The Holiday Inn Express is unlikely to attract many guests with its charm or decor. Rather, it serves travelers passing through Milan-Malpensa who need somewhere to lay their head before or after a flight that lands at some unconscionable hour. And thanks to its quiet atmosphere, it does its job well. Outdoors, the hotel appears to be covered in gray steel paneling, with a jagged, angular porch which sticks up like shards of glass. The hotel’s bar and breakfast room are both big on wipe-clean plastic in bright primary colors, accented by generic art found in airport hotels across the world. 

The hotel runs a shuttle bus that takes guests from the front door of the Holiday Inn Express directly to Terminals One and Two of Milan-Malpensa in five minutes. However, the shuttle costs a fee, so it may be worth just taking a cab. Heading away from the airport, it’s an hour’s drive to the center of Milan, or an hour and 15 minutes by train. Meanwhile, it’s 50 minutes drive to Lake Como, and roughly 115 minutes to cross the border and head to Locarno in neighboring Switzerland. Closer by, there are a few basic shops and restaurants in Case Nuove, the small town in which the hotel is located, which may come in handy for guests arriving late, as the hotel does not serve an evening meal.

While generic and outfitted with some dated furnishings, the 121 rooms at the Holiday Inn Express are solid, providing weary travelers with a clean and reasonably comfortable place to sleep and shower. Rooms have dark-wood floors and walls painted in neutral tones, double beds with crisp white linens, desks, and flat-screen TVs, while some also have space for sofa beds. Striped curtains and artwork add pops of warm earth tones. Bathrooms are modern, with mosaic tile accents in shades of blue, shower cubicles, and bidets. Free Wi-Fi, tea- and coffee-making facilities, hairdryers, and basic toiletries are also provided.

Understandably, this Holiday Inn Express is light on amenities. A free continental buffet breakfast is open from five in the morning, for guests with early flights, but there is no lunch or dinner service. A bar, however, is open during the day and evening. There is a shuttle bus which takes guests on the five-minute journey from the hotel to Terminals One and Two for a minimal fee, although it must be arranged for passengers arriving or departing at middle-of-the-night hours. Children under the age of 18 can stay for free, provided they are with their parents, and the hotel accepts pets. The hotel has a small business center with a printer, as well as a meeting room. There are free parking and Wi-Fi throughout the property.