We’ve stayed at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel a couple times now. While we’d love to say that it is a great hotel, it’s pretty much just a convenient airport hotel with a really comfortable bed. Early check in was impossible, to the point of us going back into the airport to store our bags until the “normal” check in time. When we checked in (the second time), we had to request them to double check that we would be getting lounge access–courtesy of our SPG Amex–as the check in staff wanted to charge us for it. Threatening to call American Express seemed to do the trick, but this is not the way it should work. Mind you my wife is gold with SPG (obtained through our American Express Platinum)
The Room
This is one of the better features of the hotel. The room had a good amount of closet space, a nice bathroom, was relatively sound proof, black out shades existed, but were nothing fancy like the Grand Hyatt Rio de Janeiro and a very comfortable bed.
The Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel Lounge
The lounge was ok. We arrived sometime around 4pm, and found most everything empty, including the bottles of wine offered. In fact, there was no bottle opener for the beer in the refrigerator, nor was there any staff available. We ended up returning to our room to grab the bottle opener, and finally returning to the lounge, after a brief visit to the airport deli, since we just didn’t have confidence that the lounge’s offerings would satiate our appetite.
Wrapping Up
The Sheraton is truly an airport hotel that serves many airline crews. It’s good for a quick layover 15 -24hrs where you need to be at the airport earlier or need a place to sleep. If you are visiting Milan, stay downtown. While we could have stayed downtown, our early departure made us feel like it would just be easier to stay at the airport. Interestingly enough, we saw flight attendants for Emirates, Qatar, Saudia (I think), Oman Air (I think), and another airline that I could not identify.
I have 100% of the time had to beg for lounge access despite flashing my SPG Biz Amex. Just a poorly done benefit.
@stvr – I totally don’t get why AMEX hasn’t worked harder to get this benefit more publicity, its a great benefit, if honored. Though it seems there are many things at SPG that one must fight for.
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