Milan's Hidden Gem: Palazzo Touring Club's Unbelievable Luxury!
Milan's Hidden Gem: Palazzo Touring Club's Unbelievable Luxury!
Palazzo Touring Club: Milan's Secret (and Surprisingly Flawed) Oasis – A Deep Dive (and Maybe a Little Rant!)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to spill the (very strong Italian) tea on Palazzo Touring Club Italiano in Milan. Forget those sterile, corporate hotel reviews. This is the real deal – a messy, opinionated, and probably over-the-top account of my stay. Let's be honest, finding a hidden gem like this in a chaotic city like Milan is a win.
Accessibility: Mostly a Win, But Not Perfect. Sigh.
Okay, first things first: Wheelchair accessible? Yes! That's a huge plus, and a relief, considering the cobblestone streets of Milan are already a nightmare for anyone with a walker (I swear, I tripped like five times just looking at the Palazzo from the outside!). They've got elevators (praise be!), ramps, and the staff seemed genuinely helpful. Though, truth be told, one time getting to the terrace (which is gorgeous, by the way!) felt like Mission: Impossible, navigating a maze of corridors. But, hey, they tried. Facilities for disabled guests, check. Now, if only the Italian government could sort out those blessed sidewalks! They at least have a car park [free of charge] so that’s a plus.
Cleanliness and Safety: Obsessed with the Details (Almost To A Fault?)
Let's talk about COVID. Because, well, it’s still real. Anti-viral cleaning products? Absolutely. Daily disinfection in common areas? You betcha. Staff trained in safety protocol? Okay, this is where things get… intense. I swear, I saw a cleaner sanitizing a light switch for a solid five minutes. Look, I appreciate the effort, but it started feeling a little like a sanitizing theatre sometimes. Rooms sanitized between stays? Yep. Hand sanitizer? Everywhere. Room sanitization opt-out available? They asked if I wanted it, which I thought was a nice touch. But, the constant vigilance almost felt… suffocating.
Rooms: Opulent… with a Few Quirks (More on That Later)
The rooms! Oh. My. Gosh. Air conditioning that actually worked (a godsend in the Milanese summer). Blackout curtains – essential for those jetlag naps. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Hallelujah! (Though, sometimes the Internet access – LAN seemed faster). Air conditioning in public areas? Absolutely. But here’s the thing: my room had a certain… character. The décor was undeniably luxurious: Bathrobes, slippers, high floor view… the works. They even had a complimentary tea/coffee maker! However, the extra long bed felt more like a normal bed, and the window that opens, while lovely, only opened a crack. I suspect there were noise restrictions. I would have loved to breathe the Milan air more, but the room was comfortable.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: Spa Day (or, My Personal Nirvana)
Okay, forget the city for a sec. The Fitness center was well-equipped, but honestly? I came to Milan to eat, not to torture myself. I’m not above a casual stroll, but the actual gym was not top of my list. However, the Spa? Now we're talking. The highlight of my stay. I had a massage that was so good, I almost wept with joy. They had a sauna, a steamroom, foot bath to die for, I basically melted into a puddle of bliss. I even got a body scrub, which left my skin feeling like a baby's bottom. The Swimming pool [outdoor] and Pool with a view were divine. I felt like I'd stumbled into a secret society of relaxation.
And Now… My Unsolicited Food Opinions!
Let’s talk Dining, drinking, and snacking. Palazzo Touring Club, you had me at "Ciao, gelato!" The Restaurants were a mixed bag. Breakfast [buffet] was a glorious spread—buffet in restaurant, Asian breakfast, Western breakfast, the works! Coffee/tea in restaurant? Absolutely. Bottle of water? Complimentary! The a la carte in restaurant was a lifesaver when I got back late. The poolside bar was an absolute dream. Sipping a Negroni while watching the sun set… chef’s kiss. The Happy hour was a bit of a letdown - the drinks were okay, but the snacks were a tad underwhelming. Coffee shop was good for an immediate caffeine fix. Room service [24-hour]? Yes, and I may or may not have ordered it at 3 AM for a pasta craving. The food was great, but I do have a complaint. The salad in restaurant seemed a bit sad.
