Magna Pars, a former perfume factory, is located in the Zona Tortona district of Milan, in the south west of the city and by way of reference, a half-hour scenic walk from the Duomo. Historically Milan’s railway and canal hub, Zona Tortona was once defined by its working-class roots, warehouses, and proximity to the Navigli canals. Today, the area is better known for its creative energy: design studios, art galleries, and a lively nightlife scene clustered around the canals. It has shifted from industrial grit to one of Milan’s most atmospheric communities. Just steps away, Langosteria adds a dash of indulgence, while the Emporio Armani HQ next door fits effortlessly into the neighbourhood’s DNA.

68 individual scents complement the 68 suites at Magna Pars. My room, 211 (Junior Premium) was scented with a relaxing, earthy, frankincense aroma which can of course be swapped prior to arrival should you be familiar with your scent profile already. The design is consistent across all categories with completely white walls, bedding and curtains contrasting with the dark wood floors and pops of colour courtesy of the prints and chairs. A brave design choice not only because any scuffs and blemishes are presented to you, but also because when done badly, the all-white palette looks boringly repetitive and cheap. It may take a moment to adjust to the room, in the same way it takes you a second to adjust to sunlight, but it works. Perhaps only in Milan it could work, but in Milan at Magna Pars, it does work.

Choosing a room here comes with its own dilemma. The largest options; the Presidential and Grand Presidential Suites offer expansive, light-filled interiors but no outdoor space. The Grand Prestige Terrace Suite, by contrast, provides a generous terrace yet sacrifices the open-plan flow of the bigger suites. Either way, the decision is sweetened by the signature diffusers placed throughout.

The main restaurant, Da Noi In, offers both a surprisingly similar Italian and Bistro menu, with signatures like scorpionfish tagliolini, veal Milanese (naturally), and spaghettone with tomatoes prepared three ways. Beyond that, the ‘international’ options peak at a club sandwich and a poke bowl. In my mind, the menu began as an attempt to please everyone, only for hands to be thrown up and a chorus of “Madonna!” and “Mamma mia!” outraged at the idea of a burger, and after finally conceding to an honourable club sandwich, they returned to their Italian roots. And truthfully, however beautiful a burger might be, once you have uttered your first buongiorno, the craving magically vanishes.

The restaurant’s design mirrors the rooms in both art and scent. While the casual menus may not be a full celebration of the senses, the Menù à Parfum offers a true multi-sensory homage to perfumery. The same spirit carries into the bar, Liquidambar, where a carefully curated cocktail list is matched by an equally considered wine selection.

Breakfast, reflective of Milan, is cosmopolitan. A superb selection of freshly baked pastries, nuts, seeds, yoghurts, cereals and a hot selection of bacon, typically continental cocktail sausages and scrambled eggs. You can choose to eat either inside or in the covered outdoor terrace which feels strangely tropical considering the location among Milan’s former industrial heartland.

Aperativo could and should be taken on Magna Pars rooftop, LabSolue Bar. In what feels like a vertical continuation of the ground floor gardens, the olive trees and jasmine briefly transport you some 250 miles south before the views of the surrounding offices and studios snap you straight back to Navigli. A heated, cosy veranda ensures you can enjoy this experience even in the colder, rainier months.

What would a hotel de parfum be without an extensive, indulgent spa? Well, it would be Magna Pars. There is an almost hidden single treatment room which, as you’d expect, focuses on aromatherapy and with such a vast array of aromas at hand, your therapist guarantees you leave feeling and smelling fabulous. The accompanying scented steam room and Technogym complete the intimate wellness centre.

If the gardens are the lungs and the lobby the face, then LabSolue is the soul of Magna Pars. A working perfume laboratory born from the Martone family’s heritage. What was once a pharmaceutical factory is now a modern atelier of scent, lined with amber jars, steel refrigerators and the tools of fragrance-making. An essential visit during any stay at Magna Pars, LabSolue introduces you to the Martone family’s history, the inspirations behind their creations, and guides you toward discovering the fragrance best suited to your body or your home. From perfumes to candles, LabSolue infuses the entire hotel, completing the story and ensuring Magna Pars is not simply a place to stay, but a stay that can be placed by scent.

Step outside Magna Pars around 9am and you’ll find yourself moving against a tide of impeccably dressed young Milanese on their way to studios, galleries, and offices. Having spent the past half-hour perfecting your look in the suite, it’s humbling to remember most of them emerged straight from the Metro and still manage to make you consider turning back and changing. Should you do just that, on the way back to your suite you will pass the library; at first just a corridor lined with books, only later in your stay revealing itself as a quiet space to pause, leaf through a book, or simply linger in its calm.

Unsurprisingly, much of the midweek guest list leans toward those in Zona Tortona for work. Still, breakfast is just as likely to place you beside a glamorous couple drifting through Europe as it is a pair in suits retesting the formulae of a spreadsheet for the fourth time.

The staff deserve praise here; chic yet approachable, striking the balance so many hotels, neighbourhoods, and even cities fail to achieve. Magna Pars also plays host to a mix of product launches, showcases, and activations thanks to their many event spaces. These can momentarily soften the sense of exclusivity but often add to the energy; in a property so defined by openness, not least through its vast windows, the atmosphere was never meant to be sealed away.

Magna Pars is a lesson in execution. What could so easily have the look and feel of a brand activation with all of the budget and none of the soul, instead delivers on the fundamentals: a beautifully smelling accommodation that is both comfortable and functional, a dining experience that celebrates its roots and history and design that confirms its setting. The details are then mastered; scents are dotted strategically around the hotel, testers left invitingly without overt sales tactics and spaces transition effortlessly from one to the next. What could have been a gimmick, instead, becomes an essential, modern Milanese experience.

Photography courtesy of Magna Pars Hotel