Philippe Chavent's silk-swathed Vieux Lyon hotel occupies a Renaissance-period convent set around a gorgeous Florentine-style courtyard under a rose-washed tower. The glass-roof restaurant occupies a former chapel and offers views of the hanging garden overhead. Each guest room is named for a famous silk-weaving concern and decorated in its goods; taffetas, plissés, and velvets cover walls, windows, and beds in daring, even startling styles. The signature specials here -- smoked-duck soup, skate in oyster coulis, hibiscus sorbet -- are well worth all the extra louis d'or. Six apartments with kitchenettes in an adjacent annex provide excellent value for longer stays.
Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip >>