Four Points by Sheraton Milan Center

The Four Points by Sheraton Milan Center is housed on a nondescript street in a stone-slab high-rise building with balconies off some of the rooms. The spacious lobby offers extensive seating, but with its chilly polished marble floors, too-bright lights, and leather sofas and armchairs, it lacks warmth or style. The lounge, where cocktails and snacks are served, has a baby grand piano, elaborate tasseled curtains, a busy green-patterned carpet, Art Deco doors, and urns of bamboo. In the hallways, framed prints of works by popular artists such as Van Gogh align the walls. The Nectare Restaurant, with cuisine by Giovanni Marsala, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and features red leather chairs and banquette seating. The Malibran bar, decorated in a modern palette of gray and black with warm accent lighting and contemporary club chairs, offers signature cocktails and beer tastings, and stays open late. The clientele is mainly business travelers, but vacationing couples also stay here.

The Four Points, about a five-minute walk to Milan's Central Railway Station, is in a neighborhood of apartments and office buildings, with a few restaurants nearby. The Corso Como, an area with more restaurants and discos, is a 15-minute walk from the hotel, as is the Porta Garibaldi. La Scala is a 10-minute drive or 15-minute train ride, while the canal-rich Navigli neighborhood is an 18-minute drive or 36-minute train ride, and Sforza Castle is about a 15-minute drive or train ride. Milan Malpensa Airport is a 45-minute drive or 65-minute train ride from the hotel. 

The signature item in the 254 rooms is the bed -- the Sealy Posturepedic Plush Top Sleep System has nine-inch high "shock absorbers" in the mattresses, which guests rave about. Updated rooms include contemporary dark-wood furniture with sleek finishes and mixed-texture fabrics. Other rooms have a heavier look, with fussy drapes with sheers and tassels that coordinate with the bedding and carpets. Room and bed configurations vary -- a "French Bed," for example, is a mattress somewhere between a double and a queen. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, coffee and tea facilities, minibars, bathrobes and slippers, and electronic chargers. Be aware that in-room Wi-Fi comes with a fee. Renovated rooms have desk chairs on casters. Some rooms have balconies, and higher-end rooms come with separate seating areas with loveseats and armchairs. Views are of city apartments and office buildings. Updated bathrooms have white tile with wide counters around the sinks, while others have elegant brown-and-beige marble baths. All bathrooms include bidets and tub/shower combos with glass doors, and both rain and power showerheads. The hotel provides hairdryers, and its own brand of toiletries.

Free coffee, juice, and pastries are available in the lobby in early morning, along with an array of free newspapers. Nectare Restaurant serves Italian fare, the Lounge Bar serves cocktails and snacks during the day, and Malibran bar, with a baby grand piano, opens in the evening. The fitness center, a long rectangular space with a curtained window at one end, has a comprehensive array of machines and free weights, and stays open 24 hours. For those here on business, the hotel's eight meeting rooms can accommodate up to 254 people. An Internet corner with computers and fax machine is on the second-floor balcony as well, but Wi-Fi is free only in the common areas. Airport transfers, babysitting, and rental cars can be arranged for a fee. Discounted parking is available at a facility across the street.