The lobby of the Hotel Sainte Beuve in Paris

Several years ago I was in Paris for a work assignment and was invited to stay at a famous Right Bank hotel. The hotel was grand and glamorous, everything a high end hotel is supposed to be. But it left me cold. I could have been staying in any big city in the world. Filled with new furniture made to look old, generic landscape paintings, heavy drapes, crystal chandeliers, and blah beige walls–the hotel’s rooms had no soul, no essence of the amazing city we were in.

At the time, I joked with my husband that I would so rather be staying in a teeny room at The Hotel Sainte Beuve, a way less expensive hotel on the Left Bank. We had spent a few happy days at the David Hicks designed hotel when we were first married (it has since been redesigned).  Brimming with color, pattern and French charm, I loved every aspect of The Sainte Beuve–the perfect shade of green in our room, the vintage portraits on the walls, the pretty floral print curtains, and the lobby that felt like a cozy private living room. Staying at the Sainte Beuve felt like living in our own little Parisian apartment, which is exactly what I believe good hotel design is all about–transporting guests into an entirely different world.  Travel is an opportunity to stay at a place that reflects who you think you are or who you want to be (if only for a night). From  edgy to classic to exotic, hoteliers create their own universes through design and architecture.

I cover both travel and design as a magazine writer, and I launched Hotel Chic to feature hotels the way I see them, through the lens of a design junkie. The site will not only showcase the most innovative, glamorous, and unusual hotel design around the globe, but will take things one step further and show you how to bring the look home. After all, how many times have you seen a hotel and thought I wish my house was like this! From that amazing wallpaper, to the perfect bedside table, to a layout that maximizes a small space—hotels are an absolutely incredible source of design ideas. Whether you use this site to plan your next trip, redecorate your bedroom, or simply to check into a cool hotel without leaving your couch, I hope Hotel Chic will be a source of inspiration, ideas, and most of all fun.