Hotel Sanpi Milano

The Hotel Sanpi Milano draws couples, business travelers, and families. The modern glass and masonry street-facing side of the building with an entrance flanked by boxwood topiary hides a 19-century, ochre-colored interior structure. To the left of the reception desk is a seating area with a large sofa and Oriental carpet, and while it's not much of a spot to linger, there's a pretty niche with seating and a candlelit fireplace. The country-house style breakfast room has delicate decorative paintings on the walls and rustic chairs with floral fabric cushions. A second-floor balcony bar offers a semi-private space to talk and visit over drinks. The pebbled courtyard, clearly the stand-out feature here, has small, wrought-iron tables and chairs set amid pretty flowers and statues, where guests can relax with coffee or glass of wine.

The hotel sits between Porta Venezia and the Piazza dellla Repubblica, on a street with restaurants, bars, clubs, and shops. Across the street is Trattoria Il Carpaccio, a favorite dining spot of the fashion crowd. The Indro Montanelli Public Gardens are a five-minute walk from the hotel, and the Corso Buenos Aires is a 10-minute walk. Milan's main train station (Stazione Centrale) is 12-minutes away on foot. The Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, busy thoroughfares, are about a 10-minute drive. Two metro stops, Porta Venezia and Repubblica, are a five-minute walk from the hotel. La Scala is a 10-minute drive or 15-minute train ride. Milan's Duomo is 14 minutes by car and 12 minutes away by train. Santa Maria delle Grazie, where da Vinci's "Last Supper" is on display, is a 16-minute drive or a 22-minute train ride. Malpensa Airport is 50 minutes away by car or 71 minutes by train from the hotel.

Decorating schemes in the 79 rooms of the Hotel Sanpi Milano vary tremendously, but few are chic. Some rooms have a time-capsule vibe, with red sheer curtains on the windows and exposed dark-wood furnishings. Others have pale peach, rag-rolled walls and fabric hung from delicate coronas above the beds, while still others have bleached-wood headboards and slatted-wood ceilings. There are six room types, with wood floors and a variety of layouts, including snug Single Rooms that overlook the interior courtyard.  All rooms have tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and safes. Bathrooms in the biggest rooms have wall-size windows separating the living quarters from the tub, and some have fireplaces adorned with candles. Baths are generally large, with brown-and-beige marble or white tile. Fixtures are white porcelain, although bigger rooms have wide counters in lieu of pedestal sinks. Some bathtubs have curtains, and others have glass partitions. All the bathrooms have bidets, hairdryers, toiletries, and robes. Breakfast from the free buffet can be brought to rooms for a relatively modest fee. A four-suite villa, once a crossing keeper's box, is available to rent.

The hotel offers a bountiful free breakfast, and the bar serves snacks and drinks. Light fare and beverages, such as coffee or a cocktail, can also be enjoyed in the attractive courtyard garden. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. Extra beds for children and babysitting services are available for a fee. The fitness center, in a converted wine cellar, has a silver bucket of mini bottles of Pelligrino on ice. A conference room is also available.