Blog – Page 17 – Aplins in the Alps

Ever wondered what it's like to stay in a world-renown Hyatt hotel? Check out our pictorial review of the Park Hyatt Milano! After spending a few days in Florence, we decided to stop for a day in Milan on our way to the French Alps. We planned to visit friends near Como for the weekend, but had a day to kill. So what would we do? Enjoy a night of luxury of course! As Platinum members of the Hyatt Gold Passport awards program (and holders of 2 free-night certificates earned from our usual credit card hacking shenanigans), our hotel choice was obvious: the Park Hyatt Milano. Almost any list you consult will reveal that this property is one of the highest-value redemptions of a free night in the entire Hyatt hotel chain; and at a normal rate of 615 euro per night for a standard room, it's hard to argue that point! So how would the hotel stand up to its reputation--and its price tag? Join us for a review of the Park Hyatt Milano! Arrival and First Impressions Before even entering the hotel, you're surrounded by luxury. In fact, the area known as Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is literally one of the priciest pieces of real estate in the entire world. I'm not even going to ask what the monthly rent in this area would cost! So if a hotel sits within this area, you know it's going to be special. Before entering the hotel lobby, we were greeted by a smiling porter who welcomed us and opened the door for us. Once inside, we were immediately impressed with the cleanliness and beauty of the interior. The hotel's Cupola lounge is a beautiful, well-lit spot to kick-back and relax Though we waited in line for a few minutes to check-in, that short wait served as a precursor to our stay. The attention to detail given to each guest was quite noticeable as we heard guests being greeted by name, special requests being granted, and nothing but a can-do, will-help attitude from the staff. We arrived shortly after 10 A.M.--FAR in advance of the 3 P.M. standard check-in time. I had contacted the hotel requesting early check-in a few days in advance, and was informed that because the hotel would be completely booked the night before our arrival, they would do everything to grant my request, but could not guarantee a room at my planned arrival time. I appreciate this in a business--a genuine desire to accommodate, with an honesty about whether or not it can realistically do so. After checking in, we asked if there was an area of the hotel where we could sit and do some work until our room was ready. The receptionist kindly showed us to a spot in the hotel restaurant without guests, picking a table for us directly next to an outlet so we could plug in our gadgets. In the meantime, the porter took our bags and stored them. I could get use to going to work in a place like this every day! Shortly before noon, we were notified that our room was ready. The receptionist who had checked us in escorted us to the elevator to show us that we needed to swipe our room key before choosing a floor. I was expecting her to get right back off the elevator, so it was a surprise when she accompanied us up the elevator and to our room! Showing us to our room, she explained that the bottled water was complementary and that all we needed to do was phone down to the reception desk to ask for more if we wanted it. After a short tour, she kindly wished us an enjoyable stay, and our bags were promptly delivered up to us. Later, at our request, American adapters were brought to our room without question since our adapter wouldn't fit into the plug provided. Here's a look at our standard, King Room: The view upon entry revealed a nice little nook with wine glasses and an ice bucket. There were big windows with shutters that could be completely closed from the inside, as well as a comfy seating area to enjoy a meal or do some reading. This room would be quite an enjoyable "home" for the next 24 hours! There was a beautiful marble desk and executive chair along the right wall; and above it, a TV that could be swiveled in order to be viewed from anywhere in the room. The king-sized bed was comfortable and clean--exactly what you would expect from a hotel of this type. We never used the T.V.; but we spent a good bit of time lounging on this seating area, working at the desk, and vegging out in bed! Walking through the main room led us to the another area. To the left was the bathroom, complete with a rain shower, Jacuzzi tub, and (not pictured) a separate toilet room. The sink and vanity were in here as well. Normally, I don't care much about bathrooms--but it's amazing how much time I was willing to spend in one as nice as this! On the right side was a very large closet area that was perfect for storing our belongings. It was really nice to have a place to leave our bags without cluttering the bedroom! In this area we also found comfortable robes and slippers for our use, as well as a safe for valuables (a.k.a. all that money you save booking this room with a free night certificate!). This "closet" is about as big as some hotel rooms we've stayed in! There were so many small, elegant touches that made this room amazing--nice lotions and toiletry products, soft towels, and even a box of chocolates with a note from the General Manager. No matter how small, little touches like this go a long way in exceeding our expectations Complimentary Afternoon Tea After settling in, checking out the room, and doing a little exploring of the city, we returned to the hotel to freshen up and enjoy our afternoon tea. During check-in we were given an invitation which we would need to present in order to take part in this event. It felt very exclusive. I still don't know whether or not it was given to everyone staying at the hotel (it probably was), but we felt like we were being given an unexpected treat. So of course we obliged! We made our way down to the Cupola Lounge at the appropriate time, were quickly shown to a finely set table, and immediately greeted by a server asking our preferred drink. In fact, he literally took our drink requests before we even sat down! A favorite drink in a fantastic setting makes for an enjoyable experience Jana had a fruit tea and I took a green tea. Our teas came in these awesome pots, and were accompanied by a handful of tasty cookies. We had a blast just relaxing and enjoying our treat in the beautiful Cupola. I could have had probably 100 of these cookies! An Evening Surprise After tea, we explored the Navigli (Milan's canals) for a bit, before returning later that evening. To our astonishment, the room looked different when we re-entered. After