Milan | Magna Pars Suites

Ever heard of a fragrance hotel? Probably not, as the one we’re about to reveal is probably the world’s first and only, for now. It’s just opened in dashing Zona Tortona, brainchild of the Martone family and created on the site of their old perfumes and essences factory. Luxury suite hospitality only, packed with design, eco-friendly technology and olfactory stimuli : a hotel-à-parfum. Behind the all-glass façade on Via Forcella are 28 suites each inspired by a fragrant essence – sandalwood, vetiver, jasmine, gardenia, etc. – and all looking out onto a stunning and sizeable internal garden. Architect Luciano Colombo used steel, aluminium and glass along with white interiors for a keen contemporary look, but wooden flooring, leather seating and shelves of leather-bound books lend warmth. Furniture is from all-Italian design brands (Flos and Poltrona Frau to name a couple) or was custom-made by Lombard craftspeople, while themed artwork is by the students of Milan’s august Brera Academy.

Along with the scented rooms, Magna Pars Suites Milano boasts its own bar and restaurant, steam and massage area, gym, and a library containing most of the impressive collection of real books mentioned earlier, all under the watchful eye of Giorgia Martone, still very much in the family business as Marketing Director of perfumery giant ITF Cosmetics. On the same site but accessed from Via Tortona itself is the more familiar Magna Pars location for temporary events, offices and creative studios, always abuzz during Design Week and now glossier still with the Suites in the package.