Palazzo Cordusio hotel is a tribute to Milan’s panache

(Image credit: Courtesy of Meliá Hotels International)

Minutes away from some of this city’s most visited landmarks – the Duomo Square, Quadrilatero della Moda and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (to name a few) – Gran Meliá has opened its first Milan hotel, Palazzo Cordusio. A fusion of historical grandeur and contemporary design, the hotel is housed within a building conceived by Italian architect Luca Beltrami in the 18th century, named Palazzo Venezia, and later constructed by Italian insurance company Generali to serve as its Milanese headquarters. Today, it stands tall as a neo-classical gem overlooking the historical Piazza Cordusio, which gives the new hotel its name.

Gran Meliá introduces Palazzo Cordusio

The building played a pivotal role in the area’s restoration between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and today, as a hotel, it emerges as a dynamic centre, connecting the city’s most frequented cultural landmarks.

Spanish design studio ASAH, a long-standing partner of Meliá Hotels International, orchestrated the metamorphosis of the interior into 84 luxurious guest rooms and suites. Seeking to preserve the building’s rich history, the team restored some historical features of the old headquarters, such as a grand dome on the top floor, where the hotel’s reception lies alongside a copy of the mosaic from the façade. Characteristically, all rooms boast imposing windows, with some including private balconies that provide abundant natural light.

In an ode to Assicurazioni Generali’s Venetian roots, each room and suite is dressed in opulent Rubelli textiles and noble Venetian floors. Meanwhile, furnishings from Italy’s leading design brands, including Molteni, Cassina, Fornasetti, Flos, Oluce and Foscarini, affirm the hotel’s cultural resonance.

An intimate wellness sanctuary beckons guests, boasting an indoor pool, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a relaxation lounge. Adjacent lies a cutting-edge gym equipped with Technogym equipment and a panoramic vista of Palazzo della Ragione and Piazza Mercanti. ASAH reserved the ground floor for most dining spaces, enhancing the privacy of overnight guests.

The hotel offers four exceptional home-grown dining concepts. Gioia Pasticceria, a collaborative venture with master baker Fabio Bertoni, sets the stage for delectable pastries. Giardino Cordusio, an Italian-themed cocktail bar led by consulting barman Giancarlo Mancino and nestled in the hotel’s inner courtyard, specialises in martinis and negronis; Isola Restaurant, helmed by brand chef Francesco Bagnato, draws inspiration from the sun-kissed isles of southern Italy. Lastly, Sachi, a Japanese dining gem under the guidance of chef Moon Kyung Soo, enriches the hotel’s gastronomic landscape.

Palazzo Cordusio is located at P.za Cordusio, 2, Milan, melia.com

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Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.