When Carlo Gallia opened the Excelsior Hotel Gallia in February 1932, drawing on fifteen years of travel and hotel experience, he set out to rival the finest hotels in Europe. Nearly a century later, it remains one of Milan’s grandest addresses, with interiors updated for today’s traveller and the landmark architecture intact.
At a glance
Location: Piazza Duca d’Aosta, beside Milano Centrale, Milan, Italy
Rooms: 235 rooms and suites
Stayed in: Signature Suite
Best for: design lovers, fashion-week visitors and travellers arriving by train
Reviewed: October 2015
9.4 out of 10
Setting and arrival
The hotel stands beside Milano Centrale, making it easy to reach by road, rail or metro. Inside, a sleek contemporary interior contrasts with the classic facade, and a dramatic chandelier dropping through the full height of the building sets the tone.
The rooms
All 235 rooms and suites are lavishly appointed, much of the furniture designed and made in Milan, with pieces by Fendi among them. My Signature Suite had an entrance hall leading to a living room with sofa, workspace and TV, a bedroom with a king bed and second TV, and a vast bathroom with bath, shower, twin basins and Trussardi toiletries. Butler service means any request is a phone call away. Premium Rooms start at a generous 30 square metres, while the Katara Suite, at over 1,000 square metres with four bedrooms, a private spa and two terraces, is one of the largest hotel suites in Italy.
Dining and drinks
The hotel’s restaurants and bars are among the most elegant in Milan, from refined dining to a stylish lobby lounge.
Spa and facilities
The spa is one of the most distinctive in the city, a fitting counterpoint to a day of meetings or shopping in the fashion district.
The verdict
Opulent design, impeccable service and an unbeatable location for arrivals by train make the Excelsior Hotel Gallia one of Europe’s great city hotels. It is the very definition of Milanese luxury.
- Rooms: 9.5
- Service: 9.5
- Dining: 9.0
- Facilities and spa: 9.5
- Location: 9.5
Excelsior Hotel Gallia Milan, Piazza Duca d’Aosta 9, 20124 Milan, Italy.
David stayed as a guest of the hotel. Based on a stay in October 2015. Facilities, menus and prices may have changed since.
