Hotel Straf, Milan, Italy
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Bar; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Hotel Straf in Milan, Italy - Room -
Bathroom; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Bedroom; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Bedroom; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Lobby; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Bedroom; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Installation; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy -
Bathroom; Hotel Straf; Milan, Italy
Hotel Straf 4 Stars
"A haute design hotel by Vincenzo De Cotiis, of scratched mirrors, burnished brass, black stone and an eclectic buzz."
Hotel Overview
Review of Hotel Straf, by The TI Review Team
The façade of Milan's Hotel Straf was built at the end of the 18th century, but what lies behind the boutique hotel is pure modern Italian design. This eye-catching boutique hotel was the creation of Vincenzo de Cotiis, designer for the prêt-a-porter fashion house Haute, and the constantly rotating artwork in the lobby has been chosen to reflect the most important events in the city - Women's Fashion Week, Men's Fashion Week and Design Week.
The facilities
This is a boutique hotel extraordinaire; its stylish design complemented by a superb location on Via San Raffaele, just yards from the steps to the Duomo. Throughout the hotel you'll find unusual materials such as rough and polished concrete, burnished bronze and quarried slate, all selected for their natural colours. Alongside the boutique hotel is the similarly stylish Bar Straf, a local favourite for lunch and aperitivo.
The rooms
The 66 rooms at Hotel Straf are surprisingly intimate, despite the industrial overtones. Décor varies from room to room at the boutique hotel, with unusual details such as sheets of pale gauze pressed between plates of glass - another of de Cotiis's unique inventions.
Healing plays an integral role in the Hotel Straf experience and guests can book special "well-being" rooms, which have Japanese massage chairs and chromotherapy points in addition to the standard features. To complete the sensory immersion, order essential oils from reception using the conveniently provided Aromatherapy menu.
Facilities
Who stays here?
John Malkovich
Come for...
- Industrial design heaven
- Mini-spa zones on the fifth-floor rooms
- Well positioned for the Galleria and Duomo
Not Suitable for...
- Conservative tastes
Children
Baby-sitting is available on request and extra beds can be provided. A suite is advised for families.
Eating in
The tiny Straf bar is perfect for an aperitivo or a quick lunch or dinner.
The Press Say
"This sleek boutique hotel has small but cozy rooms in a 19th-century building just around the corner from Prada and Missoni." New York Times 07"Loose-weave beige cotton throws and panel blinds, precision bedside reading lights and large, stand-alone ceramic sinks." The Independent 05
Reviews
Review of Hotel Straf, by James Wallman
Five minutes' walk from the Brera and from the Quadriletra d'Oro, and moments from the people and pigeons on Milan's Plaza del Duomo, Hotel Straf is a boutique hotel situated on a quiet side street . Originally a palazzo built in the 1880s the Straf is a striking architectural anomaly, deliberately designed to feel not quite finished by Vincenzo de Cotiis, a renown haute couture fashion and interior designer. Hotel guests tend to be similar - photographers, models and smart businesspeople all passed through the lobby. Famous guests include Avril Lavigne, Moby and John Malkovich.
The facilities
Aperitivo snacks, such as chilled olives and pizza pieces, are served from each night at the boutique hotel in the intimate Straf Bar, a street-side watering hole frequented by sunglass-wearing locals. Breakfast features parma ham, pineapple, papaya, strawberries and kiwi fruit, as well as Italian coffee and three types of honey: lime flower, acacia and chestnut.
Rooms
The 64 rooms of the boutique hotel follow the designer's vision on one of two paths. Lighter rooms' floors and walls are concrete in the bedroom, brass in the bathroom. Darker rooms - which may be too gloomy for some - have shiny black, textured slate floors. Bathroom walls are gun-metal burnished steel. There are loose-weave beige cotton throws and panel blinds, precision bedside reading lights and a TV that doubles as a stereo. Suites on the sixth floor have private balconies, with views of the Duomo. Room options at the boutique hotel include beds in the centre of the room, Japanese massage chairs and chromatherapy treatment - light panels on the ceiling whose colour you choose to manage your mood.