Anyone staying in this Paris-tinged and Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed privately owned and managed five-star hotel will immediately be struck by its subtle elegance. Located close to Milan’s fashion district, and on the site of a former bank, the entrance offers a sign of the style to come: a 12-metre-high atrium, the huge chandelier designed uniquely for the hotel by revered Murano glassmakers Barovier & Toso, a Baveno marble staircase and wood-panelled walls.

Beyond here, its tailored rooms and suites, featuring antiques chosen by lead architect and owner Paola Giambelli, give panoramic views of the buzzing city - such as its centrepiece Duomo cathedral on one side or modern business district skyline on the other - via private balconies. And in these rooms present-day Milan introduces itself through hi-tech features, such as 48-inch LCD televisions and docking portals. Palazzo Parigi’s grand spa, located on the third floor to take in the daylight, offers further sumptuous views and a Moroccan atmosphere with pool, steam room, Finnish sauna and relaxation rooms.

But the ultimate level of seclusion, with total privacy from other guests, is found in the Royal Hammam suite – complete with a six-metre azure swimming pool carved out of fine marble. That post-swim appetite can be satisfied with bites at either the neoclassical-styled gourmet restaurant or the more laidback Caffe Parigi bistro, where diners are able to chill out while viewing the hotel’s lush-green gardens.

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