Hôtel Saint James Paris

In a residential area of the 16th, a hotel in a 1892 private mansion, with 48 large rooms and suites—plus a pair of three-story apartments—redesigned in 2010 in an eccentric style christened “crazy chic”. Rooms are inspired by Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Parisian decorator Madeleine Castaing and Chinese porcelain; lush fabrics mix with flea-market furnishings. The original wood-paneled library—now the bar—remains untouched. Doubles from €370.

43 ave Bugeaud, Paris 16th. Métro: Porte Dauphine. Tel: 01 44 05 81 81. www.saint-james-paris.com