If flying out of Malpensa airport 12:00 afternoon, should you stay in Milan or next to airport? Any good places for family of 5, we are only there one day.
With noon departure you can easily stay in the city. Airport hotels are airport hotels -- non-descript and expensive.
I agree with Frank. I only stay near the airport when I have an early morning departure. A noon flight will be easy to make from Milan. The Malpensa airport hotels are in tiny neighborhoods with nothing to do around them.
I would stay in Milano for the last night and take the Milano Shuttle to the airport in the morning. As for a hotel I would highly recommend the 4 star Hotel Berna located about 400 meters from the Stazione Centrale. We have stayed there many times and it is first rate with the largest breakfast in Milano. You can check with tripadvisor.com for client reviews. Also, depending on the time of year, you could spend the last night walking around the Navigli district. The area is packed with clubs, restaurants, gelatorias, pizzerias, and a large flea market. Buon viaggio,