BROWN’SHOTEL
LONDON
BACKSTORY:
This
64-
room boutique
hotel is housed in
the Casa Giachi-Amman, a
grand mansion dating to the late 19th
century, a time when Milan’s city center
was being peppered with Renaissance
Revival architecture. The building was
transformed into a hotel in 2004.
DESIGN NOTES:
An air of recycled chic
comes courtesy of burnished brass
panels, artfully aged mirrors and
unfinished concrete walls. Rooms are
kept beautifully minimal, save for the
large contemporary artworks.
ROOMWITH A VIEW:
Room 604 is a suite
with its own private terrace, offering a
vista of the bristling Gothic spires of the
Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral).
WHAT YOU’LL FIND JUST OUTSIDE:
The
cathedral and its lively piazza are close
by, at the end of Via San Raffaele. Right
around the corner is the Galleria Vi orio
Emanuele II, a magnificent covered
arcade from the 1800s that’s home to
Prada’s flagship store and a host of
similarly sophisticated retailers.
HOT PLATE:
At the hotel restaurant,
which puts an international spin on
Italian staples, the richly spiced
Milanese saffron riso o with a trout
ragu is a thing of beauty.
BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT:
The
hippest spot for an
aperitivo
in Milan is
undoubtedly Bar Straf, whose high-
cheekboned crowd spills out onto the
street, cha ering, sipping cocktails and
turning heads, accompanied on various
nights by DJs and jazz combos.
Hotel Straf
MILAN
STAY
||
DISPATCHES
CLAIM TO FAME:
Brown’s was the first hotel ever to open in London,
in 1837. Alexander Graham Bell visited in 1876 and made the first U.K.
telephone call from here. Other high-profile guests have included
Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND JUST OUTSIDE:
The Mayfair district, where
boutiques by the likes of Paul Smith, David Linley and John Rocha
are conveniently located a credit card’s throw away. The West End
theater district is also within to ering distance.
HOT PLATE:
Reserve a table at Hix Mayfair for some chic pre-theater
dining. The menu has all the British classics, but the fish and chips are
a must. For a treat a er the show, have the divine apple crumble and
custard brought up to your suite.
SIGNATURE COCKTAIL:
The Donovan Bar, lined with British photogra-
pher Terence Donovan’s iconic black-and-white prints, serves a mean
martini. Try the Donovan, made with Tanqueray No. 10, a splash of
kümmel, pineapple chunks, ne le cordial, lemon juice and tonic water.
BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT:
The Dover Suite. Sink into a sofa and
admire the décor: the fabulously ornate ceiling, the gilt mirror over the
marble fireplace, the tasteful prints decorating the walls. Or simply
collapse onto your king-size bed and appreciate the equally enormous
Bang & Olufsen TV.
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
•
JANUARY 2013
37
