Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honoré ★★★★★

Located in the 8th arrondissement the hotel is the sole building on Rue d’Anjou that escaped the reach of Baron Haussmann’s extensive urban redevelopment programme in the 19th-century. The Marquis boasts a prestigious address, nestled cosily in the most affluent corner of the city, within five minutes’ walk from the luxury boutiques of Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré and the Champs-Elysées, and steps away from the Opéra Garnier and the glamorous Place Vendôme.

In keeping with the building’s status as home to men of considerable importance, Florentine architect Michele Bönan has lovingly restored the hotel in a suitably decadent and glamorous fashion. With exquisite craftsmanship and the finest materials throughout, Bönan has set a new benchmark for Parisian chic. My Superior Suite was spacious but intimate, with beautifully soft furnishings, including curtains from Dedar, and pristine Brazilian Ipé hardwood floors. My king-size bed, immaculately made up in feather-soft linens, was flanked by stylish bronze reading lights, saving me from the trouble of having to rise from my bed to switch off the light – how considerate.

My bathroom was lined in stunning Carrara marble, generously stocked with Hermès goodies, and even equipped with under-floor heating. The thickest, fluffiest towels somehow manage to hang off the chrome fittings with elegance; the attention to detail is meticulous, the standard of luxury unmatched. My elegant sitting room boasts a forty-inch flatscreen, a Mac Mini, and complimentary Wi-Fi; and my ceruse oak walk-in wardrobe is almost the size of my bedroom at home. I even have large bay windows opening onto my very own fully furnished terrace.

The impeccable service is provided by friendly and helpful staff, and their recommendations at Le Gilbert were infallible. The sumptuous private lounge offers toasted brioche and fresh pressés in the morning, in a setting of plush velvet banquet seating, wall-to-wall bookshelves stocked with art and design books, and an original Louis XVI mantelpiece. As day turns to early evening, Le Gilbert becomes dimmer, and the drinks stronger – no matter what time of day, the hotel’s exclusive lounge is a vibrant but intimate spot for a delicious drink and some of the finest people-watching in Paris.

Extravagant but refined, stylish but not aggressively so, the Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honoré is like living in a luxurious private mansion, albeit with the amenities and service of a five-star hotel. An impressive testament to Michele Bönan’s talented design and creative vision, the Marquis is discreet but decadent.