B&B La Casa Di Leonardo

Finding the B&B was not a problem as we got straight into a taxi from Linate airport with no queues and arrived in 20mins. Make sure you email the hostess for instructions about the buzzer as there are lots and there would be no way of knowing as it doesn't say the B&B name on it. A bit of ogle translate will do the trick if you don't speak Italian! Had to guess which floor the apartment was on as I couldn't make out what she said as my Italian was very rudimentary! We had booked a double without an en suite, but luckily for us we were the only guests for the entire stay and she lead us into the most expensive room which had an ensuite for no extra charge. The breakfast was not great but that wasn't a problem, stale croissants and some toast but the coffee was fresh. All in all a great value stay, only 10mins walk from all the main attractions and across from a great bar for apperitivo. The woman is very friendly and we managed to communicate just fine without knowing much Italian!

I read the reviews here, and was in two minds as to what to expect. I very much enjoyed staying in this B&B, principally because I found the atmosphere friendly and the décor beautiful. Milan is not cheap. This is my third trip, and I was happy to pay 100€ and not get a dirty viscose bed spread and a leaky shower. Here is what to expect: The owner, Gabriella, does not speak english, and neither does Valentina, the concierge / maid. You have to email and/or call to book, and this I did in French. The instructions for finding the place and getting in were in Italian - good old google translate and a bit of puzzling revealed that 1) you need to let them know what time you are arriving so that Valentina can be in for you, and 2) when you get there you need to ring the doorbell to be buzzed in. Neither of these presented me with a problem. I was late and called the flat to say so, in broken spanish-italian, I don't know if she understood me, but she was there when I arrived! You get a key to all the locks (front door and grille etc), but there is no lock on the bedroom doors (two fancy double-double-doors that make you feel like you're in a miniature palace). You are at the mercy of other guests' honesty, but Valentina is there, and I decided to be relaxed about it. I stayed (alone) in a double with private bath. There are only 3 bedrooms, the other two I believe share a bath. The house was clean, as was the private bathroom. The 'double' is two singles pushed together, which has been the case for every 'double' I have slept in in Milan. There is a luxuriously decorated sitting / eating area for the guests, which would make a great place for relaxing in between the hectic bustle of the city (next time i'm staying longer and making the most of it). There is supposed to be WiFi, I think, but Valentina and I couldn't communicate well enough for me to work out why it wasn't working. Milan is noisy, and in a historic building, the glazing is going to be rubbish. I always take earplugs, and slept well on a not-overly-hard bed. Breakfast was the usual inedible plastic italian brioche and rubbish toast, nicely presented, at a communal table. I will not let me put that off from staying again - Italy isn't really known for its breakfast! I will find a local pasticceria for next time. I liked this place for the decor, the fantastic 3 m high rooms, the lovely tall windows, the beautiful old wood floor and the overwhelming feeling of elegance and homeliness. It is 50 m from the Malpensa Express, 3 metro stops from the Duomo, and I loved it. The photos do not do it justice, but it's difficult to get a good angle.

This is the first complaint/review I’ve made, but I want to ensure no one else gets stuck in the same position. After making a reservation with one of the well known online sites I was surprised to arrive and find this bed and breakfast hidden within a residential apartment block with no outside indication it as B&B. Following assistance from a taxi driver, a neighbour in the same apartment block and the security on the building I was able to confirm we had the correct address and it was used as a bed and breakfast but no one was in during the check in time outlined in the reservation. Later that evening following two phone calls to the number on the reservation, some help with translation and a phrase book (no English is spoken) I was informed the Bed and Breakfast was closed as the owner was out of town (even though I clearly had a copy of a reservation with me). Unless an email has slipped through my junk folder I have received no contact warning me about this issue and I was therefore stuck in Milan after the tourist offices had closed without accommodation (Whist I did find somewhere else I had to pay significantly more and it was more of a rush to get to the last supper the next morning as it was in a different area). I might have just been unlucky, but I’ve yet to receive any explanation/apology and don’t know exactly who was at fault (agent and/or B&B), but I just wanted to make people aware there is currently a communication problem somewhere here!