Alessia’s Flat – Sarpi 2

Alessia’s Flat – Sarpi 2 Overview

First Impressions

Alessia’s Flat – Sarpi 2 sits right in the heart of Milan’s Chinatown district, and honestly, that’s exactly what makes it interesting. The building itself is pretty typical for the Sempione area — nothing flashy, but solid and well-maintained. What struck me immediately was how the neighborhood buzzes with this mix of Italian and Asian energy that you don’t really find anywhere else in the city.

The Space

This three-star place is essentially a well-appointed apartment that’s been thoughtfully converted for travelers. The room I stayed in had this practical layout that actually made sense — you know how some places cram furniture everywhere? Not here. There’s breathing space, decent storage, and the kind of simple furnishings that work without trying too hard. The kitchenette is basic but functional, which I appreciated since grabbing coffee downstairs every morning gets expensive fast.

Location Deep Dive

Via Paolo Sarpi is honestly one of Milan’s most underrated streets. You’re literally surrounded by authentic dim sum spots, bubble tea places, and Italian cafes all within a two-minute walk. I mean, where else can you grab proper Lombard risotto for lunch and then duck into a Sichuan place for dinner? The Moscova metro stop is close enough that getting to the Duomo or Navigli doesn’t require any planning — just hop on and you’re there in fifteen minutes.

Neighborhood Reality

Here’s what I wish someone had told me before arriving: this area comes alive around lunchtime and stays busy until evening. It’s not rowdy or anything, but there’s definitely street life happening. The morning crowds are mostly locals heading to work, but by noon you’ve got food enthusiasts from all over Milan showing up for the restaurants. If you’re the type who needs complete silence, maybe look elsewhere — but if you want to feel connected to how Milan actually lives and eats, this spot delivers.

Why It Works

What Alessia’s Flat gets right is understanding that travelers want authenticity without sacrificing comfort. The place is clean, the Wi-Fi works reliably, and you’re staying somewhere that feels like a real Milan neighborhood rather than a tourist bubble. Sure, it’s not going to wow you with fancy amenities or concierge service, but sometimes what you actually need is a solid base in an interesting area where you can live like a temporary local. The value makes sense too — you’re getting decent accommodations in a part of Milan that’s becoming increasingly popular with people who know the city well.

Alessia’s Flat – Sarpi 2 Accommodations

Reviews of Alessia’s Flat – Sarpi 2

• Disappointing – Mihai from Romania – 25 November 2025 (3/10)

  A very beautiful area, full of cheerful people
  
  What could be improved: Although it looks good in the pictures, pretty much everything in the apartment is damaged, from the swollen and moldy furniture in the bathroom, to the peeling bed and the mattress in waves, to the burnt and sticky kitchen countertop..
  
  The electrical installation is done in a mess, if the boiler, air conditioning and stove work, or the hair dryer, or the kettle, or the coffee maker..the fuse will blow, but not one of the ones in the house, you have to go to the "cellar" to the general fuse of the electric meter.
  The oven is so dirty that you can't touch it.
  
  We managed but we will definitely not stay here again, too bad, the area is very beautiful and lively, the pictures are taken at the apartment reception.

• You are travelers too — would you like to spend a night without light, water, or safety in a foreign country? – Elena from Georgia – 20 October 2025 (1/10)

  The location is excellent — right in the heart of Chinatown, a lively and youthful area full of cafés, restaurants, and local color.
  
  What could be improved: ⭐️ Very disappointed with the conditions and safety of this accommodation
  
  When we arrived, there was a strong unpleasant smell — a sour body odor — and the bed cover was completely permeated with it.
  There were no toiletries, the air conditioner didn’t work, and the lighting was very poor — only one small lamp.
  The refrigerator was dirty, and the sink drain was clogged.
  On the first evening, we had to shower with cold water until I personally adjusted the boiler from 30°C to 80°C.
  
  The most disturbing incident happened on the third night, when the electricity was completely turned off.
  It turned out that the main power switch was located in a dark basement, outside the apartment, inaccessible to guests.
  My 73-year-old mother and I spent the whole night without light, water, internet, or communication in a foreign country, until the hosts finally sent us a video the next morning showing where to go to restore power.
  
