Editor's note: The Inspired Stays series highlights hotels we love around Italy. Each property is independently reviewed by an Italy Magazine writer, who is generally hosted on a complimentary basis. Our contributors do not accept compensation or gifts in exchange for specific types of coverage. We only showcase properties we would genuinely recommend overall.
Why we love it
This modern, industrial hotel is the ideal compromise for Milan first-timers who still have a quotient of cool to keep. Looking to blur the line between hotel and museum, STRAF’s art-forward concept is bold, without ever feeling gimmicky.
What to expect
STRAF is a sleek, high-style hotel, so don’t expect warm woods, soft edges and lace doillies. It’s industrial by design, defying any classical “Grand Tour” trappings with its rough patinas and bold color palettes. Given its hyper-central location, the hotel bar is often busy, and though the clientele isn’t only made up of Milan’s most fashionable folk, STRAF is an excellent spot for rubbing shoulders with that type of traveler. It’s not quite plush — the lobby seating, for example, is awkwardly oriented — and if you’re looking for quiet reflection, you might look elsewhere. But if you want to enjoy a modern, stylish side of Milan, this is a great place to be.
Background
STRAF was founded in 2003 by the longtime owners of the Grand Hotel et de Milan, who intended to convert the late-19th century palazzo into a buzzy, expressive lodging in accordance with the vision of then-emerging fashion designer Vincenzo De Cotiis. Its name is an anglicized portmanteau of its host street, Via San Raffaele; hosting regular DJ sets and art installations, the hotel offers a contemporary counterpoint to its grand, historic sister property. Part of the Design Hotels group, STRAF remains tethered to De Cotiis’ vision even as renovations and updates have been completed over the past three years.
Location, location, location
You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotel in Milan with such a visitor-friendly location, with the Duomo only a few seconds’ walk away and the city’s most elite fashion houses all within stumbling distance. That awesome cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Teatro alla Scala are all at your doorstep, but so are the inevitable crowds and overpriced restaurants that come part and parcel. Still, being directly located across the small, baroque Church of St. Rafael, the hotel feels relatively tucked away, offering its own little ecosystem built around the bar’s lively parklet.
Where you’ll sleep
The hotel’s 64 rooms, each of which features its own distinctive artwork by De Cotiis, progress from the entry-level Single Rooms featuring concrete floors and brass-wrapped bathrooms, to the WOW Terrace Suite, complete with private views of the Duomo and striped “panda” marble. Uniting these rooms is an austere look that recalls the city’s contemporary art galleries like Pirelli HangarBicocca and Fondazione Prada. The mirrored surfaces, while sleek and geometric, seem to have been salvaged from another era, all stained and corroded. My room had good natural light, helping to strike the right balance between comfortable and unconventional.
Dining & drinks
In addition to a continental breakfast buffet with mimosas and other add-ons, STRAF’s small onsite restaurant serves light, international lunch options — tandoori chicken, burgers, nicoise salad — for a limited time each day. There’s no onsite dinner, but you can take the pleasant 10-minute walk to the Grand Hotel et de Milan, where the Caruso Nuovo Bistrot serves primarily Milanese cuisine with southern twists, courtesy of chef Gennaro Esposito; I enjoyed my deconstructed raviolo alla genovese washed down with a spicy and fruity 2022 “Rubrato” Aglianico.
The bar at STRAF is what attracts many visitors, but I found the cocktail menu to be surprisingly conservative for such a dynamic space. My Americano Martini (made with Martini Bitter Riserva Speciale instead of the usual Campari) was rich and well-balanced, but upon requesting something bitter and preferably amaro-based, I was served a Black Mojito (colored with liquorice liqueur) that was a bit one-dimensional.
Service notes
The hotel got frenetic during my stay, but service remained cheerful, courteous and calm; I watched the multilingual staff show extreme patience toward a teenaged guest who grilled the concierge relentlessly for the restaurant serving “the best pasta in Milan.” The bottles of fresh drinking water supplied in the lobby were perennially low, but it was peak summer when I stayed; overall, staff were personable, flexible and hard-working.
Spa time
Inaugurated in 2023, the spa is available for use by reservation, and features a sauna, hammam, a small pool and fitness center. The environment could benefit from better sound-proofing, as some city noise trickled in from the street when I visited.
Accessibility
- The hotel has ADA friendly rooms and bathrooms.
- The hotel has an elevator.
Features & amenities
- City setting
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Free WiFi
- Pool
- Fitness center
- Spa
Contacts
STRAF Hotel – A Member of Design Hotels
Via S. Raffaele 3, Milan
Tel. +39 02 805081
Website
