel. It looks amazing, feels very cozy, and the pool has very warm water. There are only a few chairs, but thats what makes it intimate! There are also dry and steam saunas. The gym was very bad, one of the smallest hotel gyms Ive seen. All the equipment were brand new tho. All in all, I did expect a bit more from the hotel at this price point. I could come back for sure, but I would probably test Bulgari first to see if their breakfast is better and beds softer.

We stayed three nights in April with our two teenagers. What worked: The location is excellent. Easy walk to the Duomo, Galleria, and shopping district. Breakfast was outstanding with great variety and quality. The spa is lovely and genuinely family friendly. The property itself is beautiful. What disappointed: For a luxury hotel at this price, the experience felt surprisingly impersonal. No welcome amenity in the room, no handwritten note, nothing to make us feel special as guests. The welcome drink was a tepid tea when we were hoping for champagne. Service was professional but cold. The rooms were quite dark with heavy appointments that made them feel gloomy. Bottom line: This is a perfectly competent hotel that delivers technical luxury without any soul. Everything was fine but nothing felt special or memorable. We’ve experienced warmer, more personalized service at the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton. If location is your priority and you’re okay with corporate professionalism over genuine hospitality, this will work. If you want the kind of curated experience that makes luxury worth paying for, look elsewhere. Would we return? No. Would we recommend it? Only with realistic expectations.