Grand Hotel et de Milan

History

The construction was commissioned to architect Andrea Pizzala (1798-1862) and was inspired by the Neo-Gothic movement. Near the end of the 19th century, the palace and the hotel belonged to the family Natoli Polli, the hotel gained significant importance as it was the only hotel in Milan to offer postal and telegraph services; for this reason it was frequented by diplomats and businessmen. The hotel rose to prominence in 1872 when composer Giuseppe Verdi, family friend of the industrialist melomaniac Pietro Polli, established his residence in one of the suites, given the hotel's proximity to the famous opera house La Scala. The building was completely refurbished in 1931 and equipped with tap water and telephones in every room. During World War II, in 1943 the hotel was bombed and the fourth floor was destroyed; after the end of the war, architect Giovanni Muzio was engaged in 1946 to restore and renovate the building. The hotel was very popular with fashion designers in the 1960s and 1970s, when Milan began hosting annual fashion weeks. In an early 1990s renovation, a defence wall dating back to the 3rd century was brought to light and featured in one of the hotel's restaurants.

Notable guests

Famous people that have stayed at the hotel include: