We will be in Florence then Venice. Our flight is at 10 am in Milan--do we need to spend night before in Milan or can I get to airport early am from Venice? Hotel recommendation for Milan?
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
"but was debating over an airport hotel vs a downtown hotel near the express train to the airport. Sounds like all think a hotel near the airport is best."
Actually, I don't think any of the 3 posts (that are above this one) meant to imply that sleeping at a Malpensa airport hotel is your best choice, let alone your only choice. It might be, but there's another choice. Both choices come with disadvantages, you'll have to pick the least bad choice.
To help you decide, this further info hopefully will be helpful:
Because your flight isn't one of the infamous Malpensa 6 or 7 am departures, actually you do have a choice here: sleep in the city or sleep at the airport. Each choice has some advantages and disadvantages.
You don't have to be at the airport until about 7:00 and both the Malpensa Express (from Milan's Cadorna train station), and the airport bus services (from Milan Centrale station), can get you to the airport by 7:00, IF you catch them early enough.
As a general statement only, the Malpensa hotels are not known for their ambience, they're airport hotels often used by travelers who have the infamous very early Malpensa flights that depart at times like 6am, 7am--but that's not your situation.
Getting the 30 miles northwest out to the airport area on the afternoon/evening you come in by train from Venice will be an extra step and take time, after what might be a long day waking up in Venice and traveling from Venice to Milan.
Or you can sleep in the city and get up very early to catch one of the airport shuttles, which would be an early wakeup call on a day when you might be doing a lot of flying. Not a great choice, either.
Posted by
Collierville, Tennessee, USA
517 posts
My advice is to avoid Hotel Cervo like the plague, it was awful. The only upside is that it is cheap and close to the airport. The hotel claimed it had a restaurant, but it was "closed" the night we were there. It looked like it was never open. The room was barely tolerable, but that was it. And, the highly touted shuttle was not operating when we got there and that was one reason we opted to stay there.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Here's a link to prior reviews of the Cervo on this forum: click here.
You probably want to browse these, and then get more reviews of this hotel on tripadvisor.com
And here's a list of Malpensa Airport hotels put together by folks on this site and initiated by Doug: http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?fuseaction=readtopic&topicID=10365&page=2
The Malpensa airport is Milan's main international airport but is 30 miles northwest of the city center.
Posted by
OP
Wrentham, MA, USA
3 posts
Thanks everybody! I suspected I couldn't stay in Venice but was debating over an airport hotel vs a downtown hotel near the express train to the airport. Sounds like all think a hotel near the airport is best, I'll check the links offered
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Just to echo Kent, if I didn't need to stay near Malpensa to catch the earliest morning flights, I wouldn't. The hotels closest to the airport have little around them except sleepy suburbs. Restaurants, where you can find them are unreliable and you really can't go anywhere without a car. So you'll be limited to the amenities of your room and whatever services your hotel offers to enjoy your last night in Italy. I only posted reviews of airport hotels for those who don't have the option to stay in Milan and catch a train or bus in time to get to the airport 3 hours before departure.
Just one more caution. I have stayed in the Cervo and had a decent experience. But it has uneven reviews - at best - from travelers on Tripadvisor. I wouldn't be comfortable with a room on the first floor and I'd only choose it if the room rate was the lowest I could find. The Hotel First is a much better choice.
Posted by
Collierville, Tennessee, USA
517 posts
All I know is that when we stayed at Hotel Cervo in October 2008 the shuttle wasn't running and the restaurant was closed. They made no mention of taking us anywhere, but did give us directions to a restaurant the hotel recommended. When we got there, the recommended place was dark and looked closed. We drove around until we found another hotel, I think it was a Crown Plaza, and ate supper there. If we are ever in Milan again and have an early flight out we decided we would probably stay at the Crown Plaza. Oh, and there was no breakfast when we got up the next morning.