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Via Carlo Goldoni is a long residential street 15 minutes' walk east of San Babila, gateway to Milan's fashion and design district. Number 31, a typical bourgeois palazzina of the late 19th century, is distinguished from neighbouring buildings only by its compact size and warm yellow colour. But as soon as you walk through the side entrance with its wooden, Chinese-temple arches to the courtyard pavilion scattered with red stools and serpentine cushion-sculptures, you realise something unusual is going on. Off-duty Milanese fashion folk are surprisingly resistant to cutting-edge interior design; what they want is comfort and conviviality with a modern, ethnic edge. And Townhouse 31 is very much a child of Milan's creative set: the interiors are by Architectural Digest editor Ettore Mochetti; the seats and cushions in the courtyard are by Argentinian footwear wizard Claudio Montias.
The entrance lounge functions as a breakfast room and lounge bar for the 6pm to 9pm aperitivo slot, which attracts locals as well as guests. Bedrooms are arranged on four floors; their cream-and-white colour scheme is set off by the dark cherry tones of the Oriental wooden furniture. The idea is to provide a home-from-home for fashion professionals. If it works, it does so at least in part because the front-of-house staff - including the flamboyant party organiser Gustavo - are so simpatici.
WHEN TO GO
August, to be different. Avoid fashion week in October, for which rooms are booked months in advance - unless you're part of it
WHICH ROOM TO BOOK
Try them all; they're all subtly different. Those in search of peace and quiet should avoid the courtyard-facing rooms when there's a party going on outside
CONTACT
Townhouse 31, via Carlo Goldoni 31, Milan, Italy (00 39 02 7015 600; fax: 713167; email: townhouse31@townhouse.it; Design Hotels 0800 169 8817). Doubles from €220
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