TRAVEL
HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA
ANY FOOD-LED ADVENTURE, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT WOULD INVOLVE SIX MICHELIN RECOMMENDED OR STAR-HOLDING OFFERINGS IN A MERE 60 HOURS, NEEDS TO BEGIN WITH THE PERFECT BASE FROM WHICH TO EXPLORE AND OF COURSE RESET IN A POST-TASTER MENU SLUMBER. RIPPLING WITH POST-WINTER OLYMPICS AND MILAN FASHION WEEK EXCITEMENT, THE CITY’ S ACCOMMODATION OFFERINGS ARE NOTABLY VAST, YET NONE ARE AS WOVEN INTO THE CITY’ S FABRIC QUITE AS MUCH AS HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA.
ACANTO AT HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA
Dominating Piazza della Repubblica since 1927, this is where Edward VIII stayed, where Maria Callas held court, and where international royalty have been discreetly accommodated for nearly a century. Now part of the Dorchester Collection, it remains what Milanese affectionately call‘ Il Principe’, a neoclassical masterpiece that has witnessed Milan’ s transformation from industrial powerhouse to global style capital.
Designed by architect Cesare Tenca, the building’ s neoclassical façade commands attention without arrogance, its honeyed stone and soaring proportions speaking to an era when grand hotels were palaces for the modern age. Step through the revolving doors, where sharp suited( well, this is Milan, darling) concierge make luggage disappear and check in a breeze, and you’ re immediately struck by the sheer theatrical quality of it all: the ornate stained-glass domed ceiling filters light across marble floors, while crystal chandeliers, antique furniture, sumptuous velvet and bold framed photographs create an atmosphere that manages to feel both gallery-worthy and genuinely welcoming.
The hotel originally opened to serve business tycoons drawn to its proximity to Stazione Centrale, but by the 1930s had become the natural home for international celebrities and artists performing at La Scala, Milan’ s iconic opera house. That dual identity, serious business by day, glamorous refuge by night, persists beautifully and it all hums with cosmopolitan energy.
Our room was a masterclass in how to honour heritage while providing contemporary luxury. The design, overseen by talents including Thierry Despont, draws from the hotel’ s Art Deco and Art Nouveau elements while maintaining an airiness that feels utterly current. The marble bathroom, accessed by the generous walk-through wardrobe and dressing room, was generously proportioned, stocked with signature Dorchester toiletries and framed by handmade mosaic artwork. The bed was supremely comfortable, the linens impossibly soft, the pillows generously plump and the whole space quietly radiated quality.
Aside from luxurious adobes, guests also have access to the hotel’ s wellness centre, a stunning space occupying the 10th floor, moving from high-tech gym to swimming pool and rooftop terrace with incredible views to sumptuous treatment rooms. It was here that my therapist, Giorgia, worked with the sort of intuitive precision that comes from genuine expertise, kneading away months of accumulated tension with
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