Booking early is the cheapest way to stay in Milan
Milan is a business city as much as a tourist one, so room prices follow the trade-fair calendar more than the seasons. When a big fair is on at Fiera Milano — furniture in April, fashion weeks in February and September — central hotels can double in price and sell out weeks in advance. Outside those dates you will usually find far better value, even in high summer.
Most rooms can be cancelled free up to the day before arrival, and many hotels let you pay on arrival rather than upfront. Booking early therefore costs you nothing if your plans change, and it is the single easiest way to spend less.
Check-in and check-out times
Check-in is normally from 14:00 and check-out between 10:00 and 12:00. If you arrive on an early flight or leave late in the evening, almost every hotel in Milan will store your luggage free of charge, so you can drop your bags and start sightseeing straight away.