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Milan’s most eccentric hotel is beloved by fashion gurus and film stars. What it lacks in amenities such as minibars and large bathrooms, it makes up for with its flower-fringed balconies, homey mismatched furnishings and breakfast-in-bed.

The most old-fashioned of three moderate hotels on a block near the Castello offers smiling service, bright, large rooms with worn but solid old furnishings, and 10 per cent off the next-door restaurant. Rooms get smaller as you go up each floor, so try for the ground floor.

The most characterful of the Via Rovello hotels has been renovated with shiny wood floors, stylish furnishings, and orthopaedic beds. But it has kept the wood-beamed ceilings, classy dressing rooms and unusually spacious bedrooms.

The most modernized of the hotels on Via Rovello sports sleek new baths and contemporary furnishings lit by elegantly tall windows. Amenities, however, are a notch below those of its neighbours, with gruff staff and no laundry or concierge service.

The Rovello’s sister hotel sits on one of the few streets remaining of Old Milan; a crooked cobblestoned lane of little shops and classic Milanese restaurants. Sensible, comfortable rooms range from cramped to spacious. You’re well positioned for Milan’s top sights.

A novel approach to Italian inn-keeping: an eco-hotel. The electrical devices are engineered for low power consumption; the showers conserve water; the tap water and even the air are purified; the breakfast spread is organic. Naturally, the desk rents out bicycles.

The nondescript Manzoni may have only half the class of top-notch neighbours, but it’s also half the price. Save your funds for the boutiques, for this is the epicentre of Milan’s top shopping district. Don’t bother paying extra for the suites, which are only slightly larger than the other rooms.

A resort chain bought this modern hotel on a quiet street in 2002 and renovated it with bright, thick carpets, new furnishings and orthopaedic beds, and largish baths. There is an entire non-smoking floor.

This modern hotel sits on a quiet side-street between the hopping Brera neighbourhood and the Castello. The parquet floors with their Oriental rugs support orthopaedic beds and slightly worn, functional furnishings. The baths, however, are ultra-modern; some with hydromassage showers.

In the 19th century, this palazzo was used by the nearby cathedral to house visiting cardinals. Today, rooms are marred by ugly 1970s furnishings, yet it is comfortable, some bedrooms have terraces and the location is great.