The Carlton has opened its doors, bringing Rocco Forte Hotels (read our review of The Balmoral here) back to one of Milan’s most recognisable addresses and marking the group’s tenth hotel in Italy. Set between Via Senato 5 and Via della Spiga 8, the seventy-one rooms and suites place guests directly inside the Fashion District, with the hotel reclaiming a landmark building that has long been part of the city’s social and retail fabric. A €60 million restoration led by architects Philip Vergeylen and Paolo Moschino, together with Olga Polizzi’s creative direction, has reimagined the property with a confident mix of contemporary Milanese style, bold colours and subtle Art Deco cues that reference the building’s past.
The hotel’s culinary offer is shaped by Fulvio Pierangelini and unfolds across three distinct spaces. Spiga is the main dining venue, where seasonal Milanese and Italian dishes are prepared with Pierangelini’s trademark clarity of flavour. Café Floretta, accessed from Via della Spiga, is designed as a bright indoor garden with its domed glass roof and botanical detailing, serving an all day menu suited to casual meetings and social gatherings. The Carlton Bar celebrates the city’s aperitivo heritage with a menu crafted by Salvatore Calabrese, inspired by the creative momentum that characterised Milan in the seventies and eighties. A new garden, connecting the two entrances, will be introduced in spring 2026.
The Irene Forte Spa spans 280 square metres and provides a calm counterpoint to the surrounding streets. Guests will find treatment rooms, a dedicated nail studio and the Thermal & Relaxation Suite with its sauna, steam room, sensory showers and sound beds. The Forte Vita Bar focuses on targeted express treatments for those short on time, while the fitness centre supports round-the-clock training for both hotel guests and local members.
