“Unexciting sound value, convenient location, would award 3.5 stars if I could”
I mark hotels fairly harshly i.e. 5 stars really has to be exceptional and I can't wait to go back, & 4 stars is excellent with few if any flaws but maybe just not distinctive enough for the top score. So my title attempts to offset the 3 star type marking, as this is basically a very satisfactory hotel at a reasonable price for the city. It's got so-so but entirely adequate rooms, fairly spacious, and with enough double glazing to cut out most of the tram and other traffic sounds at night - a frequent issue with Italian city hotels, so a relief not to have much of a problem here. The mention of trams confirms that the hotel is very handy for transport, metro too. The Romana Residence is just on the edge of the central zone of Milan - I think we walked to the Duomo in about 15 minutes or it's two metro stops. The area is perfectly safe & tidy - mixed offices & apartments, near a big hospital. No worries walking back at night. There are several restaurants nearby that look OK, and the one we tried was much better than just OK (Calimero just down the arcade next to the hotel, & with posters in the hotel lifts - the hotel doesn't have its own restaurant). Milan is pretty expensive for hotels especially at weekends during opera season - as expected - so this is a safe choice. I would stay somewhere more expensive if I could, just for a bit more character and an even more central location, but if funds don't stretch, the Romana Residence is more than good enough.
Area recommendations
The area around the Ambrosiana Museum ("Pinoteca Ambrosiana") is a happy hunting ground for restaurants & bars that are characterful and good value. Generally a useful bit cheaper than the ones around the Duomo, let alone the greenhouse affairs in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (although you really should try one of these once for the atmosphere, if you can afford it - the standard was excellent in the one we did try, not just a tourist trap by any means - Il Salotto). Returning to the recommended area, don't miss the Ambrosiana Museum itself, one of the world's most charming, on a par with the Wallace Collection in London and the Frick Collection in Manhattan.
Must see
The Duomo (cathedral) - obvious, but no question it's a must see. Note that the roof is not open during the colder parts of the year.
Dining
As mentioned in other entries - Calimero next to the hotel and Il Salotto in the galleria. Also Cafe Spadari near the Ambrosiana Museum.
Events and shows
La Scala - everything it should be for performance quality. Don't bother turning up very early though as the facilities such as bars are very limited.
