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Perfect for those who daydream about having a pied-a-terre in Paris is 3 Rooms, an 18th century house on the Rue de Moussy whose modest moniker belies the fact that it's a trio of 1,000-sq.-ft. (100 sq m) apartments. The hotel, nestled in the heart of the lively Marais district, is one of several buildings comprising almost an entire block owned by Tunisian-born fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa — encompassing the designer's own residence, studio, ready-to-wear store and offices — which manager Patrice Brunel describes as "like an Alaïa town."

The apartments each take up a whole floor and have in common temperature-controlled concrete floors and pure linen bedding, along with white Havaiana flip-flops and crisp waffle robes for lounging in style.

The one aspect that truly connects the dwellings, however, also sets them apart: their different arrangements of classic retro and contemporary furniture, each piece of which has been handpicked by the maestro of tight clothes himself. In the third floor's living area, for example, a squishy sectional sofa, designed by Ueli Berger in 1972, is crowned by a spiky Serge Mouille wall light and flanked by a 1952 Harry Bertoia Bird lounge chair and ottoman. Downstairs on the second floor, an acid-yellow Marc Newson kitchen and the red molded fascia of a Raymond Lowey sideboard interrupt a general theme of soft whiteness. Though Brunel insists the apartments are "places in which things must be touched, places made for living," some may feel inhibited by what seems like a Who's Who of 20th century design. But don't be. The point of 3 Rooms is to get beyond merely dropping designers' names by occupying their imaginations. 5 Rue de Moussy; tel: (33-1) 44 78 92 00; info@3rooms5ruedemoussy.com

• KATE JOHNSON
• Guests are surrounded by style icons in this Paris hotel