Villa Maïa

Near the old Roman theater on Fourvière Hill, overlooking the Saône and the Lyon old town, the Villa Maïa may be classical in its inspiration, but it’s thoroughly modern in its execution. Its concrete structure was designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, decorated by Jacques Grange, and landscaped by Louis Benech, and the result is truly extraordinary, even among high-end luxury hotels.

Perhaps the clearest ancient Roman influence is found in the spa, whose columns and baths lend an old-world aspect to a very modern wellness experience. The rooms, in contrast, are decidedly contemporary-luxe in their style, with high-tech Japanese toilets and Carrara marble bathrooms. Views take in panoramas of the city’s rooftops, or else look out over Mr. Benech’s tranquil gardens.

Meanwhile the lounge, with its nickel-and-glass bar, is an elegant one, and the restaurant, the work of the eponymous chef Christian Têtedoie, has been recognized with a MICHELIN Star — here, in the capital of French gastronomy, a hotel like Villa Maïa would settle for nothing less.