Radisson Collection Hotel, Santa Sofia Milan review: A decadent and lush city oasis

A confession: I am not good with the heat in any way shape of form, so arriving to a 36-degree Milan in July was a real struggle for me. Luckily the Raddison Collection Hotel, Santa Sofia was a decadent oasis where I could cool down and chill out and luxuriate in.

Italian opulence is at the forefront of the hotel and its attention to detail is evident as soon as you take your first steps into the space. The lobby of the five-star hotel has a strong art deco vibe, with a sweeping striped monochrome marble floor leads down to the Sofia Kitchen & Bar restaurant. The space was adorned with faceted glass golden glowing lights, jade green accents, plenty of plants and dark wood bookcases. It’s always a good sign when you want to hang out in a hotel lobby, and its lush greenery and plush crushed velvet chairs and curved sofas gives the hotel a private member’s club vibe.

The Sofia Kitchen & Bar on the ground floor mixes and matches prints and patterns decadently, and really comes into its own at night, with its art deco bar and al a carte menu with beautifully presented plates of delicately balanced food. Again, the hotel’s interior that flirts with maximalism, really invites you to stay inside rather than explore the city.

If you are a fan of the sunshine, the hotel’s rooftop has a pool and bar. It is a sanctuary in the middle of the busy city with four poster cabanas lining the pool. Its ISSEI rooftop restaurant and terrace offers a fusion of Asian and Peruvian cuisine and cocktails, in a beautiful burnt orange colour palette, again, creating a destination for the day or evening.

As much as I would have been content to stay in the stylish, luxuriously cozy cocoon of the hotel, I had to resolve to go and explore the Italian city.  As heat abated and everything cooled down, bathing the city in a golden light, I decided to brave a wander. The hotel’s location is excellent for sightseeing. It was a short 10-minute walk to the Duomo plaza and the beautifully decadent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade. Even nearer to the hotel, there are charming Italian delights, such as old churches and verdant squares and plazas to relax in. Just down the road from the Radisson is Pasticceria Gattullo, a picturesque traditional patisserie that looks straight out of a Wes Anderson film. You can get a ridiculously ostentatious cake and a coffee as you sit among the locals.

Back at the hotel, the rooms are again well thought out down to every detail. My superior room again had touches of art deco, but this time added industrial elements, such as a floor to ceiling, black grid framed glass paned wall that wrapped around the bathroom pendant light fittings, mixing materials such as metal and wood with prints. These touches modernised the rooms and were cleverly balanced with plenty of natural light from the huge windows. Again, I succumbed to staying in on the super-soft and huge bed.

The Radisson Collection Hotel, Santa Sofia is definitely a hotel for if you are after character and want more than just a place to lay down your head after a busy day out and around Milan. It’s cleverly done to keep you there, and I had no complaints with staying in, not exploring the city, and simply enjoying what the hotel had to offer.

Prices from £251.64 per night – see www.radissonhotels.com

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