Park Hyatt Milan Review – Post Renovation

Oh my, this post has been a long time coming. For me, I’ve always seen Milan as a gateway to places in Italy I want to explore, like Piedmont or Lake Como. Even when I studied abroad, I used it as a transportation hub, connecting through Milano Centrale or the many Milan airports. I rarely think of Milan as a destination, and in recent years, I’ve lost count of the number of trips we’ve planned that involved flying into Milan and cancelling them at the last minute. As with everything, however, it works out because I am able to provide a Park Hyatt Milan review after its two-year renovation that ended in 2022. I know there is a lot of debate about whether this hotel is a great use of Hyatt points, but I think it is.

While we were staying at the Park Hyatt Milano, I googled the hotel. Most hotel reviews were from prior to the renovation, so I’m excited to be able to share these updates to hotel. It truly feels like a different hotel compared to previous hotel design. However, the biggest thing that I feel remains unchanged is the commitment to service and the small details that elevate this to a true luxury hotel experience. There are several true luxury hotels in Milan, and I can easily recommend the Park Hyatt without reservation. We’ve stayed here twice so far and both stays have been exceptional.

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Service at the Park Hyatt Milano

One reason I love luxury hotels is because of the service. Service is what elevates an experience, especially at a “chain” hotel. Admittedly, we were pretty nervous about staying at the Park Hyatt Milan. We’ve spent over 100 nights at the Park Hyatt Paris. We always know what to expect there. I know how to request spa appointments and how to access the spa. Typically, I know what an upgraded room looks like. I know that I’ll enjoy a standard room, too. The bath amenities work for me and I enjoy the soaking tub. I love the showers, especially when I’m jetlagged. And, there’s always plenty of room to unpack and enjoy the room.

I like the Hyatt Globalist arrival gift surprises. Sometimes it’s a sweet treat, sometimes it’s salty, and sometimes it’s both! Sometimes it’s red wine, sometime it’s white wine, and sometimes it’s cider. From that, you can take that we may seem a bit unpredictable to them – or you can take it as they’re trying to find the perfect thing for us. (It always works out though.)

The Park Hyatt Milan is TOTALLY different. From the moment we checked in, it felt like their staff were trying to get to know us, our preferences, and what we enjoyed. When they escorted us to the room, they asked if we needed anything. We asked for a few bottles of water because we were dehydrated from travel. They sent three glass bottles up (of varying temperatures) on a tray. And, they replaced them every day throughout our stay. That evening, turn down service went above and beyond with a sparkling white wine, fresh fruit, and a traditional Italian Easter cake. On our last night, they left another hand written note that reflected our enjoyment of the spa.

On our second trip, they recognized that we had been in Milan just a few months earlier. And, our room had fresh fruit and the best bottle of proesecco waiting for us. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but it feels increasingly rare.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Park Hyatt Paris, but I really felt like the Milan Park Hyatt team is taking notes for future stays. They really wanted to get things right and it showed in every interaction. There is a sense of warmth with the Park Hyatt Milan team that I find really refreshing.

Booking the Park Hyatt Milan

As a Globalist with Hyatt, I get a lot of great perks when booking Hyatt hotels, especially in Europe. However, if you aren’t a globalist, I can still book you with a number of perks through the Hyatt Prive and Virtuoso programs. These are travel agent programs that can help you level up your vacation, and I definitely recommend checking to see if makes sense for you. Hyatt Prive guests can expect the following perks at the Park Hyatt Milan:

Hyatt Prive & Virtuoso Benefits

• Welcome amenity upon arrival.
• Daily complimentary full breakfast at La Cupola Lounge for all guests
• $100 Property credit
• Priority for room upgrade
• Early check-in & late check-out

The Park Hyatt Milan honored all of our perks. On our first stay, we were able to check in early after quite the travel day. (Due to a maintenance issue, we were able to reroute from DFW-FCO to DFW-LHR-MXP, which worked out quite well. It just wasn’t what we had planned originally.) We were upgraded to an junior suite that was incredibly spacious and quiet. On our second stay, we were further upgraded to an executive suite. As far as Park Hyatts go, I find it pretty easy to find SUA availability here.

On our first stay, we didn’t take advantage of breakfast because we had an early morning tour of The Last Supper and were scheduled to head to Piemonte at the end of our stay. We took advantage of it during our second stay, and it was truly exceptional. Everything was fresh. When we return, I would love to check out the cocktail bar.

After we returned from dinner on our first night in Milan, we found the Park Hyatt staff had delivered a bottle of prosecco, a fresh fruit plate, and a Colomba, the traditional Easter cake (very similar to panettone). It was a nice touch and everything was absolutely delicious together. (The Italian pairing of wine and food is truly an art that I want to learn.)

