Gay Milan Milan City Guide

For guests whose design-consciousness demands to be visible from the lobby onwards, Room Mate Giulia is a delight. Positioned steps from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, its interiors — by Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola — channel 1960s Milan through pink marble surfaces, jewel-toned mosaic bathrooms, and curved furniture in moss green and blush. The vibe is convivial rather than formal, and the deeply civilised amenity of breakfast served until noon seals the deal.

The Bulgari Hotel Milano has absolutely nothing to prove, and knows it. Hidden behind an understated facade between Via della Spiga and the Brera district, its interiors — designed by ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel — are a study in material precision: black Zimbabwean marble, solid teak, Uzbek silk carpets, and a 15-tonne granite fireplace. All rooms look onto the hotel’s extraordinary 4,000-square-metre private garden, one of the oldest documented in Milan. Three Michelin stars at Chef Niko Romito’s restaurant ensure dining here is an occasion. The Bulgari Aperitivo at Il Bar, held each evening as the light turns gold, is among the most coveted rituals in the city.