Learn the art of scent with a stay at Milan's perfume hotel

Personalised fragrances and signature scents are trending in the hotel and wellness worlds. But Magna Pars in Milan doesn’t just use the one. Rather, this Navigli-district hotel has precisely 68: one for each of its rooms. This perhaps sounds excessive, until you learn Magna Pars is a trademarked perfume hotel — and that it’s set in a converted 1940s perfume factory owned by one of Italy’s fragrance dynasties

The perfume-making Martone family prove Milanese style is a richly layered experience. Having produced perfumes in the city since the 1960s, they converted their factory into a hotel in 2013. Today, it’s a place where the art of perfume is explored in depth, thanks to the family’s links to master perfumers, fragrance houses (who provide the essential oils), raw materials producers and big brands such as Bulgari — for whom the Martones produce scents.

The hotel’s stripped-back factory walls, white-washed surfaces and stark Italian-made furniture create a serene, clean backdrop — allowing the wealth of Magna Pars’ in-house sensory experiences to shine. Each room has its own signature aroma and comes with a perfume-inspired playlist, accessed via QR code. A sultry subterranean restaurant serves a Menu à Parfum’, with dishes inspired by the Martones’ LabSolue fragrances; you’re encouraged to sniff the olive tree-inspired 201 Ulivo while enjoying an olive wood-smoked basil risotto with scallops, for example. At the twinkly rooftop bar, cocktails are inspired by some of the world’s best-known bottlings, such as Dior’s Sauvage (a mix of agricole rum, lime, pink grapefruit, sage and pink pepper). There’s also a courtyard garden bursting with botanicals, including bergamot — a crucial ingredient in many perfumes.

The hotel also offers an hour-long, private perfumery tutorial. In the on-site exhibition space, you’ll begin by looking at raw materials before sniffing through top, heart and base notes using bell jars. You’ll also learn the best places to wear different aromas (woodier ones behind the knees; citrussy ones behind the ears), how to layer scents to create your own olfactory signature and have the chance to smell many of the Martones’ 68 perfumes. At the end, you can hand-bottle your favourite into a 15ml dropper to take home. Consider it an olfactory postcard of Milan. 

Five more experiences to try

1. Soak up high fashion at Armani Silos

Dramatic, streamlined and sophisticated — just like the label itself — this exhibition space moments from Magna Pars highlights masterpieces from the esteemed house of Giorgio Armani, including dazzling ballgowns and tailored blazers. Exhibitions change with the seasons and even fashion-phobes will find the intricate detailing and theatrical presentation worthy of exploration.

2. Try local workshops at BASE Milano

Billing itself as a hybrid cultural centre, this community space set in a converted former factory has a regular rota of artistic activities as well as a chilled-out cafe. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel; check the website in advance to coordinate your visit with a concert, workshop, art installation, lecture or lively aperitivo hour.

3. Bar-hop on Navigli Grande Canal

While Magna Pars is on a secluded street, a short walk south east brings you to the gritty-chic Naviglio Grande canal, which buzzes day and night with locals and visitors making the most of the waterside bars. Go at lunchtime to enjoy a spritz and pizza in the sunshine before soaking up the surrounding street art, or on a weekend evening to experience one of Milan’s most popular al fresco bar hangouts.

4. Learn about cultural connections at MUDEC – Museum of Cultures 

Less than a 10-minute walk from Magna Pars, Milan’s ethnographic museum has a free permanent exhibition that charters the city’s place in the world, reflecting on themes such as globalisation and colonialism. Visit the vast agora-style first-floor space for the architecture alone.

5. Shop on Via Brera

A half-hour metro journey north of the hotel, Brera is one of central Milan’s chicest shopping districts and this cobblestoned street combines atmosphere with boutique charm. Continue your olfactory journey by popping into Profumeria Campomarzio70 or Olfattorio Bar à Parfums, both stocked with scents made in Italy and beyond.