Getting to the Park Hyatt Milan

We flew straight into Milan for both of these trips. After getting our bags (one suitcase + 2 wine suitcases), I opted for a cab. A cab from MXP to Zone 1 in Milan costs 116 euro flat. It was going to be about 15-20 minutes faster than taking the train and we would have still needed cab to the hotel. I figured it would be a lot less stressful than worrying about how to navigate to the hotel on foot or via the metro. Thankfully, Tom agreed. Our cab driver could have been a Formula 1 driver. He was INTENSE, but we arrived safely and without incident. The doormen met us at the door, collected our luggage, identified us by name (it’s the small details), and escorted us to check in.

When we checked out, they helped get us a cab to go to pick up our rental car at Milano Centrale. They also stocked us with plenty of bottle of water, which was enjoyed on the drive to Piedmont. We could have walked to the train station, but we just wanted to make sure we didn’t have any issues with our luggage. We rented from Hertz because I’m President’s Circle, and they upgraded our car and had it ready to go. The overall process went much smoother than our last rental with Europcar, so I’m sticking with Hertz and Sixt for now.

The Location of the Park Hyatt Milan

The Park Hyatt is perfect for your first trip to Milan. You are within walking distance of museums, churches, parks, restaurants, and of course, shopping, There is public transportation right out the hotel, but I would truly encourage you to use your own two feet to explore Milan. It’s definitely somewhere that I feel like you have to work to peel back the layers, otherwise it will feel like a big city. Our tour guide remarked that Milan is shy compared to other cities in Italy, and I can’t unsee that comparison.

There was one evening when it started pouring while we were at dinner, and it completely emptied the streets. It stopped by the time we headed back, but I was really sorry that I didn’t stop long enough to appreciate the beauty of the empty square around the Duomo.

When we came back to Milan in December, we loved seeing all the Christmas lights around the Park Hyatt. We also had ticket to La Scala for the Nutcracker and we were able to walk to the theater from the Park Hyatt. There is a small Christmas Market surrounding the Duomo, which makes for a fun stroll in the evenings, too.

Room 520 – Park Junior Suite

The Park Hyatt Milano hotel itself is a bit smaller than the Park Hyatt Paris. It feels far more intimate. It is essentially laid out as a cube with approximately 100 rooms. I always try to request a quiet room in big cities, and this felt very private. I’m not sure we saw another guest on our floor, now that I think about it.

At first I was taken aback by the bright and modern finishes. It was in such sharp contrast to the elegant entrance off via Tommaso Grossi and the grandeur of La Cupola restaurant. However, that initial feeling quickly fell away to the finishes that made the room feel luxurious and cozy. I loved that we had a separate sitting area with a table where we could enjoy our own apertivo. I loved how comfy the couch was, and it made a great backdrop for zoom meetings.

The layout of the bathroom was was an incredible use of space and design. (Love Europeans for that magic!) The dual Carrara marble sinks gave both Tom and I plenty of space to get ready in the morning. There was a make-up vanity in front of the window, and I loved getting ready there every morning. The light was perfect and there was plenty of room to spread out. The walk-in shower had great water pressure. Every Lorezno Villoresi bath product you need is available. I loved the Milano body scrub and the loofah to wash away our travel day. (The Four Seasons Prague also has Lorenzo Villoresi bath amenities!) The scent was refreshing to help fight the jetlag, too! The freestanding soaker tub was a straight up DREAM. (The fact that they included and replaced bath salts every night – the best and most underrated bath amenities in luxury hotels.) And, I would buy the Park Hyatt Milan towels to stock my home. They were large enough, plush enough, and straight up cozy.

There’s another Park Hyatt hotel trick that I need to replicate in my house: automatic blackout shades. Is there anything better than arriving on a red-eye flight, staying up as long as you possibly can, climbing into a luxurious bed, and pushing the button to make the room completely dark? (No. No there is not.) That’s why I love luxury hotels (and why I need to make my home feel like one.) Seriously though, I love my Four Seasons bed at home, the bed at the St Regis Florence, the Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco’s bed… but the Park Hyatt Milan bed may be a new favorite. I started missing her the moment we left.

Room 612 – Park Executive Suite

When we stayed in Milan in December, I was able to apply a suite night award to our reservation immediately. That confirmed that we would be upgraded to the junior park suite that we enjoyed in April. Imagine my surprise when we were further upgraded to the park executive suite on arrival. That was such a pleasant surprise. The biggest difference between the executive suite and the junior suite is that the sitting area can be completely closed off from the bedroom. Since we often work while we travel, this is a fantastic benefit for zoom meetings.

Everything about the room was just as comfortable and luxurious as I remembered. The bed was very comfortable with luxurious linens. We had plenty of hangers in the closet. Every single amenity you could need was already in the room – from dental floss to a shoehorn. The blackout shades worked perfectly, and we had plenty of control over the lighting to fit the mood. Our room faced the interior courtyard, so ti was very quiet. (That’s always my preference, especially if I’m not sure the room will have a view!)

