Review of Hotel du Petit Moulin, by Nadia Latif

Hotel du Petit Moulin is housed in what was the oldest bakery in Paris - until Christian Lacroix got his designer paws on it, transforming the building into one of the hippest boutique hotels in the city. It lies in the 6th arrondissement, a wealth of kooky little shops, chic cafes and fabulous cocktail bars. For the young urbanite, Le Marais is still the place to be.

The reception desk is the old shop counter, surrounded by listed glass paintings of bucolic beauty that date back to the 1900's. The riotous collage of a lobby area around it, though, is signature Lacroix. It sets the stage for the rest of Petit Moulin - an haute-design haven that doesn't forget its quaint patisserie parentage.

Much of the renovation work was hampered somewhat by the building's listed status. Case in point: the stairs. They are steep enough to prove a major headache for anyone other than the very sprightly (thankfully there is a lift), but, upholstered in vibrant polka dot carpet that's carried through to the corridors, they become a serious design feature.

Minimal facilities here (no bad thing - all the more reason to explore Le Marais), but there is a small but perfectly formed bar area that is strictly guests-only. No restaurant, but a lovely breakfast is provided each morning (not included in the room rate).

The 17 rooms are a surrealist's dream - colourful and fantastical. Each is individually styled. 201 is a particular favourite of ours, decked out in hot pink Marimekko fabrics and a funky wood-effect tiled floor. It boasts a claw-foot bathtub and absurdist fashion lithographs - one to make the socialites and shopping fanatics swoon.

202 is a lovely room, with a beaded print fresco hanging above the bed and original beams. 205, with its stripy black and white bathroom, abstract coral headboard and walls upholstered in claret-coloured fabric could be just the ticker for a fun and flirty weekend.