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0:00:20 > 0:00:24- This week, we visit - Du Petit Moulin in Paris...
0:00:24 > 0:00:28- ..an amazing hotel - designed by Christian Lacroix.
0:00:28 > 0:00:34- We'll also discover a boutique hotel - in Laugharne called Hurst House.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37- First, the amazing - La Residence in South Africa.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39- Welcome to 04Wal.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48- La Residence stands among - the mountains and vineyards...
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- ..just outside the village - of Franschhoek, near Cape Town.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56- Liz and Phil Biden are the owners...
0:00:56 > 0:01:00- ..and the hotel was built - by Michael Dall Architects.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04- This sight greets you - when you reach La Residence.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- You also hear water babbling - in the water feature.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14- There's no sound like it - to oblige you to relax!
0:01:15 > 0:01:20- The building is relatively modern - and it has a red, terracotta finish.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24- It goes wonderfully well with - the greenery which surrounds it.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29- This is known as Cape Dutch style.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- It complements - the buildings in this valley...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37- ..built by the - early Dutch and French settlers.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53- Oh, heavens above!
0:01:55 > 0:01:59- I often use the word contrast - but this redefines it!
0:02:01 > 0:02:06- Nothing on the exterior prepares you - for the splendour of the interior.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11- The mirrors are gilded, - and there are statues everywhere.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14- They have the confidence...
0:02:14 > 0:02:18- ..to combine exposed beams - with chandeliers...
0:02:18 > 0:02:20- ..and acres - of black and white marble.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- This round table - echoes the shape of the chandelier.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28- It breaks up the space - between the door...
0:02:28 > 0:02:32- ..and the door leading to the pool - and the panorama over the vineyards.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59- What are - your first impressions, Leah?
0:03:00 > 0:03:03- There's a dreamy, romantic feeling - to this hotel.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08- The interior design - forms a very romantic composition.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13- The hall has been divided in two.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- One side is feminine and romantic, - with Persian rugs.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- The other side has - a black and white marble floor...
0:03:23 > 0:03:25- ..and bulkier, red furniture.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27- It's quite regal.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32- Are there any features in the hall - which capture your imagination?
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- The huge chandeliers - command your attention.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- There are four, five or six of them - and they're wonderful.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- They are handmade, - and the detail is incredible.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50- Is the large chandelier in the hall - too big for the space?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53- A good design works...
0:03:53 > 0:03:57- ..when you play around - with objects of different sizes.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02- The fact it is so huge - makes the place feel so magnificent.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33- We step out of the main body of the - hotel through one of several doors.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38- It's sometimes hard to tell whether - you're in or out of the building.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42- We're outside at the moment, - as we come down the marble steps.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47- The ceiling here is smooth, - unlike the ceiling in the hall.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51- This creates a tunnel - which attracts the breeze.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- Moving from one area to another - can be very taxing...
0:04:57 > 0:05:02- ..so you can lie on one of the beds - dotted around here to have 40 winks!
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- No matter where you sit or lie down, - the view is breathtaking.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- There's a more contemporary feel - to this room.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55- Yes, it's a complete change.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- There's energy and life - in this room.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- The colours they've used - inject fun into the room.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- The lime and the hot pink - compete with each other.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- The chaise longue - is also very eye-catching.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- There's a lot of life here.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17- You wouldn't do that, as a designer.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- You wouldn't do that, as a designer.- - I'd attempt it, but it rarely works.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- It can become overbearing.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28- They've used different shades - of lime against the plaster walls.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- It works because it's really light.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- When I see some things, - I want to slap someone!
0:06:36 > 0:06:40- There are two different shades of - pink next to the green over there!
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Yes, there's real confidence here.
0:06:43 > 0:06:48- It's both camp and glam. - There are no half measures here!
0:06:49 > 0:06:52- Has the design brief - been stretched here?
0:06:52 > 0:06:56- I feel there's a theme - running through the whole hotel.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01- There's real quality here. - Everything is chosen for a reason.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06- The outstanding thing in this room - is the combination of textures.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12- The feather edge on the blanket - and the colourful silk...
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- ..reminds me of confectionary.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17- It looks good enough to eat!
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- The colours are softer - in the rest of the hotel.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- This is the Maharani suite.
0:07:59 > 0:08:05- That name refers to India, and - most of the furniture is Indian.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10- But it feels as though someone from - India spent some time in China...
0:08:10 > 0:08:12- ..before settling in France!
0:08:12 > 0:08:17- There are pieces of furniture - from all over the world here.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- These are the French pieces, - of course.
0:08:20 > 0:08:21- But they scream out at you.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- The yellow and the red - are very rich.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32- Step over here, and we'll see those - colours reflected in the furniture.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- You see them on both the sofa - and the bed.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39- The bed is like a throne and - it's raised on a marble staircase.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41- It's a very regal touch.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46- The headboard is created from an - 18th-century piece of embroidery.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- It's a lovely combination.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25- What struck me when we arrived - was the absence of a reception area.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32- It made me feel as though I was - being invited into someone's home.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38- Yes, and the collection of personal - objects in the hotel adds to that.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43- The owner could have travelled the - world and amassed this collection.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49- The furniture looks as though - it's always been there.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55- Yes, as though it wasn't designed - but happened naturally, over time.
