Baudon de Mauny

Chic chateau in the city: 8 extravagant rooms hidden inside an 18th-century hôtel particulier in Montpellier's underrated centre

As the fastest growing city in France (nearly half a million, 40% of them under 30), and with a burgeoning tourism industry, you would expect Montpellier's historic centre to be brimming with boutique hotels. Not so. There are buzzing cafés and gourmet restaurants and ultra-chic clothes shops lining those honey-stoned lanes, and no shortage of leafy squares for lazy flaneurs. There's the Corum centre for concerts and a newly revamped Musée Fabre packed with exciting medieval-to-modern art. But, until 2008, there was nowhere fittingly sexy to rest your head.

Step forward Alain de Bordas, 7th generation heir of an 18th century hôtel particulier (private residence), who with his wife Nathalie has transformed the first and second floors into 8 exuberant rooms and a couple of sumptuous reception rooms. They've clearly had a ball decorating them - in a fantastically Louis-XV-meets-Philippe-Starck way. Playful Cole & Son wallpapers and Italian glass-booth power showers sit alongside restored regency chairs and 230-year-old decorative cornicing. It's what the city has been waiting for - and then some.

Highs

• The sheer scale of the suites - 2 of them with 4-metre ceilings, 2 others with their own mini sitting rooms - in the heart of a packed city
• With your own door codes, little signage, and candid advice in excellent English from Alain and Nathalie, this is like staying with well connected friends
• The Musée Fabre is just down the lane, and Alain can organise private tours after hours if you want it all to yourself
• Plenty of fine dineries and wine bars within walking distance - Alain has compiled an excellent shortlist

Lows

• Driving to the front door is not for novices: park at the Corum centre and walk - or, better still, do it as a car-free city break using the trams to get around
• This is not a hotel but an extremely upmarket B&B run by a couple plus maids; so don't expect full time reception (there are school runs to be done, shopping to be bought) nor any meals beyond breakfast (though 2 rooms share a kitchen if you want to whip up a snack)
• Although it's only 7km from the coast, we found the nearest beaches rather drab