Appropriately enough, given that the majority of my clients are French, I was in Paris this week. It still has the ability to make me catch my breath and marvel at its beauty; from the avenues and vistas that stretch from Place de la Concorde, to the intimacy of the Marais streets extending from Place des Vosges, to the perfect symmetry of the Palais Royal and, bien sûr, my favoured and most familiar quartier, le sixième on the Rive Gauche.

This time I stayed in the rather grander 8th arrondissement; the Hotel Daniel is tucked between the Champs-Elysées and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. It is a boutique hotel of 26 rooms and suites and a Relais Châteaux member. But what makes it distinct from any other hotel is the sublime way in which it is decorated. The owners engaged Tarfa Salam, the London-based Lebanese decorator, and she has created an intimate space of comfort, style, chinoiserie charm and sophisticated distinction. Every detail, every tassel has been exquisitely considered. There is a bar, a sitting area, an excellent small restaurant and the most helpful staff. But what makes it is Madame Salam’s taste.