Where I stayed in Milan
A very pleasant surprise!
I was recently in Aosta for a short stay and I needed to catch my flight from Linate airport in Milan. It was a bit over 2 hours to drive from Aosta to Milan.
The drive is very smooth and there is hardly any traffic. Just beautiful mountains and plenty of castles perched high up. There is still lots of construction happening, so you do have to take care and make sure you don’t miss your exits. It can get confusing on some parts. My car was rented in Malpensa and I needed to get a train from Malpensa to Linate. There isn’t a train to Linate, but the Trenitalia representative told me to get off at Milano Cadorna.
So I took a 45 minute train from Milano Malpensa to Milano Cadorna. And in case you didn’t know, there is now Uber in some big Italian cities. I logged into my Uber app, and it gives you an option of a car, and also a Taxi.
The Uber arrived in minutes and drove me to the Marriott Courtyard Linate. It was about a 15 minute drive. The driver was a recent graduate of law school and explained since he doesn’t have a father that is a lawyer, it’s very hard to get a job as a lawyer, and in the meantime, he’ll make some good money as an Uber driver. He took his job very seriously. He drove a very nice Mercedes, was dressed in a suit, and was prepared to make small talk or world events in Italian, English, or even Spanish.
This Marriott opened just 6 months ago. It was very nicely designed. Simple, yet modern. The hotel was booked with our credit card points. When I checked in, I was told by the floor manager Domenica that I was given an upgrade in my room. She also kindly gave me a 20% discount card to apply to any meal/drink. The room was very comfortable and cute. It had a very nice view of the local countryside. There were 2 waters awaiting me on the little desk.
The bathroom was a nice size with a shower, plenty of towels, and of course, a bidet! Even the shower soaps were natural and had a very nice scent.
There was a great little coffee station. I typically don’t like to use those espresso makers, as the water reserves are usually a bit dirty. This was brand new and sparkly clean! There was a safe and also a mini fridge.
I went downstairs and worked on the blog. They have cozy couches set up and there is lots of natural light. It’s a very comfortable lobby and the bar is open all day. If you want any cold drink, cappuccino, or a hot tea, the staff is there ready to serve you.
There is even a screen that you can get a glance of various flights’ status at Linate.
There is a gym on the 2nd floor. I wasn’t sure if I had the energy to check it out. But once I went in there, I decided to do a short workout. It had everything you need to get a full body workout. I even did the stationary bike. It had very cool graphics and you could choose your journey. Mine was a journey all around Rome!
Before I went to the gym, I took a walk to explore the little park around the hotel. I was really surprised with the big open green space. There was even a soccer field next door and there was a game happening with young adults.
It was a stunning day. The temperature was almost 50 and there were people running even in shorts.
I made my way back to the hotel and it was almost time for dinner. In the lobby they have fridges with cold water, wine, sandwiches, some desserts. And then they have two vending machines filled with American treats! I was pretty surprised to see all the brands that I saw.
The sunset was beautiful and it set a little later than usual, as winter is making her way on to Spring!
Dinner was really nice! The servers were knowledgeable and very friendly. I had a smoked salmon appetizer that is marinated in orange. It was very fresh, and tasty! They brought me very good bread with a very good quality olive oil, which always makes a difference!
Since I was in Milan, I wanted to enjoy a risotto alla Milanese, which is risotto made with saffron. They had it on the menu, but it wasn’t made in a traditional way. It had some different elements to it and even the method of how it is cooked. Once it’s cooked, it’s then toasted to give it a crunchy exterior.
The server offered that they could make a traditional risotto Milanese. I was very happy to hear that and I didn’t even have to ask! The risotto was cooked to perfection. Al dente and the perfect seasoning. It was very tasty and it went nicely with a glass of Franciacorta Brut.
At the end of the meal, I asked the concierge if they could arrange a taxi for me in the morning. They said the airport is only 5 minutes away.
The next day, the taxi arrived punctually and whisked me off on the short ride to Linate. It cost 20 euros. I typically never fly out of Linate. But this time, this route cost the least amount. The flight was Linate to Rome. Rome to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Florida.
If you ever have to fly out of Linate and have a very early flight, you should consider a stay at the Marriott Courtyard. The staff is very nice and very helpful. There is plenty of open space if you want to go for a long walk. You can even walk over to the little town next to the hotel.
Or, take the metro to the center of Milan and see the Duomo. It’s only 30-40 minutes away. Depending on how much time and energy you have, you could go for a walk and enjoy the delicious food in the hotel. Or, you could go explore Milan and be adventurous.
A presto!! CIAO!!
Lora