CROWNE PLAZA MILAN CITY - HOSPITALITY

Exceeding Expectations

Based in the financial district, the Crowne Plaza Milan City is well situated for anything guests wish to do with their time in Milan.

Directly outside the hotel is a metro which takes travellers to the heart of Milan in six minutes. It is also walking distance to the train station - where you can take a train to the likes of Lake Como - and easy access to the airport.

“One of the USPs of the hotel is that we have secure parking for our guests, something which can be difficult to find in cities such as ours,” explained Fabio.

The four-star hotel features the Metropolitan Restaurant and Metropolitan Lounge Bar for both hotel residents and the local Milanese to enjoy.

Chiara Salter, Project Director at Business Enquirer, had the opportunity to experience the hotel, and described the food as “like no other four-star experience, it was on-par with fine dining and went above and beyond our expectations”.

“We recognise that people living in and visiting Italy are looking for hotels to meet, relax and enjoy aperitifs, so we are expanding our services in that area to meet demand,” said Fabio.

A mission reflected across all IHG hotels, the Crowne Plaza Milan City understands the importance of offering a fantastic experience for its guests.

“I believe it is down to offering the extra, fine details,” explained Fabio, “we have a stunning property and a great location, but all of that is surface level if you don’t underpin it with a fantastic service”.

From Chiara’s experience at the hotel, the mission has certainly been achieved. “The service was impeccable. All of the staff we interacted with were very friendly and couldn't have done more for us,” she said.

In addition to the dining and drinking options, the hotel also features a Wellness Corner on the 9th floor, with a fitness area, steam room and sauna, which is included in guests’ stay and offers fantastic views of the city.

Renovate to Celebrate

Celebrating 15 years in 2023, the Crowne Plaza Milan City has big renovation plans to celebrate.

Plans are underway to redesign the hotel’s lobby, as well as a restyle of the rooms to include decor upgrades in the bedroom and bathroom areas. The fitness area will also undergo development to make it larger, to match demand.

“The two most exciting parts of the hotel’s renovation is the work we are undertaking on the outside area,” shared Fabio.

The Crowne Plaza Milan City are currently building a unique offering for a Milan city hotel - an outdoor swimming pool. “We believe this will be a point of interest for tourists,” continued Fabio.

In line with the addition of a swimming pool, the hotel is redesigning the outdoor area, which will offer activities for both hotel residents and its Milanese guests.

The renovation of the hotel is anticipated to be complete by April 2023, in time for the summer season.

Minimum Churn, Maximum Impact

A testament to IHG and the management of Crowne Plaza Milan City, 90% of its staff have been at the hotel since it launched in 2008.

“IHG have done a lot of work to improve its culture, and it does feel like we are all part of the wider IHG family,” said Fabio, “there is opportunities for all staff to develop, undergo international training, travel within IHG and understand how the industry works”.

“IHG and the Crowne Plaza Hotel offer its staff a career with a progression path. If your colleagues are happy and proud of the work they do, 50% of the work is done. This will also be reflected in the service they provide to guests,” he continued.

Fabio is a great example of progression, starting his career in the industry as a hotel night porter. He undertook further roles in reception, housekeeping and then moved into the commercial side.

He joined the Crowne Plaza Milan City, a purpose-built hotel, at its inception, starting as resident manager, moving into sales and revenue management. His role