Hi Hotel, Nice, France

This design hotel is located in a square, concrete block, formerly an office building, and the cool, industrial entryway is all too predictable. However, once inside, the Hi Hotel warms up. The reception desk is small and approachable, the staff charming and relaxed. The design hotel management work in a glass partitioned office, the door always open to questions.

The facilities

Two laptops are available for guests to surf, and shelves are stocked with design books and monographs, as well as well chosen design gizmos for sale. Downstairs, the design hotel's café is a largely self service affair – a truly original idea, as guests are invited to make their own cappuccino for breakfast, and small fruit salads and snacks are boxed up for all day munching. Outside, a small courtyard garden looks inviting, with small speakers hidden in the bamboo.

The rooms

The first thing to confront you as you step out of the elevator at Hi Hotel is an upturned lit d'urgence with the number of the floor helpfully velcro-ed to the side. This "emergency" bed is in fact a rolled up futon, upended, available day and night for guests to drag back to their room. Mini-bar snacks at the design hotel are again in a self service refrigerator on each floor, freeing up the rooms from ugly clutter. The rooms follow four colour themes - but each has a large walk in, freeform shower, in some cases behind the beds, which are low on the floor on wooden platforms. The tone is high design, but done in a witty way - for example the odd goldfish bowl, funky lights etc - and room sizes are decent. Hi Hotel is run with good nature and efficiency, in contrast to so many other design offerings today.