GDKSS

I will be traveling with my daughter in April. We will be arriving in Bologna, staying in Ferrara, and leaving from Malpensa airport. We will have a day before we leave, but Malpensa seems far from the center of Milan. I do not wish to stay at a hotel airport. I would like to find a town nearer to the airport that we can spend the afternoon and overnight in. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Palenque

any such nice town will be just as far time-wise from Malpensa i would think as Milan - but if you are driving then Stresa or Como are really about as close and these are real gems on Lake Maggiore and lake Como respectively - there once were buses that ran right to the airport from them but i hear they've been scrapped. So if you have a car look at them.

jnjfraz

We stayed here a couple of years ago. Easy place for a morning flight.

http://www.firsthotel.it/ln/english/index.asp

First Hotel Malpensa
via Baracca 34
Casa Nuove
39.0331.717045

taconictraveler

I've seen "Bob the Navigator" suggest Lake Orta, and the Hotel Orta on this forum many times for people who are flying from Malpensa.

I think if you search Lake Orta on this forum you will come up with some good ideas.

I have twice spent an overnight in Varese, way up at the top of Santa Maria del Monte at a hotel called Colonne, which has amazing views, and where the food was just great. all within half an hour of Malpensa.

jnjfraz

Another thought: Lake Como is only 1/2 from the airport and it is charming. We've stayed at Albergo Terminus and it is very beautiful, albet quite a bit pricier than First Hotel by the airport. http://www.albergoterminus.it/

Jay_G

I stayed a few times at the Grand Hotel Malpensa (which appears to have changed hands and is now a Hilton) in Somma Lombardo.

It's about a ten-minute taxi ride from the airport and is within walking distance of the Visconti castle. The hotel used to have a a really good restaurant where I once had an incredible T-bone steak, but as it's now a Hilton, I have no idea what it will be like now I'm afraid.

One thing's for certain, the website certainly doesn't do the hotel any justice, as it was one of the hotels I actually looked forward to staying in (or rather didn't groan with displeasure at) when traveling for business.

This was mainly due to the restaurant, but it was modern, efficient and the staff were always friendly.

Palenque

And if you stay in Milan then the Malpensa Express train will take you from Milan's city-centre Cordona train station right to your departure terminal - about as close time-wise as anything but an airport hotel.

Brazilnut

Somebody suggested "Saronno" to me, a small town halfway between either Milan and Malpensa or Como and Malpensa. You could stay there and drink lots of Amaretto...

Jean

We've stayed at the Villa Malpensa, a very pleasant property with a pool, terrace and a good restaurant. The current exchange rate makes it pricey, but breakfast and airport shuttle are included. Breakfast service now starts at 5:00 a.m. (for those who remember it starting too late for early departures).

http://www.hotelvillamalpensa.it/

GDKSS

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! I will have a car so shuttle or train is not so important; I really wanted to drive the countryside. Lake Orta sounds great and I will definitely look into it!