NewHere

I'm asking for a friend regarding the hotels in Milan:

1. Is it safe for female traveler to stay in AirBnB or smaller hotels in Milan that doesn’t have 24hr concierge?
2. Do you feel it is necessary for the hotel room to have a safe inside the unit? Have any of you heard stories that hotel guest lost his/her stuff in his/her room during room service?
3. Is the Piazza San Babila area safe at night?

Thank you all so much for the help.

Christina

I think you are not familiar with what a concierge is. I think you just mean desk staff. Concierges don't ever work 24 hours that I know of, I've never been in a hotel where they do. So do you just mean a hotel that has someone at the front desk 24 hrs a day, who will answer the phone? Or that you can enter the hotel at any hour?

tuscanlifeedit

Perhaps do a search for a B&B where the owner/operator is in residence. I would feel safe in those circumstances.

Do you need a hotel safe? I don't think that even hotel safes are that safe. Some hotels have locked boxes at the desk; I can think of one I've used in Rome, but of course, that's not Milan.

Will hotel housekeeping steal your stuff? I've never had it happen, but there's certainly plenty of anecdotal evidence out there if you seek it. For me, I don't travel with anything I can afford to lose, and travel insurance too. I'm adverse to risk taking. YMMV

joannyc

<< Do you need a hotel safe? I don't think that even hotel safes are that safe. Some hotels have locked boxes at the desk; I can think of one I've used in Rome, but of course, that's not Milan.

Will hotel housekeeping steal your stuff? I've never had it happen, but there's certainly plenty of anecdotal evidence out there if you seek it. For me, I don't travel with anything I can afford to lose, and travel insurance too. I'm adverse to risk taking. YMMV >>

Tuscanlifedit, where do you keep excess cash, credit cards, ATM cards, passport, etc?

tuscanlifeedit

joannyc: We never really have excess cash, but we keep our cash on us, usually in as safe a spot as we can. Credit and ATM cards stay on us, as we each have separate cards, but I think if I were alone, I'd still keep them on me. Passport goes in the safe, but we keep copies on us. Lots of people say they keep their passports on their person. I'm not really careful enough to do that.

But I always use hotel safes; maybe I was unclear about that. I use them but I don't put complete faith in them.

janisj

>>where do you keep excess cash, credit cards, ATM cards, passport, etc?<<

In my money belt if not in my cross body handbag.

joannyc

Tuscanlifedit, thanks for the info. I typically take as much cash as I can from an ATM upon arrival and don't like to walk around with all that and my various credit and bank cards, etc. so, I do use the hotel safes. I know they aren't perfect but... I usually only take about 100 euros, one credit card and a copy of my passport with me while out and about.

suze

I am female and travel solo. This is nothing specific to Milan. I would rather stay in a normal hotel than a private rental. I just find them more reliable and easier to deal with, less to possibly go wrong. Also I like privacy and no need to socialize with anyone in a hotel setting (vs B&B). That said, I don't need 24 hour desk staff or an in-room safe. I do like a private bathroom... en suite.

StCirq

We stayed for a week last winter in an apartment in Milano and loved every minute of it. It never occurred to us to lock up our stuff. It never occurred to us to need 24/7 "concierge" service. There was a guy at the entryway to the apartment building pretty much all day until maybe 8 or 9 at night; then you needed to let yourself in.

I never felt unsafe anywhere in Milan at any time of day or night. But I just don't ever fuss about all this "safety" stuff.

raincitygirl

I spent six nights in Milan solo 3 years ago and was perfectly safe. I stayed in a B&B in the Garibaldi district called LaFavia Four rooms. lafavia4rooms.com

There was no 24 hour staffed desk but it is within a very secure building and you are given keys to both the outer door and the door to the hotel itself. I think the owners lived in the next door flat but when I came and went at night I didn't see anyone. Staff was there early in the morning for the included breakfast.
I can't remember if they had a room safe but normally I use these for my passport and jewellery. When I'm out and about I carry whatever money and cards I want in my wallet in my normal handbag and don't worry about it. I exercise common sense just like I would at home.

suze

Just guessing this person may be a first time traveler to Europe? Because of these questions. And because they aren't posting for themselves.

Neither here nor there but would make the concerns expressed, make more sense.