La Caserne Chanzy

In America we expect a firehouse to be a fairly humble structure in red brick, but here the old fire-department headquarters is a stately champagne-colored Art Deco–style edifice — and one that, as luck would have it, has been put to new use as La Caserne Chanzy Hôtel & Spa, a brand-new member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and the only luxury boutique hotel of its kind in the city of Reims.

It just happens to look straight across at the majestic Notre-Dame Cathedral; many of its 89 rooms and suites have a window straight into the 14th century. Inside, however, they’re as contemporary as can be, in champagne-inspired colors and rich textures, along with high-end comforts. The suites, on the higher floors, are particularly notable, not just for their views but for their sheer spaciousness as well.

There’s a full-service spa and fitness center, the appealingly named Deep Nature, and while there’s just one restaurant, it’s an impressive one: La Grande Georgette, on the ground floor, spills out onto the street, and serves an all-day menu drawing from France’s contemporary bistronomic tradition. Impressive enough, even if you weren’t steps from one of Europe’s great cathedrals, as well as a very fine art museum and too many champagne cellars to count....