As I write this, my feet are cocooned in monogrammed Principe comfort and these slippers are, without any doubt, the very best.
Starting with the feet, the pleasures at the Principe di Savoia eventually reach the very last follicle on the crown of your head. A result of a bespoke recipe concocted in 1927 combining luxury, comfort and elegance in an evolving style that instinctively complements the putative fashion capital of the World: Milan.
We stayed in The Royal Suite, so historic name-dropping at this juncture is almost obligatory: going back a few decades, Frank Sinatra apparently always chose this suite; royals from all over the planet have chosen to stay in parallel luxury; while famous celebrities and heads of state reserve 'The Royal' months in advance. It is a suite that offers good reason for visiting Milan, though there are many other worthwhile reasons for coming here, besides even fashion.
The Principe has a particularly grand presence: an off-white neoclassical façade facing the tree-laden Piazza del Republico; pleasantly apart from the 'crowd'. The impressive semi-circular drive is charged with porters and bellmen, a hand away from doors, cases and shopping bags. Walking towards the celebrated circular doors of the entrance, with fine red carpet underfoot, I clock the first of many guest considerations: a spray of fine mist blowing from the twenties iron colonnade (à la Ridley Scott) to cool the hot summer air.
The recently refurbished Acanto restaurant at the Principe is outstanding. Again, they have pulled in the 21st century, ?but with a definite air of 'polished and patrician' and the lighting is extraordinarily good, by day and night. The room is back-dropped by the landscaped garden with a water feature and covered seating area, surrounded by a tall hedge of Magnolia grandiflora trees. The menu offers a selection of quirky dishes along with the more traditional, and the talented chef has created quite a stir combining his knowledge of Lombardy with that of the Mediterranean.
The hotel has, for several colourful decades, dedicated itself to hosting its premier and regular clientele, and during its eighty-year reign it has evolved with a keen eye on the contemporaneous. To this end, it has gone through several facelifts; each one reflecting the present, while the ethos and elegantly preserved traditions still glow intact. This is not a modern phenomenon; it is a result of enduring style. The classical and attractive Lombardy-style; of rich ornate woodwork, soft shades, delicate fabrics and distinguished works of art, are all in fine keeping with the mood of the hotel; just as the stylish modern gestures along with cutting edge technology fit perfectly with today's expectations...
Find out more and book direct with the hotel at www.luxuryexplorer.com