L'Hôtel Particulier

Baroque-meets-contemporary in this luminous Provençal mansion, which has just seventeen rooms, as well as a lovely garden and pool.

• The sleek lap pool in the cypress-shaded courtyard
• The signature Carita Satin Skin treatment at the mini-spa
• The Luxe suite: a huge bedroom decorated with gauzy white drapes and antiques, on the ground floor of the main house

On a quiet residential street in Arles, the L’Hotel Particulier was once an early-19th-century townhouse built for the mayor of Arles. And it still has the feel of a private home. Owner Brigitte Pagès de Oliviera, who opened this peaceful Provençal-style hotel in 2002, has gradually added new rooms and suites, including a spacious duplex suite in the main house to accommodate families.

Design aficionados will enjoy the exquisite eye for detail from the handpicked antique furnishings to the stunning country-style kitchen and dining room where breakfast is served.

The main house is a medley of white-on-white furniture, high open-beam ceilings and uncluttered simplicity, with large four posters and deep armchairs. There's also a choice of six ultramodern suites (built in a revamped 18th-century home next door). Each of these Zen-inspired, black-and-white rooms is a mix of refurbished Baroque furnishings and pure clean lines with a Moorish twist. Expect gilded mirrors, stained white Louis XIV dressers, low-slung white leather and chrome chairs, shimmering crystal quartz floors and Moroccan rugs and bathtubs.

There is no restaurant, but guests can order light snacks while lounging by the pool, or have a drink in the newly refurbished bar. It is a haven of peace, even during the féria, when the town turns into a festive paella and sangria street party focused on bullfights, held in Arles’ splendid Roman arena every April.

Couples seeking a stylish oasis with understated glamour, in walking distance to Arles' many sights.