Hotel Garda

The Hotel Garda manages to be about a half-notch above a standard mid-range hotel. The exterior amounts to a combination of rectangles: a grayish, front-facing wall dotted with chocolate-brown windows and accented by a cream-colored entryway. The polished, brown-and-burgundy marble tiles on the lobby floor and front desk facade lend this pleasant space an elegant vibe. Cream-colored walls with rust-hued accents are paired with striped couches and chairs. The lobby bar area also doubles as the breakfast room and follows the same cream-and-crimson color scheme. Overall, interiors are elegant, if a bit out of date, and though this simple hotel is lacking in features, its central location draws tourists and business travelers seeking proximity to the main train station. 

The Hotel Garda is conveniently located within a five-minute walk of Milan's central train station, from where travelers can also catch a couple of trams, buses, and the metro. Several tourist destinations are easily reachable by public transportation, including the iconic Duomo cathedral, which is about 10 minutes away by subway. Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" is located at the ‎Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is a 20-minute subway ride from here. For shopping, the luxury fashion district of Quadrilatero della Moda is about 10 minutes by subway, while the Corso Buenos Aires, which has one of the highest concentrations of shops anywhere in Europe, is a 10-minute walk or five-minute subway trip. Pirelli Tower, one of the most famous office buildings in Italy and one of the tallest structures in Milan, is only a four-minute walk from the hotel. The Malpensa Airport is an hour away via public transportation or a 40- to 50-minute drive, while Linate Airport can be reached in 35 to 45 minutes by public transportation or about 20 minutes by car.

Rooms come in a variety of sizes including singles, doubles, twins, and triples. Colorful decor includes striped wallpaper that matches the bedspreads in cheery hues that range from vibrant reds to a blue-and-yellow color palette. Combined with the polished wood floors and minimalist painted- or stained-wood furniture, the overall style is classic, when it could easily become "circus." In-room amenities include minibars, flat-screen TVs, work desks, and electronic safes. Tiled bathrooms are small, with tiny showers that can feel quite cramped as well as bidets, toilets, and wall-mounted hairdryers. There have been complaints about noise issues due to thin walls, as well as street noise in some rooms. Guests also complain of uncomfortable beds.

Features at the Hotel Garda are limited and reflect a mid-range or even lower-middle-range hotel. Continental breakfast is served in a section of the hotel's lobby each morning and is included in some rates, or available for an extra fee. There's also a small lobby bar that's open in the evenings. Room service is available as well, but there's no full restaurant. Wi-Fi incurs an extra fee, however, and the hotel lacks a fitness center or business center.