Hôtel Marignan ★★★★★

While London, New York and Milan each have their advantages, the je ne sais quoi of Paris makes its biannual Fashion Week undoubtedly the most exciting week of the year for a part-time street style photographer. On a quiet street of traditional Haussmann buildings, stretching between the Champs-Elysées and the Avenue Montaigne, and just minutes from Le Grand Palais, the Hotel Marignan is a stylish and excellently located base for exploring Paris’s spectacular Triangle d’Or.

Unlike the reams of stylists, photographers, models and celebrities arriving in their air-conditioned saloon cars, I trundled up to the Hotel Marignan on foot, clutching my travel bag in one hand and tripod in the other. Nevertheless, the visual impact of the hotel was not unimpressive: clad in immense slabs of Zimbabwean granite and devoid of the artistic details adorning the windows and doorways of the homogenous facade of neighbouring townhouses, the Marignan makes a bold design statement from the wrought-iron front door to the elegant furniture on the rooftop terrace.

Like the enormous granite slabs that adorn the hotel’s exterior, the service within the hotel is seamless. Unfailingly friendly, charming staff match the interior design: the discreet but warm ambience is reminiscent of a luxury private residence, where all unsightliness has been done away with. Though the bar’s gleaming mirrored counter and gummy bear-shaped armchairs are unfailingly avant-garde, the hotel respects its rich heritage as a former hôtel particulier, with baroque gilded ceilings and a perfectly preserved escalier d’honneur.

Inside, the contemporary hotel, which doesn’t lack charm (or anything, for that matter), is characterised by curvaceous sofas and inviting armchairs upholstered in sumptuous velvet; a geometric patterned floor in black and white marble; and furniture in beautifully grained sandy oak. My Deluxe Room was vast, especially given I was travelling alone, and boasted picture-perfect views of the Eiffel Tower across the roofs of Paris. Each of the bedrooms is unique, and though the minimalist-chic aesthetic continues throughout the hotel, Pierre Yovanovitch’s creative design is meticulously sympathetic to guests’ needs. With sumptuous cotton satin sheets, and a NightCove sleep enhancer on demand, the Marignan is surely the ultimate destination to rest and recover from a week of shows, dinners, and parties, or from pounding the pavement and seeing the sights.

The bedrooms and bathrooms (black marble, very tasteful) are largely decorated in calming neutrals, but downstairs the occasional splash of claret red or bottle green reflects the hotel’s vibrant atmosphere. Though restaurant is coolly minimalist, with a contemporary light installation competing for diners’ attention with the glass ceiling, the more intimate booths are set back in oak-lined alcoves. Here, I enjoyed chef Filipe da Assunçao’s Mediterranean interpretation of seasonal French ingredients. Constructing a traditional beef tartare with equal care as the goat lollipops on the warming, autumnal menu, Assunçao confidently demonstrates why he was deservedly named a Meilleur Ouvrier.

Although it is stylish and intimate, perfect for romantic getaways in the City of Love, the Marignan is also mini-fashionista-friendly. There is also an exclusive in-house cinema that can be reserved for private screenings of one of over 200 films available. No Coke and popcorn in here, though: kick back in style with a drinks and finger food menu on offer from the Marignon’s restaurant. The child in me was thrilled to discover a snuggly soft white owl on my bed: even the hotel mascot remains in line with Yovanovitch’s creative vision, demonstrating the painstaking attention to detail that characterises the hotel.

When it comes to street style, the statement design of the Hotel Marignan makes it stand out from the crowd. The glittering Paris Fashion Week might last only seven days, but the glamorous, contemporary spin on traditional luxury at the Hotel Marignan undoubtedly make it a timeless classic.