Over a century of history, deeply intertwined with that of the city, makes Sheraton Diana Majestic a point of reference in Milan that has evolved together with the city. In viale Piave 42, beside Porta Venezia, this hotel with a long tradition – designed by architect Achille Manfredini – is solid in its Art Nouveau beauty, welcoming guests in its downtown oasis of the Belle Epoque.
A hotel that has never lost its unique charm, appealing to young people and adults of different generations: at least once gathered in the wonderful indoor garden for an aperitif at the H Club or for a Sunday brunch, they continue to discover details and pieces of history every next visit.
The story began in 1842 with the inauguration of the first public swimming pool in Italy, Bagni Diana, exactly where the small oasis of the hotel is now, which soon became a place of city gatherings thanks to the numerous events and shows organized. In 1904, the inauguration of the hotel followed – the first building specially constructed as a hotel – and four years after, the establishment of the hotel structure as we know it today, the Kursaal Diana, with its 15,000 square meters and constructions built around the pool.
Festivals, shows, restaurants and an amusement park attract generations of leading Italian and foreign industrialists until 1921, a deadly year of which Diana will always bear the scars: a bomb explodes during a theatrical performance, causing 21 people to die and injuring 80. But the show must go on, life must always win, and today more than ever we know that fear does not have to change the course of events, it can not force us to stand still. Thus, Kursaal continued its race through the 20th century, becoming the headquarters of the Italian cooking academy in 1953 and later getting recognized as a high fashion hotel, thanks to the fashion shows which it hosted – and still hosts – in its rooms, and to the Italian stylists, budding talents that it saw grow.
Today, Diana has retained the charm of the past, it breathes the same lively elegance in all its spaces: in the restaurant, in the meeting rooms, and in the 106 hotel rooms, welcoming with their retro taste. In the warmer season, the H-Club – constantly renewed in design thanks to the collaboration with Baxter to continuously impress its guests – extends over to the garden, creating an even more precious ambiance for the countless aperitifs that animate its halls, offering a one-of-a-kind refuge from the chaos of the city.
There is a 24-hour gym available for guests, and the possibility of organizing events of any kind thanks to the numerous rooms prepared: the Venetian Room with a terrace, the Giardino room, also with a terrazza, the Diana room (ex recently renewed Black Label Room), and the Gazebo Lounge, located in the lovely garden and accessible 365 days a year, offering the possibility of feeling surrounded by greenery throughout the winter. Animal lovers will not be disappointed, the pet-friendly policy of Starwood group also offers pleasant surprises for our four-legged friends.
To those planning a trip to Milan, even if just for a weekend, we recommend this hotel to breathe the authentic charm of a timeless place, with a strategic location to explore main areas of the city, and to all the others – see you at the H-Club for the upcoming aperitif.