What it is

A 124 room glamazon with a pool and an on-staff Michelin-starred chef.

What it isn't

Ye olde Italy. There’s nothing stodgy about it.

What we think

Most of us go to Milan at least in part for its ancient sites—the Duomo di Milano, which broke ground in 1386, or the 19th century Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a.k.a. the world’s most Instagrammable mall. But just because you might ogle history all day doesn’t mean you want to sleep in it. Enter Hotel Viu Milan, where clean-lined rooms are spacious (a minimum of 279 square feet) and as glossy as Sophia Loren’s hair (expect a marble bathroom with a rainfall shower, furniture by Molteni & C Design, and high level pampering—even kids and pets have their own room service menus). Don’t miss a tasting menu dinner at Morelli, helmed by star chef (and Instagram influencer) Giancarlo Morelli. Even the dessert is inventive as it gets; coffee souffle with mandarin ice cream and pepper was recently on the menu.

You're here because

You simply have to swim on vacation, or it’s not a vacation, and this property has the only rooftop in town with both an alfresco pool and a 360-degree view of the cityscape.

The Moment

Even the locals flock to Bulk Mixology Food Bar for a tipple. One sip of your Americanino cocktail and you know why. Only these wizards could transform Martini Reserva Speciale Bitter and Rubino, plus teriyaki sauce (!) and pineapple soda, into something that tastes so instantly like R&R.

Restaurants & Bars

- Morelli - Italian cuisine by Chef Giancarlo Morelli

- The Kitchen - Exclusive Chef's Table counter-style dining

- The VIU Terrace - Rooftop restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and cocktails

- Bulk Mixology Food Bar - Coffee, light bites and hand-crafted cocktails

Location

Edging Milan’s Chinatown, just a few blocks from 95-acre Parco Sempione, which had Emilio Alemagna as its landscape designer—back in 1888.