Hotel de la Ville, a superb small luxury hotel in Monza, was my home for a few days in November when I went exploring Lake Como and Lombardy. Read along to learn why I loved it so much.
Convenient location
Hotel de la Ville is located in Monza, just north of Milan and can easily be reached by car from both Milan Malpensa and Milan Bergamo airport. If you don’t need to be in downtown Milan anyway, you can avoid getting in and out of the centre of Milan during rush hour by staying in Hotel de la Ville. After all, driving in Italy is not the easiest task. I’ve wrote a separate article on things you should know before driving in Italy. Price of the rooms in this hotel are cheaper than similar rooms in Milan and Hotel de la Ville offers the same amount of luxury, perhaps even more!
Hotel de la Ville is located opposite the Royal Palace of Savoy, offering splendid views of the palace and its gardens. Downtown Monza is at walking distance from the hotel, and the international F1 race circuit is only a 7-minute drive away.
My experience
Upon entrance, friendly and professional staff greeted me and welcomed me to the lobby. Staff was extremely polite, which immediately made me feel at home. After all, being treated with the best service is part of the experience when staying in a luxury hotel. Public spaces are filled with a marvelous collection of antiques, contributing to the unique atmosphere of Hotel de la Ville. I felt really at home in the hotel. On evenings, I stayed in the hotel to have a drink in the American Bar or to read a book in the dark-wooden library.
Food
Dinner in the ‘Derby Grill’ is an absolute joy. Derby Grill is considered one of the best restaurants in Italy. Cuisine is innovative with attention for local ingredients. Given the breakfast is served in the Derby Grill also, I expected it to be one of the best breakfasts of Italy. That wasn’t the case, although breakfast here is still better than average.
The Suite
I stayed in one of their Suites, located in the Deluxe Wing of Hotel de la Ville. You know the hotel has a classic vibe to it when they hand you a proper room key on a big-ass tassel keychain. Somehow I found this pretty cool.
The suite had a total surface area of 35sqm and was full of antique furniture. The bed had a large decorated wooden headrest. Pressing a switch opens or closes the curtains for you from in bed. There’s a living area with an antique divan and leather armchair to watch a show on the huge 42-inch flat screen TV. Underneath the TV is the writing desk. In the closet is the minibar filled to the brim, and of course a safe.
Bathroom
The suite had an elegant marble bathroom with a double sink, a bath and separate shower. It even featured a small TV monitor so you can continue watching TV from the bathroom! Toiletries were high-quality products from Etro and I could appreciate the thick, soft towels.
Verdict
Hotel de la Ville in Monza is an absolutely stunning hotel and the location is great for exploring Milan or the Lombardy region north of it.
Pros:
Unique atmosphere
Big value for money
Treatment
Free parking
One of the best restaurants in Italy
Pros are ample, but cons of this hotel are much harder to find.
Cons:
Breakfast compared to dinner
Ben’s score: a well-deserved 9/10
Going to Italy yourself? Check out my tips for driving in Italy and read more about what are the most beautiful villages around Lake Como.