Hilton Milan review, my experience in the Covid-19 era

In Milan, the Hilton Group has 4 facilities available, and Hilton Milano is the most well-known property due in part to its location just a few hundred meters from Central Station.

In addition to this are the Garden Inn in the Viale Monza area, the Doubletree in the Viale Certosa area and the Grand Hotel Villa Torretta by Curio in Sesto S. Giovanni in the Viale Fulvio Testi area.

Obviously, these facilities can meet different needs on the part of guests. In particular, the Hilton hotel has the most strategic location, the highest category, and is also the only hotel with an Executive Lounge, although it is closed at this time due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

Reservation

If you want to enjoy all the privileges under the Hilton Honors program, you have to book through the official channels-the app is perfect and functional. By doing so, not only do you get the benefits provided by the elite level, but you also earn points and bonuses, such as The current promotion that gives 2,000 points for each stay and 5,000 extra points 5th living room.

Then there is a second offer that allows it to be cumulated; its name is X2. Thanks to this promo, you can choose a rate that allows you to earn double the points provided for booking.

How the X2 tariff works

X2 is a promotion that, unlike the others, does not have to be specifically activated because it is in fact a rate provided in the vast majority of the group's facilities. The customer who chooses it will get double the points provided by the reservation, obviously spending more than the best available rate.

In my case I booked a standard room in X2 rate that had the cost of 99€ per night only 5€ more than the best available rate, 5€ that allowed me to earn 1,139 additional points. In total, this stay allowed me to accumulate. 1,139 base points, 1,139 points for the X2 tariff, 2,000 points for the Points Unlimited 2021 offer, and finally 911 bonus points due to my Gold status (80% of base points), for a total of 5,189 Hilton Honors points. 

If the fare difference is not important, my advice is to opt for the X2 fare. First, because it is a cancelable tariff and second, because it allows you to earn a lot of points at low cost.

Check-in and the room

For a facility that, in the former world, was a true seaport, entering a deserted and silent lobby puts a pall of melancholy.

Bringing a smile back to my face was the fact that behind me entered the crew members of American Airlines, which recently reactivated its flight to Milan Malpensa.

There was only one attendant at the desk, but absolutely no need for more: paperwork done very quickly and free upgrade to an executive room. A nice gesture except that the important benefit of an executive room is access to the lounge, which, as mentioned, is closed due to pandemic restrictions.

The room is not the most modern, there is everything you would expect, but you can see the years in both the bed frame and the bathroom.

If there is one thing, however, that never disappoints in Hilton facilities, it is the mattress, not only for king size, but also and especially for quality. The same goes for pillows and blankets.

Throughout the facility, but primarily in the rooms, the sanitization protocol designed by Hilton is reminded, starting from the seal on the room door to the bagged remote control.

The room has a spacious desk suitable for those who want to work taking advantage of the wi-fi, although being downtown you can enjoy excellent 5g coverage. The closet has a safe, iron and an ironing board. Let's just say that nothing is lacking.

Services

As mentioned, in pandemic period no executive lounge on the top floor and gymnasium closed due to DPCM.

The sore point is perhaps the parking lot under the hotel. It is a public convention park, this means you pay to the manager, ergo you don't earn Hilton Honors points, there is no rate for hotel guests, and worst of all, if you get in, check out, and then get back in you pay 2 times. So imagine you arrive at the hotel, park, go to check in, go up to the room you relax for an hour, shower and you leave for dinner (when you can go out again for dinner) with your car, pay the parking hours, then return and the next morning breakfast you leave again. Not before paying another 25€ for the night in the parking lot.

Food & Beverage

The bar that borders the lobby in the evening becomes a restaurant for hotel guests and only for them. I personally preferred to take advantage of an American Express promo and order on deliveroo.

As repeatedly mentioned thanks to my American Express Platinum  I can take advantage of the gold level in the HHonors program. This level guarantees many benefits including free breakfast, which means no less than 15/20€ per person.

Walking into the breakfast room, which used to hold hundreds of people, and seeing less than 5 people seated well apart puts a little bit of sadness.

The offerings are reduced compared to what was there before. but it is still rich: you can scan a QRcode and consult the menu or take a walk around the buffet and then order from the staff in the dining room.

Dishes are served directly at the table and, as usual, eggs and omelets are freshly prepared in the egg station.

I opted for a cheese and ham omelet, some bacon, and a couple of hash browns.

I also got a selection of cheeses and fresh orange juice.

In general I positively evaluate the breakfast offered, it is not as complete as it used to be, but much more than sufficient for the needs of all kinds of guests.

In conclusion

This facility is historic; the common areas on the ground floor are modern and welcoming. My room, on the other hand, deserves a makeover and modernization. Parking should be "payable" at the hotel as it is practically everywhere, and in any case there should be different treatment between the hotel guest and the user of the public parking lot.

• Bonvoy