Italy’s grand hotels often serve as portals into the country’s multi-layered history — places where centuries-old architecture meets contemporary luxury and where location is not just convenient but the focus of a stay. Two high-end hotels hit all these notes and more: Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá in Milan and Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá in Rome.
Marrying cultural heritage with refined modern design, both properties offer high style, plush comfort — and notably, unparalleled proximity to these cities’ most iconic attractions. For Milan’s Palazzo Cordusio, that’s the Gothic 14th-century Duomo, the second-largest cathedral in the world, which you can practically touch from the hotel’s rooftop dining terrace. For Rome’s Villa Agrippina, it’s the Vatican, the magnificent seat of the Roman Catholic Church, which is just spitting distance away. By staying at these two historic hotels, you can’t get much closer to these landmark sites.
Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá, Milan
This 19th-century palazzo-turned-designer hotel on the historic Piazza Cordusio boasts one of the most enviable addresses in Italy’s fashion capital. Steps from the Duomo, as well as the shopping mecca Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the elegant pedestrian Via Dante, the hotel sits at the crossroads of fashion, culture, and history. Its central location makes it an ideal base for exploring Milan’s haute couture boutiques, stylish cafés, and world-class museums, especially during the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics to be hosted by this northern Italian city.
The renovated 2-year-old Palazzo Cordusio makes the most of its grand architectural bones. High ceilings, acres of marble, classical columns, and even a distinctive dome celebrate the building’s heritage, while the signature lobby fragrance sets a calming tone.
Soft-hued interiors and understated furnishings introduce a subdued modern aesthetic. Many of the 84 rooms and suites feature panoramic windows framing Milan’s rooftops or the dramatic profile of the Duomo spires. My spacious premier room sported lush Rubelli fabrics, heavy drapes, and coffee-table art books. Patterned ceramic wallpaper adorned the marble bathroom complete with a deep soaking tub and bidet. Small details count in a big way here: slippers laid out on linen napkins bedside during turndown service and unusual amenities such as a hair straightener and a clothes steamer.
The hotel’s dining scene is a highlight with three standout restaurants. I feasted on southern Italian fare at Isola Restaurant, where I ate the best linguine with clams of my life. Off the lobby and under a soaring skylight, the chandeliered Giardino Cordusio elevates simple dishes, such as a ham-and-cheese sandwich with — what else — truffles. Its stylish bar invites guests to linger over an aperitivo — an integral part of Milanese life. But the pièce de résistance is the rooftop Japanese-inspired Sachi restaurant, where I watched the Duomo light up and heard its bells chime during an open-air dinner of the freshest sashimi and sushi.
Wellness takes center stage in the underground spa. The sleek indoor pool — unusual for a city-center hotel — sauna and Turkish bath, and state-of-the-art gym offer a welcome respite after a day of gallery hopping or luxury shopping.
Whether you’re drawn by Milan’s cultural institutions, its famous fashion district, or its lively café culture, Palazzo Cordusio Gran Meliá puts you in the center of the action. And when that’s not enough, there’s always the largest Starbucks Reserve in Europe just across the street.
Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá, Rome
The Villa Agrippina also proves the mantra of location, location, location. An 18th-century building built on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa once owned by Nero’s mother, it’s just a seven-minute walk to St. Peter’s Basilica and about twice that to Rome’s historic center. Indeed, the hotel capitalizes on that exceptional proximity by offering custom tours of the Vatican and its museums, some with exclusive access to rooms closed to the public. I thrilled at the privilege of seeing artistic treasures normally hidden from view.
While the hotel features contemporary design and furnishings, it pays homage to Rome’s classical past with oversized prints of ancient Roman figures in the rooms and stone friezes of antiquated Roman scenes in the lobby and hallways. Exterior walls are painted in the blush-ochre color that echoes the Eternal City’s signature hue.
The 110 rooms and suites overlook the estate’s 2.4-acre groomed gardens or St. Peter’s dome, some with private terraces and hot tubs. Muted brown tones and clean lines create a calming atmosphere, reinforced by the lovely rosemary-scented grounds and large outdoor pool. Surrounded by white loungers, it’s a rare oasis in central Rome that invites languid sunbathing or a cool dip on a hot summer’s day.
Dining in three different venues is excellent. I couldn’t resist the warm bread-basket focaccia accompanied with individual olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles at the Gala Pool Bar and Restaurant. Panoramic windows, lush plants, and white furniture lend it a resort-like feel, perfect for a casual lunch (tuna tartar with avocado cream, anyone?). The airy, palm-festooned Amaro Lobby Bar & Lounge serves Spanish-inspired tapas and the elegant Follie Restaurant run by local chef Alfonso D’Auria dishes elevated Italian classics.
A serene spa, in collaboration with Clarins and myBlend brands, includes a sauna, Turkish bath, gym, treatment rooms, and small hydrotherapy pool with Jacuzzi. I tried a ceramic red-light-therapy facial mask for the first time, which is all the rage among the cognoscenti.
If you want Rome’s rich history right at your doorstep along with space and tranquility at the end of the day, then Villa Agrippina is for you.
Veronica Stoddart is a multiple-award-winning travel writer and editor specializing in culinary and cultural travel. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Travel, Food & Wine, AARP The Magazine, USA Today, Frommers.com, and many others. She’s visited more than 110 countries on all seven continents, reporting from many of them. She considers travel a force for good in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
