What was your experience with your host?

Within 24 hours after I completed a reservation online, Francesca contacted me about the apartment and confirmed my reservation. She stayed in constant contact throughout this period and addressed all my concerns about the location and apartment in advance. Francesca communicates first in Italian and then in English, so I recommend using Google Translate if you are a native English speaker without any Italian.

When I arrived in Milan, Francesca was not there to greet me (she did tell me this in advance). Instead, there was another person who I assume worked for a management company. The poor girl had to wait for several hours for me to arrive at the apartment. She gave me keys and showed me the apartment.

Was the listing what you expected?

The apartment was exactly what I expected. The location of the apartment was accessible through the Piazza Gramzci, so might be tricky to find if you are not familiar with Milan. My taxi driver directed me to the location. The apartment is in a large apartment complex with several security doors requiring keys. This helps with privacy and security, but may feel somewhat isolated.

The apartment is minimalist. Bed, furniture, stove, table, couch is simple and plain. To American travelers on a budget this might seem one step above a hostel, but this is not the case. I had a friend who stayed at Hotel Nasco nearby, who paid much more and had a single room a fraction of the size of the apartment. He also was very impressed with the apartment.

What was their neighborhood like?

This is a great location only 2 minutes from Corso Sempione and 15 minutes from the Sempione park and Castle. There is a supermarket adjacent to the apartment. It can feel like a hike if you are going to the duomo. It’s a 5-10 minute walk from the subway/train line Milano Nord Domodossola. This is very convenient if you want to take a day trip to Lake Como or need a ride to the airport, since they are all on this route. The apartment is also very close to Milano Congresi (MICO), so this is convenient if you are there for a conference.