Hotel Vernet, Paris

You are a bon vivant who does not wish to share life*s finer pleasures in the public glare. Where do you go? Make a note of Hotel Vernet, quietly situated around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe. It is hardly well-known although many of its guests are. They are happy to get lost in the privacy of its sublime interiors. The hotel revolves around the amazing little dining room whose leaded glass fin de siecle ceiling came from the workshop of Gustave Eiffel. This two-star restaurant is directed by Eric Briffard, a chef inspired, well-travelled and passionate. I cook in a variety of styles, he says, what counts is what's good. Either side of the lobby are the Jaipur Bar and a handsome salon where you can enjoy a cigar. The concierge has magical means of finding the most elusive to-die-for tickets. The charming guest rooms and suites are tiered on seven storeys above the ground floor; those above the second have small balconies.