a few moments, we realized what had changed. The cleaning staff had entered and provided evening turn-down service, which included: Shutters closed, lights dimmed, and TV angled toward the bedDirty dishes taken and replaced with clean onesWater bottles and glasses provided bedsideExtra chocolates Like many people, all it takes is a treat like this to make Jana happy! We normally don't even request a cleaning or turn-down service when we stay in hotels, but that's because it often only includes a quick cleaning and a made-up bed. For a short stay, we don't need the former; and regardless of length, we can do the latter ourselves. I remembered reading that twice-per-day service would be provided, but I certainly didn't expect this!! It was quite stunning to walk into our room and see that it had been adapted for our evening needs! After gawking at our night-ready room, we took it upon ourselves to enjoy one of the areas of the hotel we were most looking forward to: the Spa. Spa and Fitness Center The spa is on the bottom floor of the hotel, and includes a separate fitness center. It was fantastic to be able to complete a hard workout in the fitness center, lounge for a while in the hot tub, and then sit for a bit in the steam room. In fact, it was so nice that we went back for round 2 the next morning! Just for fun-sies, I tried 3 different cardio machines (the stair climber was good training for the Alps!) The fitness center had a variety of cardio equipment, lots of free weights, and plenty of little accessories to supplement a number of different exercise activities. And the spa was so relaxing! We spent about half an hour on two separate occasions in this hot tub! Such a tranquil environment--if our room hadn't been so nice, we might have just slept down here! If you've never experienced a steam room or sauna, you need to try it out. The feeling is incredible. Once you get over the difficulty of breathing in the thick air, the sensation of just sitting and sweating is oddly relaxing! Even just 5 minutes in this thing made me feel like a new man! There were lockers provided, towels and robes to use, and plenty of water. There were also shower facilities for those who desired to use them. I tried both the orange and the lemon-flavored waters. I preferred the orange, of course Those who wish can drop all the money they want for the pampered treatment. There are lots of services to choose from. We, however, found that the complementary areas were enjoyable enough! I think we could have stayed in the spa long enough to read every one of those magazines sitting on the table! Morning and Check-Out The next morning (after an amazing night of rest!), we enjoyed breakfast in our room. We could have ordered room service, or even taken breakfast at a 30% discount for being platinum members, but we had leftover groceries and decided to linger in and enjoy our room. Jana enjoyed some tea and I made espresso with the provided supplies. I even enjoyed browsing through the morning's copy of the Financial Times--a newspaper that I was able to specifically request on arrival (Normally, I never read the newspaper, but this was about the experience! The New York Times and other popular newspapers were also available). Cafe Lungo, anyone? After another morning at the fitness room and spa, and more relaxing in the room, it was time for check-out. Thankfully, as Platinum members, we were granted a 2 P.M. check-out instead of the normal noon time frame. It was SO nice to have a few additional hours to not rush out of our "lap of luxury!" But like all things, this incredible experience had to come to an end. As I walked to the reception desk, I was greeted with a "Hello Mr. Aplin." Amazing. I had called down the night before and was greeted by name, but I figured an automated system showed the room and occupant as I called. But that didn't explain how he saw me coming and immediately knew my name! Further, we once again dropped our bags with the porter, as we wouldn't be leaving Milan until later that evening. While taking our bags, he asked, "Room 603, right?" Umm...this guy had delivered our bags to our room once, and he remembered our room number. Or he studied them all. I don't know. Regardless, as I paid the city tax of 5 euro per person, I thought in amazement, "This is by far the most incredible hotel experience I've ever had." Final Thoughts At 10 euro for the night, this hotel was obviously a steal. But I couldn't shake the feeling that, even at â‚¬615 per night, it's still a bargain. The staff are INCREDIBLE. Their attention to detail and their attitudes are impeccable. They care about making your stay perfect; and in my opinion, they scored a 10/10. We left the hotel feeling like we knew everyone who worked there (with only 106 rooms, they are able to focus on each guest much more intentionally than at a larger hotel). It's probably obvious that we don't stay in luxury hotels very often (translated: practically NEVER). Many of the little touches I've highlighted might be standard procedure for this type of property. But in a world where even the expected standard of service is often under-delivered, it's a real treat to experience a business that operates with a desire to please the customer at every opportunity. Before departing, we noticed a plaque on the wall: "2012 Winner of Best Hotel Service in the World." That says it all. They might as well win that award year after year. The Park Hyatt Milano isn't cheap; but it's worth every penny; and for now, up to two free nights are available as a sign-up bonus along with the Chase co-branded credit card. If you'd like to take advantage of this opportunity (incredible Park Hyatt properties exist throughout the world, and even the U.S.), send me a message and let me know how I can help. I'm helping travelers every day to create a strategy that combines incredibly cheap (or even FREE) flights, hotel stays, and ground transportation to create dream vacations of every type, length, and destination. I'd love to help you fulfill your travel dreams, too! Free consultations are still available, and I look forward to helping you plan your next vacation! Join the Conversation If you enjoyed this post and found it to be valuable, please considering sharing it with your friends and leaving a quick comment below. Thanks for playing a vital role in making this a more valuable, active community, and for helping spread our "Mobile, Global, and FREE" message throughout the world! COMMENT QUESTION FOR THIS POST: Have you ever stayed at a Park Hyatt Property? If so, which is your favorite? Let us know by sharing in the comments below!