Portrait – Milano– Our clients have all stayed and I recently enjoyed a Swoon Worthy visit in Milano! Mama Mia, Molto Bene!

Lungarno Collection in Milano, presents Portrait Milano, a secret Ferragamo oasis housed in one of the oldest seminaries in Europe, turned luxury hotel. It provides an oasis of intimacy, tranquility and timeless elegance just steps away from the most prestigious shopping addresses in town. A contemporary luxury hotel encased in a glorious historic building. The arrival sets the stage; I had walked past the ornate Piazza gateway and was excited to drive through the gated baroque cobblestone alley at Corso Venezia 11.

The enormous center of the square, has been opened for the first time to the public. Portrait Milano hotel overlooks the city’s newest see-and-be-seen destination, the Piazza, which – at 32,000 square feet – is the largest public square in the fashion district. Since its origin, commissioned in 1565 by Carlo Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan and leading light of the Counter-Reformation, later canonized Saint Charles; the vast structure has had many iterations. Most notably one of the first seminaries in the world, it also once functioned as a boarding school, a printing shop, military hospital, a library, and even a prison.

Enter to what feels very much like a vast private library living room, long wood tables are overflowing with a dazzling selection of books and art. Coffee is proposed, sit, stay and absorb.

Its 73 lavish suites, family suites and rooms give guests an unrivaled luxury hotel experience in Milan.  Within its historic colonnades, exclusive boutiques and gourmet experiences surround the Piazza. Under the ancient vaults of the former seminary, the wellness area beckons – with its spa, gym and swimming pool – along with additional spaces for private events.

And through the new walkway that connects vibrant Corso Venezia with fashionable Via Sant’Andrea, guests enjoy a beautifully landscaped oasis of tranquility in the busy city.  The hotel is less than a 15-minute walk to the Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

The Ferragamo family transformed it in 2019 with the help of architect Michele De Lucchi and interiors designed by architect Michele Bönan.

The building retains the glorious vaulted ceilings along the original stone staircase. There are four levels with 73 rooms and suites, 27 are entered from the second-floor loggia. Wrapped in clear glass during cooler months, the loggia offers cozy sofa seating dotted with gigantic potted greenery, soft background music enhances the grand hallways – sit and sip an afternoon tea or order cocktails to enjoy a rare slice of life that only guests can enjoy.

The restaurants are open to the public; the wide marble halls are private. A back garden visible from my suite was a riot of greenery interspersed with fallen columns, stone statuary and outdoor garden seating.

Saying the interiors are typically Italian is a disservice, the suites are sumptuous in red or green, with a sense of a glamorous train car compactness. Rich wood, chrome and leather – so chic, so Italian!  The Presidential suite is massive, with a dining room and multiple bathrooms.

Fun Factor in the elevator to your suite, walls are covered in family portraits, not your ordinary family, this is Fashion Royalty Ferragamo Family with iconic celebrities. Audrey Hepburn. A built-in screen in the elevator allows you to take your own portrait! La Dolce Vita black and white photographs line the hallways.

The indoor pool and spa – There’s an attractive basement spa where you’ll find a lovely swimming pool set amid granite columns under vaulted ceilings; there’s also a steam room, sauna, gym and treatment rooms offering high-tech treatment plans. I lacked the courage for the Cryosuite, where you stand in a cold chamber with a temperature of -85C to -100C for three minutes. Although, after a week-long travel conference, the boost would have been beneficial, it is said to restore energy and vitality. If inclined, include the Ultimate Biohacking,  a relaxing treatment that combines dry floating and near infra-red therapy with hydrogen-oxygen therapy.

Dining – At ground level, the restaurant, 10_11 (the name marries the Piazza’s street-entrance addresses on Via Sant’Andrea and Corso Venezia) is an all-day venue in a beautiful space enlivened by the many locals who tend to be at the bar and dining all day on Saturday during my stay. My weekday lunch was sublime, the local characters appeared to be elegantly dressed businessmen enjoying leisurely lunches, it was quite surreal. Saturday lunch would require a reservation, young professionals with baby prams and leashed dogs, couples with small dogs, and gaggles of girls gathered inside and outside to enjoy the yummy offerings!

I was told with authority that I must taste the cheese toasts – basically small grilled gooey cheese and prosciutto crustless sandwiches, oozing with melted cheese… I also enjoyed the signature dish – oh, if possible, I would relish this every week after an hour of cardio!  Divine Pasta in Bianco Molto Particolare, their modern and elegant take on the traditional Italian comfort food. The restaurant’s version adapts the classic Pasta in Bianco, a simple dish made with pasta, butter, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Prepared table side it is a theatrical dining performance, plopped into gigantic bowls, to die for!

Italian Summers are celebrated with Portraits of an Italian Summer Starting from the square as the iconic epicenter of summer life, Portrait Milano pays tribute to Italian tradition by offering the city and its guests a calendar of events centered around cinema, music, and taste. Cinema under the stars transforms into an open-air cinema for six exciting evenings in collaboration with Sky Cinema. The film selection includes the most successful Italian movies of the last cinema season. The Piazza comes alive with music, voices, and rhythm. Among the most exciting moments of the Italian Summer is the jazz concert in collaboration with Steinway & Sons, featuring young pianist Francesco Cavestri with a musical program dedicated to the soundtracks from famous Italian films.

Hard to resist Summer in Milano…or Fall, Winter or Spring!

Highly Recommend Portrait Milano!