Fodor's Expert Review Hotel Jules César

A 17th-century Carmelite convent provides an intriguing backdrop for fashion designer Christian Lacroix's fantaisie interiors, which feature ultramodern color schemes, large (sometimes jarring) motifs, and furnishings in a jumble of periods and styles. The rooms go from a wildly imaginative style on the first floor to "exuberant Provençal style" on the second to a more restrained "monastic" style on the third. Many rooms overlook a quiet courtyard, and the downstairs spa and pool are a nice way to wind down from a day of touring—perhaps before your meal at Lou Marquès, the hotel's gastronomic restaurant. The hotel's central location on the main market street makes exploring Arles's famous Saturday marché a breeze.