A chess theme executed with sophistication.

Once mere apprentices to legendary designers Philippe Starck and Christian Liaigre, Patrick Gilles and Dorothee Boissier have since stepped out into the limelight, racking up commissions from prestigious brands like Moncler, Mandarin Oriental, and the Four Seasons. At the Chess Hotel, it’s easy to see why the duo is in high demand. In the wrong hands, themed design can take a very wrong turn toward kitschy, but the chess concept here is executed with sophistication. White-and-black checkerboard floors outfit the sleek lobby, where street artist Victor Ash’s graphic owl mural, eyes fixated and fierce, is the room’s unwavering focal point. Upstairs, the lobby’s moody color scheme gives way to warmer tones of beige and teal. Like their mentors, the designers create custom furniture pieces, seen here with the minimal four-poster beds, straight-edged, Carrera marble-topped bedstands, and upholstered wooden chairs. Such well-appointed rooms can be hard to leave, especially when the windows open onto panoramic views of Parisian neoclassical facades. Reasons to investigate the robust room service menu, which includes everything from games (chess, of course, among others) and cocktails from the downstairs bar to Iberian-influenced snacks courtesy of local outfit da rosa and French cream puffs from Paris-based confectionary Popelini. In a hotel inspired by the thinking man’s game, thoughtful details make all the difference.