Services and Conveniences: A Mixed Bag of Delights and Head-Scratchers
The concierge was fantastic – super helpful with recommendations and getting me reservations. Cash withdrawal? No problem. Doorman? Always a friendly face. Laundry service? Thank god, because I spilled red wine down myself on night one. Now, the head-scratchers: While the elevator was the best thing that had happened to me that week, the luggage storage seemed like a vast, cavernous black hole… where my case disappeared until I asked for it for the third time.
For the Kids: (I Don't Have Any, But I Noticed…)
Family/child friendly? Seems like it! I saw a few families around, and they had babysitting service listed. I did see a kids meal on the menu in the restaurant.
Getting Around: Mostly Easy Peasy
Airport transfer available! Car park [on-site]? Yep, and free! They also had taxi service. So, getting around was pretty stress-free.
Now – The Uncomfortable Truths (and the Stuff They Didn't TELL You)
Look, Palazzo Touring Club is amazing. But it's not perfect.
- The Noise: The soundproofing (that soundproofing in my room, remember?) wasn't perfect. I had a few late nights with noise.
- The Location: While central, it's not right in the heart of the action. Prepare for some walking (or taxi-ing).
The Verdict: Embrace the Imperfections – It's Part of the Charm!
Would I go back? Absolutely. Despite the minor flaws, the Palazzo Touring Club is a truly special place. It's a haven of luxury with a soul. It’s the kind of place where you can get pampered, explore a vibrant city, and maybe even find yourself hiding from the world for a few glorious hours in a spa. Just remember, it's not a perfectly polished machine; it's a real, breathing, slightly quirky hotel, and that's precisely what makes it so memorable. Go. Indulge. And don't forget to order the pasta at 3 a.m. You won’t regret it!
Unbelievable Ooty Getaway: FabExpress SRJ Thaneesh Residency Awaits!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, 'cause this ain't your grandmother's meticulously planned itinerary. This is… my attempt to conquer Milan, fueled by overpriced espresso and the vague hope that I won't accidentally offend a local. And all based at that fancy-pants Radisson Collection, Palazzo Touring Club Milan. Here we go… brace yourselves.
Day 1: Arrival – Fashion, Food, and a Whole Lotta Jet Lag
- 10:00 AM (Give or take an hour because, hey, flights are Evil): Land at Milan Malpensa. Pray to the travel gods the luggage shows up because, you know, fashion-related emergencies are a viable reason to have a meltdown. (And maybe they've got my bag with the good shoes… the good shoes.)
- 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Transfer to the hotel. The Palazzo Touring Club looks AMAZING in photos. Pray it looks even better in person. I'm already imagining myself swanning around in a ridiculous hat. (Don't judge.)
- 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Check-in. Okay, first impressions. Hotel lobby: Swoon. Marble, chandeliers, the works. Feeling a little overdressed in my travel-worn jeans, but hey, pretending to belong is half the battle, right? Trying to remember the Italian phrase for "Where's the espresso machine?"
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Lunch. Okay, first culinary mission: Find the best pasta in a 1-kilometer radius. (Google Maps, I'm counting on you.) That first bite of real, authentic Italian pasta… pure bliss. Like, single tear rolling down the cheek, "This is why I traveled 6,000 miles" kind of bliss. Accidentally ordered a dish I couldn't pronounce, though. Turns out it had… meat. Woops. (Vegetarianism is out the window for this trip. Sorry, cows.)
- 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Explore. Walk around the area. The Duomo! Seriously, it's epic. The sheer scale of the thing is mind-boggling. Lost my way almost immediately, but hey, that's what travel is all about, right? (Says every travel blogger ever.) Accidentally took a photo of a very grumpy-looking pigeon. It glared back. I think it judged my outfit.
- 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Shopping. Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Yeah, it's as fancy as you'd expect. And EXPENSIVE. Just window shopping. I did, however, manage to spend all my remaining cash on a single gelato. Because, priorities. (It was pistachio. Worth it.)
- 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM: Dinner. Found a trattoria around the corner. The place was small, the food was amazing, and the conversations were loud. (Italians, man, they talk). Feeling the jet lag kicking in hard. Managed to fall asleep halfway through a conversation with a local about the best vineyards in Tuscany. Mortifying. But the wine was divine.
