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The Gray Hotel in Milano The Gray stands out for its international and contemporary character. Perfect for those cosmopolitan types that can find here traces and elements from different cultures, ideal for the young aristocrats looking for the trendiest hotel in town or for the business man that will not go without his comforting luxuries.

The Gray is ideally located right in the heart of Milan, a city that never sleeps. From its privileged position in Via San Raffaele, it is just round the corner from the Duomo and La Scala or even a short walk to the Galleria (Vittorio Emanuele).

Unmistakable is the style that characterises the Hotel: the façade decorated with columns and altorilievi in Liberty style from the beginning of the 18th century. To this has been added a modern wing covered in green diorite and crystals.

From the outside it becomes clear that the hotel has a double identity, divided between history and tradition and the continuous search for new and more contemporary architectures. Inside, though, one can find rooms with fantastic atmosphere, together welcoming and exiting and characterised by a great attention to details.

The hotel, one of the most innovative in the city, is the creation of the architect Guido Ciompi from Florence. His vast experience ranges from interior designing to renovation of private residences to show rooms around some of the most famous streets in Italy and Europe. His idea for the project, the interior and the name was the desire to introduce a new concept in the hospitality world, one that would easily remind of the fashion industry that has made Milan one of its capitals in the world.

Here the design translates into senses and feelings that are meant to shock guests but also to be enjoyed by them. Inside the hotel The Gray one can find hey and led hanging on walls which play colourful tricks on the eye as well as stucco resembling waves towering shelves on which huge mother of pearl shells rest. More surprises are hidden inside niches in the walls containing antique Chinese vases from the end of the 18th century or near the entrance, old evening gowns that belong to famous international stars.

At the bar one can enjoy the famous Mojito made by our barman Pedro Fiol, lounging on soft velvet sofas or sitting at our lamp tables, whilst at the restaurant the tables run on lit up rails, like an amusing game of domino.

It doesn't go without saying that the hotel The Gray is most of all luxurious and capable of surprising even the most spoilt of customers.

The twenty one rooms, each unique, amaze with four poster beds hanging from the ceiling, private gym, Turkish bath and large Jacuzzi bath with built in TV sets, not to mention hi-fi's and 32" plasma screen TV's. More to the point, bathrooms enriched with travertine, wooden floors in ebony, silk covers everywhere as well as velvet, crystals, zebra and ostrich skins and rich African fabrics.

Background to all this hidden universe of lights, colours and emotions is Milan and its greyness, referred to in the choice of the name intentionally chosen with the dual purpose of colouring this term and to cross beyond the European borders and across the ocean.

Once through the front entrance we are immediately introduced into modern and innovative surroundings. Great the use of oxidised iron all over: in the floors and the gueridonnes to the side of the compass at the entrance.

What captures immediately everyone's attention however is the hanging, swinging seat at the centre of the lobby area. The large cushion made of shocking pink silk shantung dressed with red velvet, is suspended by a rope covered with red material which disappears in the false ceiling and is also lit by ever changing lights. Beside the hanging seat, guests have also the use of red velvet sofas dressed with shocking pink silk shantung.

The reception desk in screen glass is also suspended and creates a visual continuity along the wall to then delimit the bar area which is separated by a large glass slab illuminated by colourful lights.

The glass separation wall is dressed with a silk curtain which keeps the adjoining room private.
The tables in the bar area are conic lamp shades dressed in white silk with sandblast crystal shelves. One can seat at this tables comfortably resting on the red velvet sofas or on small brown leather chairs with a very low back.

Everything is arranged to give the feeling of closeness like the low mirrors astutely positioned at eye level once sitting down, or the light fabric suspended above the bar on which suggestive images of natural environments are projected.

The back wall is decorated with bronze dust and contains at the centre a rectangular niche framed with led lights all around.

The base of the bar counter is in stucco which has been engraved and lacquered and then covered with screen glass, whilst the bar stalls are in oxidised iron with the seat in red leather.
To the other side of the hall is situated another brown lacquered stucco wall.
This time the decorations reproduce the movement of the sea and together with large shells remind guests of far away lands.

The wall that runs along the staircase to the first floor is full of small niches decorated with old Chinese vases.

The style and design of the hotel The Grey is inspired as much by the past as it is by contemporary history making a unique property characterised by many different influences and because of this it will always stand out as one of the trendiest places to be seen in.

Hotel The Gray Milano
Via San Raffaele, 6
20121 - Milano
Phone 02 7208951
Fax 02 866526
www.hotelthegray.com