Viale Andrea Doria 4, Milan, Italy | (618) 248-8274
Excellent location near the railway station and subway
Modern, elegant, arty decor throughout the hotel
Stylish rooms with comfortable beds; some have balconies with lovely views
Organic Italian restaurant and pleasant bar on-site, plus room service
Well-equipped, sunny top-floor gym open 24/7
Breakfast buffet of hot and cold dishes included in rates
Priciest rooms get such extras as late checkout and dining discounts
Eco-friendly property with a number of innovative green initiatives
Connecting rooms available, with family welcome kits and child-friendly amenities
Meeting rooms can accommodate up to 100 people
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Small pets allowed (for a fee)
Entry-level rooms are on the small side
Extra fees for certain breakfast dishes and loaner items like irons
Gym is small (though adequately equipped)
No on-site parking
The Starhotels E.c.ho. is a 143-room upscale, eco-friendly property that's a short walk to Milan’s central railway station and the subway. Decor is stylish and modern throughout, and upgraded rooms have balconies with nice views. Breakfast is included in the rates, and the hotel has an organic Italian restaurant and indoor/outdoor bar, along with a small but well-equipped gym. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and meeting spaces are available. On the down side, standard rooms can be small, there’s no parking, and some services require fees. Travelers could also consider the nearby Hotel Mediolanum, which has lower rates.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Stylishly chic modern property with eco-friendly practices
Set in a plain-looking, low-rise building, the unassuming glass-door entrance of the Starhotels E.c.ho. is deceiving. But past the floor-to-ceiling windows lies a bright, modern lobby, with wood-panel flooring, imposing gray-stone pillars, and a mix of sofas and low stools in a range of neutral tones. Accent walls sport life-size backlit photos depicting verdant countryside scenes, while the front desk is flanked by handing terrariums. The hotel’s restaurant, bar, and breakfast room follow the same design theme, adding touches like floral pendant lights made from strips of wood. A handsome wood-fronted white marble bar is backed by mirrors, and there’s a pleasant ground-floor seating area alongside a charming old chapel-like structure -- plus a rooftop terrace, fringed by hanging shrubs, with lovely views of the railway station.
Location
On a side street within walking distance of the railway and metro
The Starhotels E.c.ho. is set on a quiet side street across from Milan’s central railway station, on a relatively gritty block opposite a residential complex. Some guests complain that the hotel is a tad tricky to find, and that the immediate neighborhood can feel a little sketchy. But it’s conveniently located for travel around Italy by mainline train, and for getting around the city by subway. Major attractions are not within walking distance, but there are plenty of good restaurants within easy reach. - Two-minute walk to Milano Centrale mainline railway and subway station
Rooms
Simple, stylish rooms (though the cheapest are small), with coffeemakers and terraces in pricier categories
The Starhotels E.c.ho.'s 143 rooms are stylishly simple with handsome wood-panel flooring. Their comfortable beds are backed by smart leather headboards and topped with patterned gray throws. Suspended pendant lights add drama to the small bedside tables, while large windows and white curtains keep the space bright -- as do full-length mirrors placed around the room. Little tub seats are paired with coffee tables, and there are small built-in gray marble desks. Each room also has a small daybed-style sofa at the entrance, but entry-level Double Superior Rooms are small.Larger Double Deluxe Rooms add small, unfurnished balconies with pleasant street views; some come with larger balconies with simple tables and chairs, and have even better views of the train station. Junior Suites have more impressive mirror-backed beds, plus larger sofas, and elegant black floor lamps -- but they lack balconies, and don’t have separate living spaces. Suites add separate living rooms with extra TVs, plus large, wood-paneled terraces.Stylish bathrooms have lovely frosted glass doors, wood-wall paneling, and contemporary white sinks on wooden vanities with large mirrors. Well-sized walk-in showers sport black tiling, and have rainfall showerheads, and there are separate bidets. Double Deluxe Rooms and Junior Suites swap walk-in showers for similarly designed shower/tub combos. Bathrooms in some pricier rooms also sport exterior-facing windows, while those in Suites have both walk-in showers and shower/tub combos.Standard amenities include air-conditioning, small flat-screen cable TVs, phones, free Wi-Fi, pillow menus, safes, well-stocked minibars (smart built-in models in some rooms), coffee- and tea-making facilities, robes, slippers, hairdryers, and miniature toiletries. Junior Suites and Suites also add Illy coffeemakers. Connecting rooms are available, while Family Rooms come with child-friendly welcome kits.
Features
Great restaurant and bar, 24-hour gym, and free breakfast
The Starhotels E.c.ho. offers a good range of amenities starting at the top, with the top-floor, 24-hour gym. It’s modern and stylish, with pleasant views and a good selection of free weights and cardio and weight-lifting machines -- but it’s on the small side. The breakfast buffet includes a good choice of hot and cold dishes, and it’s included in all rates -- a real bonus, although some dishes come with fees. Orto restaurant gets great reviews for its bio-organic Italian cuisine, as does Orto bar for its list of Italian wines and cocktails made with heritage Italian liqueurs. There’s also room service available. Suite guests get perks like a free room service allowance, discounts on meals at the hotel’s restaurant, and free late checkout. A range of child-friendly amenities, including welcome kits, are available, as are babysitting services. Five contemporary meeting rooms can accommodate up to 100 guests, while stylish and private internet booths have iMac computers and phones for guests' use. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. The hotel makes a big deal of its eco-friendly initiatives, such as using sustainable wood and fabrics for its interiors, as well as recycled materials. There’s no self parking, though the hotel offers valet parking; car hire and driver services are also available.