I was delighted to find that the executive suite had the same incredible bathroom and soaking tub. Since it was winter and a bit damp and cold, I loved coming home and enjoying a bath. The bath salts are a perfectly cozy scent for winter. I also really love the body scrub.

The small touches for Christmas, including holiday flowers in the room and a themed card, were nice and unexpected touches. The entire hotel was decked out with a Christmas chocolate factory theme, and each night, fresh chocolates were delivered with turndown service. Our waters were replaced frequently, and it’s clear they paid attention to our preference for still water. It was a very comfortable stay, and it was difficult to leave!

AQVAM – Park Hyatt Milan Spa

Knowing how much I love Le Spa at the Park Hyatt Paris, I was excited to check out the AQVAM spa at the Park Hyatt Milan. It was my second day in Milan, and it seemed like a good time release the stress I had been holding in for the past few weeks. I met Rosa, my masseuse from Peru. She immediately made me feel at ease and recommended a deep tissue massage. That 50 minute massage was life changing. When we were back in December, I was delighted to see that Rosa was still there. I took advantage of their chocolate massage because of the hydrating properties of chocolate. The scent was a little much for me, but the treatment itself was incredible. (I always recommend trying the seasonal treatments at a spa. You never know what you’ll find!)

After the massage, Rosa brought me some tea and I finished reading a book on my Kindle app. Tom and I took advantage of the jacuzzi on both stays. I wish the bubbles would stay on longer because it was a bit distracting to keep having to turn them on so frequently. However, the overall vibe of the spa facilities were excellent and very relaxing. It’s definitely a great place to unwind after a long day, and they have extended relaxation hours compared to most spas, which I love.

Breakfast at La Cupola Lounge

We don’t typically eat breakfast when we travel, even though it’s often included with our hotel perks. Generally speaking, we practice intermittent fasting and try to only eat once a day. However, we decided to make an exception for the Park Hyatt Milan breakfast, and we were not disappointed. The breakfast offers a couple of made-to-order items including eggs (any style), waffles, or pancakes. Perhaps more impressive, however, is the buffet. The buffet stations included an Asian breakfast station, a falafel station, plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, cheese and charcuterie (including freshly sliced prosciutto), and a variety of sweet and savory pastries.

The setting of breakfast is probably the most impressive. La Cupola is in the original courtyard of the hotel with a beautiful glass dome. With the Christmas decor, it’s absolutely majestic in the early morning light. I noticed it the first time we stayed at the Park Hyatt Milan, and I’m so glad we came back!

Who Will Love the Park Hyatt Milan?

Honestly, if I’m starting my honeymoon or anniversary trip to Italy in Milan, I am booking the Park Hyatt Milan. The small size makes it feel more like a luxury boutique hotel than a traditional Hyatt hotel. If I’m looking for romance and want to dress up and feel like I’m taking a special trip, I want the Park Hyatt. The vibe is understated luxury, so I wouldn’t think of it for a girls trip, unless you’re perfectly content with quiet spa days and going out shopping on your own and returning for a relaxing stay. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is literally right outside the hotel in all its high end shopping glory. (I’m not going to lie, I wish it had stayed with the original design for cafes and apertivo bars. That would have been incredible.)

If you want to plan an upscale sightseeing trip, the Park Hyatt Milan is the perfect location for exploring Milan. I don’t know I would have been as excited to go back if we hadn’t stayed at the Park Hyatt and experienced the beauty right outside our door – but also been able to leave the crowds and the chaos that were also right outside our door. Milan was crowded and was constantly busy. It reminded me a lot of Paris at Christmastime. Sometimes it just felt like there were people as after as I could see, which felt very daunting at the start of our trip. It wasn’t bad, just a little overwhelming at first. I loved how easy it was to get to and from La Scala. It made we wish I had dressed up more for the Nutcracker because it was so easy to get from our hotel to our seats at the performance!

Overall, the Park Hyatt Milan ended up being the perfect first destination for our trip to Piedmont in the spring. However, it was also magical at Christmas because of how beautiful the city was with all the Christmas lights.

Seeing The Last Supper in Milan

Don’t forget to book your ticket to the Last Supper in advance. We booked at the last minute. Our only option was to book a walking tour of Milan with Last Supper, which ended up being perfect for us. Our guide, John-Luke, was such an engaging guide. We started off with an early tour of the Last Supper, where he took a lot of time explaining what to look for in the painting. After that, we walked through many of Milan’s major monuments, which gave us some ideas of what we would want to come back and see. He did a great job of meeting everyone on the tour where they were at with their knowledge and provided a quick history of the city. I can definitely say that he’s one of the reasons we’ll back – and because the Park Hyatt Milan is that good.

Milan as a Gateway to Northern Italy

Time will tell. (I originally typed Tom will tell, and I suppose that’s true, too!)