- 10:00 PM onwards: Collapse into bed. Dream of pasta and pigeons. Pray I wake up not looking like a total tourist tomorrow.
Day 2: Art, Aperitivo, and the Struggle is Real
- 9:00 AM (If the jet lag gods are merciful): Breakfast at the hotel. The buffet looked incredible. I ended up eating way too many pastries. Regret is already setting in.
- 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Art time! Visiting Pinacoteca di Brera. The paintings were stunning, even if I didn't understand half of them. (Art history is not my forte.) Got hopelessly lost trying to find the bathroom. Ended up in a storage closet. Humiliating.
- 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch. Found a small cafe, and stumbled through ordering. Managed to procure a sandwich, which was average at best. My Italian is still basically "Ciao" and "Grazie."
- 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Trying to find the elusive "Last Supper”. Booked a tour. Felt like I was playing a high-stakes treasure hunt. The mural itself? Actually quite moving. The crowd, however, was a nightmare. People pushing, cameras flashing… it was like being at a celebrity wedding.
- 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Aperitivo Hour! Found a place with a rooftop terrace (fancy!). Ordered a Spritz. Realized I needed to watch myself with these. They go down easy, and then… BAM. The world becomes a little bit blurry. People watching is now truly on point.
- 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Dinner. Found a restaurant that specialized in risotto. It was creamy, delicious, and I almost licked the plate clean. The waiter seemed slightly concerned.
- 9:00 PM onwards: Explore the city by night. The Duomo lit up at night is truly magnificent. Feeling slightly tipsy and utterly amazed. The sound of vespas zipping by, the chatter of people enjoying themselves… absolute bliss. 10:00 PM: Stumbled over a cobblestone, nearly face-planted. Grace, I have none.
Day 3: Day Trips and Departure Blues
- 9:00 AM: Desperately need more coffee.
- 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM: Day trip to Lake Como. I saw the lake, and it was beautiful. But the crowds! The boats! The selfie sticks! (Honestly, the selfie sticks were the most terrifying thing I've seen.) The town of Varenna was charming, though. Wish I had more time. (This is a recurring theme, by the way.)
- 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Back at the hotel. Packing. (Ugh.) Realizing I haven't even touched half the things I brought.
- 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Final dinner. The hotel restaurant looks too fancy for my travel-worn self. I'll just order room service, and indulge in more pasta.
- 9:00 PM onwards: Reflect. Damn, this has gone by too quickly.
- Reflection: Milan has been an assault on the senses from the get-go: the fashion, the food, the frantic, fast-paced lifestyle of the whole city. Feeling bittersweet about leaving. So much more to see, so many more pasta dishes to conquer. I will be back. Probably broke, but happy.
- Emotional Reaction: Happy and sad. It’s been an amazing experience, one that I will never forget.
- Departure: Prepare for the flight. And the inevitable post-trip depression. "Ciao, Milan. Until next time. Now get out there and explore. And maybe, just maybe, try to avoid the pigeons. They judge, I tell you."
Palazzo Touring Club: Milan's Wild Secret (and My Slightly Exhausted Guide to It)
Alright, folks, listen up. I'm about to spill the pasta (er, the beans?) on Palazzo Touring Club Italiano. This place... it's a beast. A beautiful, gilded, slightly bewildered beast, but a beast nonetheless. It's not your average hotel, and frankly, navigating it can feel a bit like trying to solve a cryptic crossword puzzle in a foreign language. Let's dive in, shall we? And please, forgive the mess. I'm still recovering from the marble-clad onslaught.
Okay, What *IS* Palazzo Touring Club? Is it even a hotel?
Yes! It's a hotel, officially. But it's SO much more. Imagine a cross between a museum, a travel agency (duh, Touring *Club*), a slightly eccentric library, and a place where very important people (and occasionally, hopefully, me) get to crash. It's housed in… well, a palace. Like, seriously, actual palazzo. Think grand staircases, frescoed ceilings, and enough velvet to upholster a small planet. It's all incredibly *Italian*, which is both a blessing and a curse. Blessing: gorgeous. Curse: sometimes, you have absolutely NO idea what's going on. For real, one time, I wandered into a room convinced it was a random storage closet only to find it was some kind of super-exclusive book club meeting. Don't ask me how I knew to sneak peek in. Still don't.