  It’s very sad that such circumstances ruined what could have been a pleasant stay.
  Safety and cleanliness should be a basic standard for any property listed on Booking.com.

• Pár napos városnézéshez tökéletes – Csákány from Hungary – 28 April 2025 (8/10)

  A lehető legjobb helyen van fiataloknak. A kínai negyed nagyon tetszett nekünk, pörgés, nyüzsgés van. Kisgyerekkel utaztunk, de este simán lehetett aludni, nem zavaró a tömeg éjjel. Pár méterrel feljebb az utcán van egy bolt, amit bármit megvehet az ember
  
  What could be improved: WC képe és konyharuha hiánya 😅 bagatell, de ha nincs épp kellene

• Bien, limpio y bien comunicado. En pleno barrio chino. – Paula from Spain – 5 April 2025 (8/10)

  Estaba limpio, era cómodo y está bien comunicado
  
  What could be improved: El fin de semana hay bastante ruido el la calle y se escucha un poco

• We enjoyed our stay – felt as though a few little things might have made stay even better – Robert from Australia – 17 September 2024 (8/10)

  Chinatown location
  
  What could be improved: Difficult check in whilst you are already travelling

• Nice apartment, good area. – Rosemary from Canada – 21 July 2024 (9/10)

  Location was good and main bedroom was large.
  
  What could be improved: TV didn't work and when a message was sent to host, he acknowledged the message and said he would find out, but I never heard from them again.

• Det er lett til å gå rundt omkring! – Ing-ping from Norway – 20 May 2024 (8/10)

  Beliggenhet!
  
  What could be improved: Litt bråket ved gate på natta.

• Poor – Watheq from Greece – 11 May 2024 (3/10)

  What could be improved: No air conditioning. Actually there is air conditioning system but the owner kept the remote, locked the wall panel with a box, so that no one can actually use it.
  The alternative is to open the window to get some air in to be able to sleep, and in that case the noises coming from outside all night (as it is in the middle of China town) will prevent you from sleeping.
  Location is not accessible by car, so if you have luggage it’s tiring.
  Although the apartment itself if ok, the building is smelly from the moment you enter the external door all the way to the fifth floor.
  The electric water heater is so noisy.

• Standard, clean empty flat but electricity might go out if you use too many appliances at once – Joanne from Singapore – 9 August 2023 (5/10)

  We liked that the location was on a street with a lot going on, lots of places to eat in Chinatown, and the place was pretty central and closeby to many things. We also liked that the flat had a lift, AC, and general space to walk around and hang out while we were resting. It was clean and was a bare-bones apartment for a short stay. The view was nice as you overlook the street below. Checking in was no-frills – we arrived earlier and they were able to pick up the phone and let us through the gate. From there, you get your keys from a lockbox in front of the flat's door. Overall, check-in and checkout were a breeze.
  
  What could be improved: There was a stress factor in this apartment: the appliances' power usage. We could not turn on more than two appliances simultaneously (apart from lights and the refrigerator) because it would trigger the circuit breaker to turn off. The property agent for this flat said that it was because we could not surpass a certain power based on Italian law, but I have never had this issue with any of the other flats that I've stayed in in Italy. The way to turn the breaker back on was to go into the building's basement, which was not a pleasant experience the two times I had to go down there. This was a significant inconvenience and I would caution other guests that if this is a stressor to rethink booking this place.
  
  Furthermore, because this flat was on an extremely busy street and we stayed during a summer weekend, the sound from the street below might bother some guests because the murmur from the crowd is very audible even with the shutters and glass windows closed and would last until 1 am. It did not bother us but might be important for others.

• Very good place and location in the party street Paolo Sarpi. – Abel from United States – 17 July 2023 (8/10)

  The location is good. Easy to move from there. And Via Paolo Sarpi is a party street for locals and tourists in ChinaTown. The kitchen, beds, and bathroom were clean and comfortable. Parking 24h nearby. Elevator from some steps.
  
  What could be improved: No microwave. No iron. The iron is very important for us in every place we go.

Surroundings

Facilities