Nothing about Maison Moschino is exactly standard hotel fare. ‘Design hotel’ doesn’t begin to describe the place that Moschino made, when in 2010, a 19th-century neoclassical railway house was converted into a sparkling wonderland of whimsy.
There are 65 rooms – each of which revolves around a fairy tale theme. Which one you should go for depends very much on which particular children’s story grabbed you when you were young. ‘Sleeping in a Ballgown’ (Cinderella) has a billowing ballgown-shaped headboard, ‘Alice’s Room’ (Alice in Wonderland) has a giant teacup for a table, while ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ comes complete with a grinning wolfish/grandmother figure in your bed to greet you on arrival. From chandeliers adorned with bright confectionary to hanging cloud mobiles, storage space-style box installations, tree bedposts and tendrils of vines creeping up the walls, all are stunning, surrealist spaces, as much as places to sleep in for the night.
On the practicalities side of things, though, the location (in the Porta Garibaldi neighborhood – and perfect for both shopping and sightseeing) is excellent, while the Culti Spa is serious about relaxation; then there’s the restaurant, Il Clandestino, which serves up superb ‘susci’ (an Italian take on sushi). So, in summary, then: avant-garde styling doesn’t always supersede comfort and decent facilities. At Maison Moschino form over function simply doesn’t come into it.
What’s hot?
- The weird and wonderful designs
- The Moschino toiletries hanging on a keychain in the bathrooms
- The lovely spa
- The very cool bar
What’s not?
- Some of the bathrooms are a little pokey
Need to Know: Maison Moschino
Number of rooms: 65
Check-in/check-out times: 2pm and 12noon
Room service: Yes
Swimming pool: Yes. There’s a small pool in the spa
Spa: Yes. The Culti Spa (a local spa company owned and run by Alessandro Agrati) has a Jacuzzi, Turkish bath and offers a handful of treatments
Dogs welcome: No
Eating and drinking: Maison Moschino’s restaurant, Il Clandestino, is headed up by Moreno Cedroni and serves a (suitably quirky) Italian take on sushi, alongside some slightly more conventional offerings. In the bar, stiletto boot standard lights accompany some very well-mixed cocktails and a selection of delicious light bites. Breakfast, a selection of local morning delicacies, is served in a shoebox.
Near to? Santa Maria delle Grazie (home to Leonardo’s Last Supper) and the Duomo for sightseeing; the Corso Como is around a five-minute walk away while the Via Monte Napoleone and the Quadrilatero d’Oro are around a 25-minute stroll (or a short cab ride) from the hotel.
Getting there: Malpensa airport is around a 45-minute drive away and the central train station is 5-10 minutes by cab depending on the traffic.
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