So... Luxury, huh? How luxurious are we talking?
Oh sweet baby Jesus, the luxury is *intense*. Think: crisp white sheets that make your toes tingle with happiness, bathrooms bigger than my actual apartment, and enough fluffy towels to build a small snowman. The toiletries are top-notch, the robes are the kind you want to *live* in, and the breakfast buffet… *chef's kiss*. I'm not even kidding. The breakfast alone could justify the price (more on THAT nightmare later… or maybe the price is simply a *blessing* in disguise and keeps the riff-raff out? Hm...). And the service? Top-notch. You feel like a VIP, even if you're just there to gorge yourself on pastries. (Which, let's be honest, is a perfectly valid reason to be there). But here's the thing: it's not *pretentious* luxury. It's like, old-money, understated elegance. They don't shove it in your face. You just sort of… *absorb* it. Like a sponge in a sea of silk.
What's the vibe? Is it stuffy? Or a little less... stuffy?
Okay, this is where it gets interesting. Yes, there's undeniable *stuffy-ness*. It's a palace, after all! But it's not aggressively stuffy. It's more like… elegantly awkward? Like the staff is *trying* to be warm, but have been trained in the school of perfect protocol. For instance, I accidentally spilled coffee on my pristine white tablecloth (my fault, completely!), and the waiter’s face went completely blank, but then he smoothly whisked it away and replaced it with a new one. No fuss, no drama. Just… pure, practiced professionalism. It's almost *comforting* in its formality, in a weird way. But also a bit… unsettling? One time, I tried to make small talk with a concierge and got a response that was so impeccably polite that it felt like I'd been scolded without being scolded. I was left wondering if I'd offended someone's taste in shoes. The answer? Probably.
Is it in a good location? Accessibility?
Location? PERFECT. Absolutely perfect. Literally steps from the Duomo. Like, you can practically *throw* a croissant and hit the entrance. Actually, don’t throw a croissant. But you *could*. Seriously, the location is a major selling point. You're right in the heart of Milan. Accessibility, I have to say, is decent. Considering the building's age and architecture, they've done a good job with ramps and elevators, but, you know, it's not always the *easiest*. There's a lot of marble and cobblestones. Be prepared for some minor navigation challenges if you are, as they say, mobility-impaired. Think comfortable shoes, people!
Tell me about… the food! I'm hungry!
Breakfast is an absolute MUST. Seriously. The buffet is insane. Croissants that melt in your mouth, fresh fruit, cheeses, cured meats… it's a carb-lover's paradise. The coffee is strong, the juice is fresh, and the atmosphere is… well, quietly opulent. Dinner at their restaurant is also excellent, but be prepared to open that wallet. It's not cheap, but the food is worth it, the atmosphere is stunning, and the waitstaff are a delight. I mean, they're *perfect* if a little bit… robotic? One time, I ordered a simple pasta dish and it arrived with such precision plating that I was slightly intimidated. But amazing. Still salivating thinking about it.
Any hidden gems *within* the hidden gem? Like, secrets?
Oh, absolutely! That's the best part! This place is riddled with them. The library is a quiet haven, filled with ancient tomes and the faint smell of… history. Explore. Wander. Get lost. The courtyard is a peaceful oasis, perfect for a morning coffee or a late-night glass of wine. There's a rooftop terrace that offers breathtaking views of the Duomo. Find it! It's a bit of a scavenger hunt to discover all the little treasures, and I am not going to spoil it for you. Get lost! Get curious! But seriously, there's more than meets the eye. Like, way more. It's a rabbit hole of old-world charm. The hotel *itself* feels like a hidden gem.
The Price??? Is it going to make me cry?
Okay, brace yourself. Yes, it's expensive. Like, "I need to sell a kidney" expensive. But… here's the thing. If you're looking for a truly special experience, something you'll never forget, it's worth it. Consider it an investment in a memory, a splurge for a special occasion, or a reward for surviving a particularly grueling year. Or… maybe just try to book it during the off-season. Or sell a kidney. I'm not judging. I've been there. But honestly, and I say this honestly, knowing how much I would've been charged… makes me want to save up and go again. It’s that magical! It probably also feelsEscape to Katra's Hidden Gem: OYO 76836 Hotel Meridian!
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