Checking Rick's "Italy" hotel list we are finding unavailable for April 13/14, just pror to our beginning The Best of Italy Tour. A five site furniture convention is underway that week. Following another RS tour on our last Milan visit we stayed in Hotel Berna in 2013.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13950 posts
I enjoyed staying at Gran Duca di York in Milan. It's near the Duomo but I don't remember if it is in Rick's book or not.
Posted by
OP
San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
101 posts
Thank you Pam. That hotel is in the "Italy" guide and it is booked for that week. There is a note in the book and gives a site to check to see if a convention is scheduled. It indicates that it can be tough to find a spot if that is the case.
Posted by
Placentia, CA
1059 posts
We had the same problem last September due to the World Expo. We ended up staying at the Windsor Hotel Milano. It was very nice and a ten minute walk to the train station. It was not cheap, but sometimes you have to pay more for a room than you want or expect. You might want to look at their website.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11330 posts
Booking.com shows many rooms available, but the prices are very high. Would you consider staying out-of-town? Maybe Brescia, Verona or Vicenza? You could come in by train the day the tour starts.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
As Laurel suggests, but perhaps closer in, Bergamo or Como.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
Andy,
The Best of Italy tour starts in Varenna, so I wouldn't waste time in Milan. You could either spend a few days before the tour in Varenna, or alternately a few days in Stresa on beautiful Lake Maggiore (perhaps with a day trip to Locarno, Switzerland).
Posted by
OP
San Luis Obispo, CA, United States
101 posts
Thank you each for your reply--our tour starts from Varenna on Lake Como--the tour has a full "free" day there in addition to our early couple of days of an early arrival for the tour--thus our initial interest in Milan to find things to do (been to Milan once on finish of Village tour)--train to Varenna to MIlan appears to about one hour--to perhaps it will be best to just use the Varenna tour hotel as our pre tour spot--also, Ken suggested a day trip from Stresa to Locarno, Switzerland--I'm not sure of the logistics for such a day trip Varenna.