web : Hotel Avignon la Mirande

Built in the shadow of the Papal Palace in Avignon, the austere frontage of this former 18th-century cardinal’s mansion conceals a treasure box of delights. Artfully arranged birdcages, leather-bound volumes placed on mahogany sideboards and tiered displays of jewel-like tarts in the covered courtyard dining room have the inspiring impact of still lifes. Yet for all the impressive artwork and antiques, this is no museum, but a uniquely comfortable hotel that has been welcoming guests since 1990. There are various treats in store for those who stay here, such as the secret walled garden with its giant huckleberry tree (where you can dine in warm weather), the historically re-created kitchens, which are sometimes used for communal dinners and cookery courses, and the small boutique selling objects (linen cushion covers, copper pots and bronzes) that personify the Mirande lifestyle and outlook.

Exclusivity does not have to be excluding. Service throughout the hotel, from reception to room service, is attentive and accommodating. Expect the kind of meticulous, white-gloved formality, especially in the restaurant, that has waiters de-crumbing your table between courses and refolding your napkins when you get up to use the bathroom.