Toni Zimbaro’s Milan

There are hotels that promise escape, and then there are places that quietly rearrange your sense of home. Hidden behind a discreet façade in Brera, VMaison belongs to the latter. More villa than hotel, more private residence than destination, it exists in the space between hospitality and intimacy, where design is never ornamental but lived with.

For Toni Zimbaro, who manages VMaison alongside his sister Veronica, luxury has little to do with excess. It is found in atmosphere, in the rituals of arrival, in breakfast in the garden, in rooms that resist repetition, and in the feeling that someone has anticipated your presence before you even walk through the door. As Milan continues to reinvent itself, VMaison remains deliberately quiet — a place where elegance is measured not by spectacle, but by the comfort of feeling entirely at ease.

We spoke with Toni about Brera, Sicilian hospitality, the poetry of interiors, and why the most memorable places rarely announce themselves.

French Fries: Milan never stops changing. What still surprises you about the city?
Toni Zimbaro: Before opening the hotel in Brera, we had already inaugurated VMaison Studio in the same area back in 2018 for our contract interior design projects. Since then, we have witnessed the continuous growth of the city across various sectors: events, cultural appointments, and exhibitions tied to the worlds of art and design. This evolution has allowed us to proudly establish ourselves in a city where we continue to see enormous potential, especially for the ventures we have chosen to pursue.

French Fries: VMaison doesn't feel like a hotel. It feels like you're staying at someone's home. Was that always the intention?
Toni Zimbaro: This is exactly what we set out to achieve from the very beginning: welcoming, meticulously detailed homes where guests can experience a warm and intimate atmosphere. It is the common thread running through our hotel properties, which we have also brought to life in the second branch of our brand: VMaison Studio, which is dedicated to tailored design projects for private residences and the retail world.

French Fries: What is the first thing you notice when someone arrives?
Toni Zimbaro: I often like to sit in the lobbies of our hotels just to experience the moment of arrival. I usually do so discreetly, precisely so I don't miss the wonder and enthusiasm of our guests as they find themselves in such a cozy and refined environment.

French Fries: Is there a room you secretly love more than the others?
Toni Zimbaro: Every single room is different from the next, resulting from extensive research and style curation by our team. It would be difficult to say I have a favorite. I always love revisiting and experiencing them all, even if it is just for a simple site inspection with clients.

French Fries: What object inside VMaison could never be replaced?
Toni Zimbaro: We believe we have created something truly unique that speaks of who we are, our care, and our hospitality. In the beginning, VMaison was born simply as an independent boutique hotel in Sicily. Today, it is a brand that encompasses a hospitality chain and a design studio. In every single activity and project we complete, our identity, our care, and our attention to detail are clearly transmitted.

French Fries: What does a perfect morning in Brera look like?
Toni Zimbaro: The Milan property is a true gem — a villa with a garden right in the center of one of the city's most fashionable districts. Waking up in such a setting is truly special, greeted by the hotel's incredibly rich breakfast, with the option to take out our bicycles and wander through the neighborhood's charming narrow streets.

French Fries: Where do you disappear when you want to escape Milan without actually leaving the city?
Toni Zimbaro: Being Sicilian, I sometimes need to escape the city to return to my homeland, where I recharge my energy and reconnect with the beauty of my origins. VMaison was likely born from that exact warmth and characteristically Sicilian hospitality, so I would say that Sicily is the place I truly call home.

French Fries: What is the most beautiful hotel you've ever stayed in, and why?
Toni Zimbaro: In our boutique hotel segment, I believe it is incredibly important to look at other brands aligned with our positioning; they are sources of continuous inspiration and comparison. We particularly like and frequently visit Hotel Costes in Paris and Casa Monti in Rome, with whom we often collaborate on stay exchanges for our management teams.

French Fries: Hospitality can be very performative today. You've chosen something quieter. Why?
Toni Zimbaro: I would say we chose and wanted something different — hospitality built on atmosphere, attention to detail, and what we call "coziness." From the very beginning, my sister Veronica's design flair has absolutely defined and elevated the experience of our locations and our interior projects.

French Fries: What does luxury mean to you now?
Toni Zimbaro: Our concept of luxury cannot be identified with something material; it is something you have to experience and feel. Even though image is everything to us — whether it's a hotel or an interior project — what we consider a true luxury is being able to guarantee a tailored experience of well-being.

French Fries: If someone spent just twenty-four hours in Milan, what would you hope they remember after they've left?
Toni Zimbaro: I hope they remember the Italian hospitality and style, which naturally translates into our unique way of presenting ourselves to the world. And let's be honest, Milan is also the perfect combination of a bustling metropolis and a city on a human scale.