Gold sheets are the way to go (Photo: Courtesy of Townhouse Galleria Milan)

There’s a sure-fire way to make a king-size bed feel truly regal: golden sheets. At least, that’s the latest luxury adornment at TownHouse Galleria Milano, the first hotel in the world to offer such a service.

Built inside the four-storey, glass-vaulted Vittorio Emanuele II Galleria—one of the oldest shopping malls in the world, built in 1865 to honour Italy’s first king—the five-star address introduced specially crafted 24-carat gold sheets this May.

Jewellery meets fabric

Exclusively available in the Seven Stars Ottagono Presidential Suite, the golden sheets were commissioned from some of Milan’s most respected craftsmen: designed by Federico Buccellati, a Milanese jeweller, and fabricated by Piana Clerico, an artisan manufacturer founded in Milan in 1582.

The Piana family has a long-respected tradition for weaving gorgeous woollen textiles using precious materials and fibres, including gold yarn, cashmere and silk.

Gold sheets feel slightly stiffer than silk (Photo: Courtesy of Townhouse Galleria Milan)

To make the sheets, Piana wove together its signature yarn, with a large content of 24-carat gold, accounting for 40 percent of the finished product. The shimmering sheets are a work of art—picture floral details and minute stitching, which glitters as natural light spills from the balcony into the bedroom.

What do they feel like? They’re heavier and slightly stiffer than silk sheets, due to the weight of the 24-carat gold. The weight makes it easier to relax, almost as if you’re wrapped in cosy yet protective armour.

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Gold sheets for the home

Those who love the look and feel can take home a set of their own—one sheet, four pillowcases, duvet cover, and a certificate of guarantee—starting from 200,000 Euros (HK$1,743,386).

Inside the Presidential Suite (Photo: Courtesy of Townhouse Galleria Milan)

Such heavyweight sheets might not be the most practical in Hong Kong’s humid summers but come wintertime, these sheets would be a ritzy addition to your boudoir. 

Inside the Presidential Suite

With or without these new gold sheets, the hotel’s Presidential Suite stands on its own merits. The narrow corridors weave through the historic building and a set of heavy wooden doors opens using an electric keypad.

Stepping inside, a living room adorned with contemporary and antique Italian furniture stretches out ahead, along with a private dining room, kitchen, walk-in shower, soaking tub, and a romantic balcony that overlooks the heart of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Highline walk above the city (Photo: Courtesy of Townhouse Galleria Milan)

Restored in 2015—complete with a high line-style walkway that weaves through Milan’s rooftops—The Galleria is constantly abuzz with energy as travellers shop for Versace and sip Aperol spritzes. In the past, this was a common meeting place, where people would catch up for coffee and conversation.

Today, a clutch of the city’s top cafes, pastry shops, and fashion houses grace the corridors, which stretches in four directions, connecting to Duomo Square and La Scala Theatre. The exclusive view from the suite’s balcony provides a front-row seat to the Galleria’s Italian frescoes and mosaic floors, adding to the regal experience.

TownHouse Galleria Milano, 8 Via Silvio Pellico, 20121, Milan, Italy, galleria.townhousehotels.com

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This article first appeared on HongKongTatler.com