In the heart of the 8th arrondissement, just off the Champs-Élysées and a block away from Grand Palais, sits La Maison Champs Elysées. From the outside, the hotel inconspicuously blends in with the rest of the Second Empire mansard roofs and light facades, but all of that structure and regulation disappears as soon as you cross the threshold.

Inside, modern meets classic, and traditional meets unusual. Subtle details to break the rules and play with your mind are everywhere. We stayed in the a room from the Couture Collection, designed my Martin Margiela, and were absolutely delighted by the minimal style and quirky details, such as the printed rug and plywood wall. As a web-designer, somewhat obsessed with grid-based design, the perfectly-tiled bathroom left me marveling at some craftsman’s patience.

Outside of the room, the hotel seemed to stretch on forever – a labyrinth of hallways and rooms. One of our favorite discoveries turned out to be the back terrace, where we were introduced to our second favorite beverage of the trip (behind the Rosé of Provence) – Pastis. The interesting mix of herbs and spices closely resemble the taste of licorice (a treat neither of us were found of growing up), but provide a wonderfully refreshing summer cocktail when mixed with nothing more than a few ice cubes and water. The terrace was the perfect place to recover from a long day of walking and to have a quick cocktail before you head back to your room.

I feel like there was still so much more to explore in this fantastic hotel when we checked out, but trips are always too short and the call of Provence was too strong to stay, so we packed up our bags and said adieu to another fantastic find.