THE FACTS ABOUT ENTERPRISE HOTEL

Italy Milan

The Enterprise lives up to the motto of its namesake starship, 'to boldly go where no man has gone before'. This is not the first Milanese designer hotel, but it is the first in the city to be aimed primarily at business travellers visiting the nearby Fiera di Milano trade-fair centre. A former printworks, the huge space has been converted into a hotel with 109 rooms, five apartments and a large but fairly anonymous banqueting hall / conference room. Designer details are reserved for the retro-minimalist hall, with its mahogany and leather reception desk; the elegant Bar Privé (all gold leaf and glittering green mosaic columns) and the first-floor Sophia's restaurant, reached via a magnificent curving staircase in red Damascus marble, illuminated by the original industrial skylights. The bedrooms are relaxing, with cool, wide-striped cream walls, chunky red-leather armchairs and bathrooms clad in pale marble and iridescent micro-tiles. They are well soundproofed from the trams that trundle along corso Sempione. WHEN TO GO Furniture Week in mid-April is the Fiera di Milano's moment of air-kissing glory but make sure you book several months in advance WHICH ROOM TO BOOK Choose an 'executive' room over a basic double; the latter can be cramped CONTACT Enterprise Hotel, Corso Sempione 91, Milan, Italy (00 39 02 318 181; fax: 318 18811; www.enterprisehotel.com). Doubles €84-€330, apartments €1,800-€2,500 per month