2 nights in Milan….where to stay?

I like the Hotel Berna, a short walk from Milano Centrale. Some very good restaurants are nearby, as well as a Metro stop to get around the rest of Milan.

We really liked Hotel Manzoni on Via Santo Spirito. It was on a quiet side street and an easy walk to the Duomo and Vittorio Emanuele Galleria. From Milano Centrale you can take the metro to Montenapoleone and walk to Hotel Manzoni from there. Being near metro stops it was easy to get to the Last Supper and Sforza Castle.

We stayed at Hotel Garda which was located only a couple of blocks from the Centrale train Station - a basic room in the business class hotel. A metro station was located at the end of the block along with a bank ATM and quick sandwich and pastry shop. Convenient to public transportation and affordable.

We are staying at Hotel Berna, as it was highly recommended and so close to train station.

BTW, the Hotel Garda is across the street from the Hotel Berna.

We stayed at the Hotel Duca di York.

Sam, which restaurants do you recommend near Hotel Berna? The last time I was there, I just ate at the restaurant next door. I will be there again for my first night of my trip, so I will just want something close by since I begin to get sleepy when I sit down that first day.

Osteria Antico Cavallini
https://www.anticaosteriacavallini.it/
It is about 2 blocks walk from the Berna. Excellent food, and the Garden Room, which is covered is quite nice. Eat at 6 pm with the tourists or at 9 pm when the Italians roll in.

That looks perfect for a late dinner the night we arrive in Milan in late summer. Staying at Hotel Berna, already booked. Should we make a reservation for dinner if we want to dine around 8 pm?

Sure, why not. It can't hurt.

Wow! We can’t thank all of you enough! Great recommendations and more…..we decided on the Hotel Berma and will be making reservation at the restaurants you all referenced! Thanks again!

Thank you, Sam! I am adding it to my TripIt notes right now for the first night.

We just got back from 5 weeks in Italy, ending our trip in Milan. I had checked out hotels people recommended on the forum and decided to stay at the Lancaster Hotel. I checked out the Berna, too, but found that they added a "resort" fee. Don't know if that is still accurate.

Lancaster Hotel is in a more residential neighborhood and has lots of excellent restaurants nearby. A couple of our favorites were Posteria de Monna Papera and Taverna dei Golosi. The best Napoli pizza we have ever had can be found Pizzeria Starita Milano. It is easy to reach from Milano Centrale and is convenient for several tram lines( 1, 10 and 19). If staying there, one can take the train from Milano Cardorna to MXP. It takes half the time than the train from Milano Centrale.

Just stayed at Hotel Berna for 3 nights. Enjoyed it very much and I found the room spacious and the bed very comfortable. The proximity to the Centrale train station worked very well for us and used the Metro to get around Milan.

The last time in Milan we used Hilton points to stay at the Hilton near Centrale. We had a wonderful meal at Il cerchio dal 1969. I recommend both.

We just left Milan - stayed 4 nights at an AirBNB near the San Babila stop (near Vittorio Emanuele II mall and a short walk to the Duomo). We thought it was great for our first stay in Milan as we used the subway and also walked a lot.

MommaRosa for dinner. Close to the Berna (5 minutes), extraordinary we thought and recommended by the hotel staff.

We stayed at the Hotel Berna in 2017 before beginning our Best of Italy tour in Varenna. A restaurant recommended by someone from hotel was Osteria Fara, within walking distance of the hotel.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187849-d4788657-Reviews-Osteria_Fara-Milan_Lombardy.html
I can't remember much of the meal; what remains in my memory, is my first introduction to icy-cold Limoncello. Best first impression of my first visit to Italy!
Editing to add: Upon arrival in Milan from the west coast, we went into the bar at the Hotel Berna, along with another couple with whom we were traveling. We ordered Aperol Spritz (first of of many to come on our trip), and began chatting with Max the bartender. We intended to go somewhere for dinner, but he kept bringing "bar food" for us so, that was our dinner that first night. But...he recommended and made reservations for us for Osteria Fara for the following evening, saying that is where he and his wife like to eat.
And at the restaurant, I ordered sea bass, and tirimasu. Our friend ordered fish (I think) which was encrusted in salt. She was really excited about that because I think it is an authentic Italian dish.