Le Petit Moulin

The Hôtel du Petit Moulin may take some determination to find — the sign on this listed 17th-century building still reads “Boulangerie” — but those who persevere are in for a treat. Hidden behind this century-old facade is a vibrant and contemporary environment designed from top to bottom by the fashion designer Christian Lacroix, an environment that is remarkable for the fact that it’s equally opposed both to the 19th-century antique look on display in most Parisian hotels and to the minimalist style that’s the default option for modern boutique hotels the world over.

The public spaces set the scene for something a little bit different, mixing and matching elegant historic touches with colorful and surprising modern elements. But it’s in the guest rooms that the Hôtel du Petit Moulin really takes off. Each is completely different, the heaping white beds the only common element — wallpapers vary from vivid floral prints or bold stripes to hand-drawn designs and realistic scenes, while furnishings are upholstered in anything from velvet to leather to fur.

Flat-screen televisions and wireless internet are standard, and the bathrooms feature deep modern soaking tubs and Codage bath products. The hotel’s kitchen serves only breakfast, but this is hardly a drawback; the surrounding Marais district is home to a wealth of cafés, bistros and restaurants, and some of the nearest ones go so far as to deliver via room service.