CNBC Business | Hotel Reviews

The hottest places to stay in Milan and Frankfurt

Roomers Frankfurt

Location: On a quiet street, two blocks from the central station and the river. Ideally placed for the banking district, a 10-minute walk away, for morning runs along the Main, and for the Messe exhibition ground.  

Ambience: Dark, discreet and with a hint of decadence, this design hotel is the latest offering from locals Micky Rosen and Alex Urseneau. Having cornered the creative market with their Bristol, Pur and Gerbermühle properties, they are now targeting businessmen with a 21st-century take on the gentleman’s club. On the five floors of the original building, the décor is all black lacquer, maroon leather and pearly velvets; the new-build sixth floor, home to the spa, gym and meeting rooms, is white and glass with views across the city. 

Guestrooms: Neat design and elegant retractable screens mean the 106 Superior rooms can incorporate decent-sized bathrooms in their 23m2 without feeling squeezed. Deluxe rooms range from 33m2 to 43m2, some with separate bath and shower, some with baths at the foot of the bed. Both have the usual — robes, safes, flatscreen TVs — as well as special touches like half-bottles of Hennessy Cognac and copies of GQ, Vogue and Playboy. 

Service: Stylish and friendly, with excellent spoken English. We visited in the soft opening period, so a few glitches were being ironed out, but an intelligent, can-do attitude resolved any minor problems. 

Can I work here? If you can find your electronics — not always easy with the low lighting and black-on-black décor — the facilities are more than adequate. Wi-Fi is available throughout, and for emailing the free 256kbps service should be fine, although for downloading you’ll need the faster, paid-for connection. The three rooftop meeting rooms include a 50m2 auditorium.  

Can I live here? Once you’ve seen the spa, you’ll never want to leave. Forget ayurvedic facials, this is an after-work haven for the stressed exec. Watch Frankfurt’s lights from the comfort of the jet pool or a bath filled with warm glass beads. Add in an elegant restaurant, a large patio area, and a smoky after-hours bar, and you’ve got everything for the man-about-town.  

Worth noting: The bar looks set to be a hotspot. For members and guests only, it has a nightly DJ, designer spirits and a flatscreen for the big game. 

+49 69 27 13 42 0; www.roomers.eu 

Park Hyatt Milan

Location: Slap bang in the city centre, on the edge of the Galleria and at the heart of the financial district — unsurprisingly, since it’s housed in the former National Bank building. All major shops and sights are within spitting distance, but you’ll have to catch a cab for the station or airports. 

Ambience: Park Hyatt’s signature blend of subdued luxury and practical elegance is a welcome relief in the midst of Milan’s rococo bling. The light-filled lobby lounge — formerly a courtyard car park — sets the tone, with travertine pillars supporting a handsome glass cupola. Join the local business set here for a coffee and ponder the mechanics of cleaning the windows. 

Guestrooms: The 112 rooms start at 35m2, a chunk of which is taken up by outsize marble bathrooms with large tubs and separate rainshowers. Bang & Olufsen TVs and bathrobes come as standard, but the 29 suites are worth a splurge for the lavish space and stunning cityscapes. If you’d like a view but haven’t the budget, ask for a room ending in 05 — all look out on the Galleria. 

Service: Friendly and slick, with a touch of Italian swagger. Excellent on local recommendations, especially late-night venues — and if everywhere is shut, they’ll serve grappa with a smile until the small hours in the lobby lounge.  

Can I work here? Restrained and relaxing room décor makes for a restful working environment, and marble desks add local colour. Wi-Fi is sadly not free, but at €15 a day isn’t wildly overpriced, and there’s free internet access and printing at the bijou business centre on the ground floor. Formal meeting facilities are on the first floor, but for something more intimate book the brand-new Imperial Suite, a five-room haven with every executive comfort. 

Can I live here? If you like Italian food, it’ll be hard to tear yourself away from the discreet comfort of the Park Restaurant. Milan’s ubiquitous Asian-fusion fad is mercifully absent — this is a deceptively simple take on traditional dishes, prepared with ultra-fresh ingredients and skill. Wine-lovers can work their way by the glass through the list of local Lombardy vintages — be sure to try the famous Sfursat from the Valtellina region.  

Worth noting: Burning calories will be easier come next spring, when the tiny gym will get a long-overdue upgrade to a full-size fitness centre and spa. 

+39 02 8821 1234; www.milan.park.hyatt.com