For years, Milan has oft been written off as lesser travel destination, with many preferring nearby cities Rome and Florence. Milan was seen as either an industrial hub best suited to a business trip, or as a jumping off point to other Italian locales. Now, however, the city has started to shed that image, and standing on its own as the center of the intersection of business, fashion and culture. And what better way to take a look at all Milan has to offer than exploring the city’s most exciting new hotel?
Portrait Milano opened its doors at the end of 2022, as part of the Ferragamo family’s Lungarno Collection portfolio of luxury hotels. The hotel occupies a historic building that dates back to the 16th century, and transforming it into a hospitality haven was no small feat. Still, from inception, the Ferragamo family knew that opening up the hotel and its palatial courtyard (Piazza del Quadrilatero) to the city’s residents and passersby was important to the entire concept of the property—hospitality is, after all, at the core of everything here.
The hotel, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, is situated right in the middle of Milan’s Fashion District, with two separate entrances to the piazza (from Corso Venezia and Via Sant’Andrea). Every aspect of the property is well-thought-out and intentional, resulting in a hotel that’s simultaneously a brand-new addition to the scene while also embodying the best of traditional Italian hospitality. Here’s everything to know about the Portrait Milano.
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What’s the background here?
The hotel occupies a truly historic building—it was formerly a seminary, established by the Archbishop of Milan, Charles Borromeo, in the 16th century. The building went through quite a few different uses in the following years; in the 18th century, it was used as a boarding school to train priests, before Napoleon converted it into a joint hospital and a jail for prisoners in 1796. In the follow years, the building was again used as hospital during WWI and WWII. By the 1980s, parts of the building were being used as office space; starting in the 1990s, with the seminary permanently closed, occasional events were hosted within the building, but it was largely closed off.
It took a bit of maneuvering, but by 2018, the Ferragamo family’s hotel group, Lungarno Collection, acquired the permits and certifications to transform the property into a hotel, and a year later, a careful renovation and restoration, led by architect Michele De Lucchi, began. While the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a year later caused some delays, the hotel finally opened its doors in December 2022, debuting a meticulously restored and revamped property that’s centered around the 30,220-square-foot Piazza del Quadrilatero, open to the city and its residents.
How’s the atmosphere?
When I pulled up to Portrait Milano on a recent visit to the hotel, I was pleasantly surprised to find instead of a minimalist, modern city exterior, the sprawling nature of the hotel is almost resort-like. Stone walkways lead to the main entrance on Corso Venezia, which in turn takes you straight to the center piazza or, for guests, onto the lobby.
The Art Deco-inspired interiors, curated by architect Michele Bönan, pay homage to Milan’s place as a city of art, fashion and culture. There are over 2,000 books found throughout the hotel, many of which are located within the cozy, welcoming library, which guests are invited to peruse during their stay. While there’s a vast array of tomes, many skew towards Italian (and Milanese, in particular) art, design and style. This is an unapologetically stylish and glamorous hotel, but not in a daunting way—it beckons you to explore and make yourself comfortable.
What are the rooms like?
The hotel is composed of 73 rooms and suites, spread out over four floors. The retro-leaning aesthetic, courtesy of Bönan, is inspired by the grand Milanese homes of the 1950s and 1960s—more specifically, the Italian city’s parlors of the era, and are bedecked in either rich reds or greens, with retro touches like a cocktail bar and Italian candies. All the rooms feature Italian walnut wood, rattan paneling and thoughtful details like leather handles on the interior doors, while the bathrooms are outfitted with Carrara marble.
How’s the food?
The main restaurant, 10_11 (Ten Eleven; named due to its location at the intersection of 11 Corso Venezia and 10 Via Sant’Andrea), is open for breakfast (with an impressive buffet), lunch and dinner; patrons can opt to eat in either the cozy bar area, in an enclosed solarium-like garden, outside or in the main dining room. It’s an easygoing, casual vibe, with unfussy—and delicious—dishes like a classic spaghetti with tomato sauce, grilled octopus and a hearty chicken alla cacciatora.
While there are also plenty of worthy dining options in the neighborhood, guests can also head just across the internal piazza to a recently opened outpost of Beefbar, a steakhouse chain, though you’re likely to encounter a bit more of a touristy vibe there.
What’s the deal with this piazza situation?
Both the interior and outside spaces of the seminary had been closed off to the public for years, and it was important to the Ferragamo family that the hotel change that—especially when it came to the Piazza del Quadrilatero. Now, the Piazza del Quadrilatero is accessible from both Corso Venezia and Via Sant’Andrea, so denizens can easily stroll through, whether to simply take in the atmosphere, stop for a cup of coffee or perhaps peruse one of the boutiques that has opened up in the retail space. There are plenty of seating areas, including covered nooks perfect for an al fresco cappuccino or snack, and that welcoming atmosphere is very much intentional—instead of creating an exclusive, closed-off space, the hotel emphasizes hospitality and bringing the entire neighborhood together, including events held within the piazza that are open to the public.
