Room Mate Giulia
Milan
60's Milanese home, witty and lively
Room Mate Giulia is a boutique hotel located in the heart of the city, less than two minutes' walk from Piazza del Duomo, where Milan Cathedral stands. It is next to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, famous for its glamorous shopping street of fashion brands, and less than a five-minute walk from the Teatro alla Scala, literally in the heart of Milan's hot spots.
This dormitory-like place called 'Room Mate' is the Milan branch of the Room Mate Hotels chain. Room Mate Hotels is a company started by three friends in Madrid, Spain, who complained that there was "no accommodation in any city that offers exactly what travellers want, without unnecessary frills". This hotel has branches in major cities in Europe and the United States. Each branch is named like a real friend's house. Here in Milan is the home of the fashionable female roommate, "Julia.
Roommate Julia renovated a 19th century building to give it the feel of a 60s Italian home. The designer used a grid-like wallpaper, vintage-looking furniture, bright primary-coloured bathroom tiles and witty paintings by Milanese artists to create a homely atmosphere that feels like a friend's house.
Looking at the overall reviews from those who stayed here first, they say that the excellent location and interesting design are good, but more than anything it is a place that is really clean to stay in and has excellent consideration for travellers. The first thing they mentioned was the 'pillow-top mattress', which is more comfortable than at home! And the most unique thing is the breakfast, which includes a healthy menu and a variety of breakfasts from 7am to 12pm! This is a really essential service if you are not a morning person.
We've also paid a lot of attention to details, such as a powerful hairdryer, which is essential for people with long hair, and a steam sauna in the basement that can be booked privately by the hour so you don't have to share it with other guests.
But above all, I would say that the staff, who make travellers feel like friends and treat them with ease, and the atmosphere are the main attractions of this place. It's not the kind of polite but stereotypical service offered by big hotels in big cities, but the kind of comfort that makes you feel like you're staying with a real Italian roommate.
The only downside is that the noise of the rubbish collection lorry every 6.30am might disturb your sleep, but that's a small price to pay. The price is not cheap for a stay in a 'roommate' house. But considering that the efficiency of the location is proportional to the price, it is a reasonable price for a trip to a big city.
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Wish List
On my first trip to Milan, I stayed at a big brand hotel near the central, but it was nothing special except for its convenient location.
So this time I tried to find a place with a similar location, but with a more homely touch. This is the Wish List place that slovie carefully looked through 385 reviews from the past year and chose as a place to stay on my next trip to Milan.
