Magnifico

Italy has got world-class art, design, fashion, cuisine, and culture; natural beauty; meeting venues from castles to conference hotels -- and George Clooney. Lake Como, north of Milan, is home to many international celebrities, including Clooney. When NH Hoteles, a Spanish company, launched its first Nhow property last September, it chose Milan because the city is the capital of fashion and design, which are Nhow's main focus. A signature feature in the Nhow Milan's public spaces is fluid design. Its venues include the 120-person Nhow restaurant; T35, a two-story entertainment space where Versace recently did a show; even the underground corridor leading to the entranceway (a frequent site of fashion catwalks).