Condé Nast Traveler Hot List 2012: Saint James Paris

Conde Nast Traveler, purveyor of fine hotel reviews and travel advice, has just released its 2012 edition of the Hot List, a list of hotels that are setting the hotel world aflame with fresh designs and new concepts, or maybe just a solid new look at classic luxury. 41 reporters embedded themselves anonymously in hotels across the globe to review their targets. What results is a list of 121 hotels around the world that are so on fire they should be put on your watch list, just in case they end up burning down.

Paris has always been a popular destination for world travelers. Famous not just for its romance and rich cultural history, the city is a thriving hotel scene that boasts some of the most cutting-edge design in the world. While the exterior of the Saint James Paris looks much like any other neo-classical mansion, the interior boasts a bold, colorful decor that rivals the more contemporary boutique hotels. What makes it unique is that these stark colors are contrasted with more classical furnishings and old-world sensibility that allows Saint James to balance carefully on the edge between classic luxury and modern boutique. The only Chateau-hotel in the capital, Saint James was built on the old airfield where Paris's famed hot air balloons took to the sky. Now the 100-year-old hotel offers the most personalized service to its small number of guests, earning it a clear place on the Conde Nast Hot List 2012.