Seventh Heaven

Back in the day, a hostel with murals on the walls was IT's idea of luxury. OK, so maybe it still is. But apparently other people have slightly higher standards. This week, Kathy McCabe (editor of the newsletter Dream of Italy) fills us in on a truly luxe addition to Milan's hotel scene:

If a five-star hotel just doesn't do it for you, a new seven-star hotel will be opening in Milan at the end of the year. Haven't heard of a seven-star hotel before? Well there's only one other one in the world, Dubai's Burj Al Arab.

Promising to pile on the amenities, the seven-star, all-suite Town House Galleria will be housed in Milan's beautiful Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle—above the Prada store, no less. Town House owns two other hotels in Milan—but both have, alas, only four stars.

So how will Europe's first seven-star property earn all those stars? Service. The hotel's small size—fewer than 30 guest suites—promises maximum attention for each and every guest. Each suite will have its own butler (and if there are children staying there, a nanny, too). Cars with drivers will be made available to guests at all times. There's talk of in-room physical training and massages. Several luxury brands will be involved in the design and amenities, including Caroli Health Club, Faber Castell, and Nespresso.

While pricing hasn't been set, eFlyer guesses the nightly rates could be close to $2,000 per night, and reports that the hotel is solidly pre-booked for the first 90 days.

Now, if independent rating bodies are your thing, you'll want to know that there is in fact no official Mobil rating above five stars. Hotels designate themselves as having more stars when they offer amenities above and beyond what could possibly be expected. If seven seems too many, but five just isn't enough, you can find a happy medium at a six-star establishment.