Colorful yet sombre boutique hotel in central Milan with design by Patricia Urquiola

Room Mate Giulia / Milan / Italy

It is strange how some great cities are lacking when it comes to hotels. I think this is especially fascinating (and strange) when it is cities that are know for their fashion, design and general boldness. Like the Italian city of Milan. It is a city know for being in the forefront for design but zoom in on the hotels the town has to offer, it is slim pickings. And this is so odd! But luckily there are some (very few) exceptions to this “rule”. And one of them is this one, Room Mate Giulia.

Room Mate is a hotel chain, that has been flying a little under (at least my) radar. It was founded by Spaniard and former Olympic equestrian Kike Sarasola back in 2005. He had a vision to bring back the magic of traveling for the creatively curious seeking more than just a hotel to stay in.

This 85-key hotel is located right off Piazza Duomo, just around the corner from the majestic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The design has been created by non-other than Spanish supernova Patricia Urquiloa, who has numerous hotels, boutique concepts, furniture and buildings under her belt. Here she has created a hotel to mirror the contemporary edge and forward-leaning vibe of Milan. The result is both bold and stylish where traditional materials have been combined with vintage and modern decor to create a style that evoked a kind of 60s vibe. The color palette is warm with terracotta, blush and greens, combined with pink marble and golden brown wood.

Our room was on the top floor and had slanted ceilings which is such a cozy feature. The grid-print is the statement pattern of the hotel that is frequently used in the design. In our room it was used both in the wall paper, the curtains and in the bathroom where the squared tiles were highlighted by using contrasting grout.

Milan is a city full of worldly pleasures. There are so many great places to go for food and drinks. The Milanese love their aperitivo and this activity must not be missed when here. And since this is the fashion capital (dare I say “of the world?), the shopping is amazing, if you are in to that sort of thing. If Paris is for lovers, Milan is for enjoyers.

The lobby has a gentle, warm color scheme

I am a huge fan of this massive terracotta colored brick wall

Me having a sit down before going up to the room, enjoying a welcome drink provided by the hotel.

Heading up to our room. Found this amazing light fixture.

Our cozy room, located on the top floor with slanted ceilings and all

This grid print is popping up in different places, like here on the wall paper in our room

A little welcome gift (it was filled with gianduia pralines)

A great feeling to be able to see a slice of sky from your hotel room

The ever present grid pattern. This time on the curtains.

The design of the bathroom sums up the playfulness of Patricia Urquiola’s design. The mix of colors is delicious.

Right around the corner of the hotel you’ll find one of the most popular (and impressive) sights of Milan, the *Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II*.

And right next to the hotel in the other direction is the amazing *Duomo di Milano*.

And a different kind of “sight” that is located right opposite from the hotel is the Argentinian perfume house, *Fueguia*. Their scents are amazing. And the store looks equally amazing.

There is an excellent chain of bakery/bar/trattoria in Milan called *Princi*. They used to have an outpost in London’s SoHo that unfortunately closed during the pandemic, so I was happy to see there were several Princis dotted around town.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…are going to Milan and you want to stay as central as possible. If you like small, urban hotels with colorful design but that still has an air of elegance, you are going to be happy at Room Mate Giulia.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the location. The hotel is literally around the corner from Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and the Duomo di Milano, so it is impossible to stay more central in Milan.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to explore the area of Brera which is full of restaurants, bars and some really stellar shopping. I also loved to go to Princi, a bakery/diner/bar that used to have an outpost in SoHo in London (which is unfortunately closed). There are several Princis around town where you can have something sweet and/or a refreshing Aperol Spritz. Or two.

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