Historically fashionable for more than 150 years

The great operatic composer Giuseppe Verdi made the ‘Milan’ his home for 27 years. When the Maestro premiered Othello on February 5^th 1887, the streets resonated with his famous arias from La Traviata, Nabucco and Rigoletto. Afterwards the eulogistic crowd cheering “Long live V.E.R.D.I.” unhooked the horses and carried his carriage to our doorstep. They continued to applaud until the Maestro finally stepped onto his balcony with tenor Tamagno who gave an encore, sending the crowd delirious.

Just as many people waited outside the Grand Hotel when Verdi was seriously ill. Distraught Milanese asked the Hotel’s Director to post medical bulletins in the lobby. Straw was scattered on Via Manzoni to cushion the noise made by carriage and horses so as not to disturb the Maestro laying in his bed. We have long been known as ‘Verdi’s House’ and are honoured to maintain the suite of rooms where Italy’s great Maestro lived and composed.

On 23rd May 1863 the doors of the Grand Hotel et de Milan opened to welcome the city’s high society. In coming years we took over the adjacent properties including a tobacconist, now restaurant Don Carlos, a barbers, now Caruso’s, and a brothel, to the relief of the neighbours!

In 1931 The Grand Hotel et de Milan was completely renovated with the introduction of modern bathrooms, running water and telephones in every room. Further renovations in 1993 uncovered part of Milan’s defence wall built by Emperor Maximian in 250 A.D. The fascinating ruins can be viewed in the Don Carlos wine cellars.