Hôtel Spa - La Belle Juliette

Is it possible for a hotel to be a biography? La Belle Juliette might be the first: this stylish little boutique hotel in the Saint-Germain is a period piece, at the very least, conceived by the French designer Anne Gelbard as an homage to Juliette Récamier, a notorious Parisian beauty from the dawn of the 19th century. Some of it is overt, with portraits and other memorabilia scattered throughout the rooms and common spaces. But above all it’s a modern interpretation of the way a present-day Juliette might have wanted to live — the relevance of which, to today’s style-conscious traveler, shouldn’t be too difficult to grasp.

The rooms are stylish, broadly antique yet vividly contemporary in the details, and they’re subtly luxurious, full of details that count: some feature claw-foot bathtubs, and all rooms are equipped with new iMacs, as a sort of combined entertainment center and communication device.

The ground floor features a multi-purpose bar and lounge space with a small-plate menu and a revamped selection of wines, champagnes, and cocktails. Do as the Parisians do and loll about with your poison of choice — or just stop by for an afternoon tea on the terrace. Better yet, take your tea in the spa, a remarkably lavish (and reservable) affair for such a small boutique hotel.