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0:10:57 > 0:11:01- This building was erected - in the early 17th century.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02- This part was a bakery...
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- ..and next door was a cafe - with bedrooms above it.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12- Six years ago, the bakery closed - and the businesses were united...
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- ..to create Hotel Du Petit Moulin.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- We're here for a very good reason.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- We enter Petit Moulin - through the old boulangerie...
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- ..or bakery to you and me.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35- The interior hasn't been changed - since it closed six years ago.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- The ceiling has been painted...
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- ..and rustic scenes - are painted on the panels.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- The counter - is in the same place as it was...
0:11:46 > 0:11:50- ..when Victor Hugo, author - of The Hunchback of Notre Dame...
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- ..bought his croissants here, - years ago.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- The history is only half the story.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- What makes this hotel different...
0:11:59 > 0:12:03- ..is that it was designed - by a famous French clothes designer.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- His name is Christian Lacroix.
0:12:05 > 0:12:11- Each one of the 17 bedrooms includes - individual and unique creations.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44- Down here, in the bar, there is - a collection of furniture...
0:12:44 > 0:12:46- ..you wouldn't expect to see.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50- These tables and chairs - came from an old French cafe.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55- There's a colourful collection - of 1960s and 1970s chairs here.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57- The wooden bar has a metal top...
0:12:59 > 0:13:03- ..and the back wall is reminiscent - of a 1930s Mondrian painting.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- You wouldn't expect to see - these elements in one room.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12- This Christian Lacroix collage - is the palette.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17- This gives permission to include - such disparate elements in one room.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46- The public areas downstairs - give a hint of the Lacroix style...
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- ..but only here - do we see his work on the wall.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53- Yes, you'd imagine - these came from his sketchbook.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58- As you walk through the hotel, you - get the feeling his confidence grew.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00- There's freedom in his work.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06- He's famous for mixing convention - and your understanding of fabric.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07- He's very witty.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13- You'd expect to see curtains - on the window but you have a poster!
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- You'd expect to see flowers - in a vase...
0:14:17 > 0:14:19- ..but here - you get a print on the wall.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- The bathroom - is more seductive than the bedroom.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- He plays on what you expect to see.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30- Does the fact that - Lacroix is a fashion designer...
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- ..make his interior design - more relevant?
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- People want to stay - in boutique hotels.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- As Lacroix is a couture designer...
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- ..this truly has the feel - of a boutique hotel.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49- There's great attention to detail, - and he dresses the rooms.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- He applied his designer's eye to it.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- As a designer, - what inspired you today?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- I love the insight it gives us - into Lacroix's work.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28- We see what inspires this man - who lives locally.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33- The owner tells me that - Lacroix was passing on his bike...
0:15:33 > 0:15:38- ..and when he realized they were - turning the bakery into a hotel...
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- ..he instantly decided he wanted - to be a part of the process.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46- He persuaded the owners - to let him design it.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- I doubt they needed much persuading!
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- I hear Lacroix - is a frustrated set designer!
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- Yes, and this hotel - is a dramatic experience.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02- Lacroix combined fashion and theatre - to create this wonderful hotel.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06- Yes, and he did so - in a most enthusiastic way.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- Finally, we visit Hurst House - in Laugharne, west Wales.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02- The old farmhouse was converted into - a hotel by Juliet de Valero Wills...
0:17:03 > 0:17:05- ..and the owner, Matthew Roberts.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13- When you walk up the path - to the front of the hotel...
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- ..you see the old farmhouse - has a Georgian symmetry.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22- It makes you think you know - what to expect to find inside it.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27- That disappears as soon as you step - inside and see this big, open space!
0:17:27 > 0:17:31- Nothing prepares you for the style - you see behind the front door.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- There are elements - of the traditional farmhouse here...
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- ..such as the fireplace - and the exposed stonework.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45- An eclectic collection of items has - been put together very tastefully.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- There would have been plaster on - the walls when this house was built.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53- The exposed stonework adds interest.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58- Yes, and modern pieces like the - pouffe echo the colours in the wall.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- It ties the design together - and it's very unusual.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07- One thing which struck me - when I opened the front door...
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- ..was the fact - I was facing two closed doors.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15- I'm not convinced that's the welcome - you need when you step inside!
0:18:16 > 0:18:21- They've used the playful technique - of setting doors within walls.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24- These are witty decorative touches.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42- We step out of the main building - past and through several doorways.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- This iron clock - looks as though it's melting.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- It's like a Salvador Dali painting.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54- Past the small dining area here - and we enter the new extension...
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- ..which includes this wonderful bar.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- These green and brown panels - are lit from the inside.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06- Those colours are replicated - in the 1950s-style chairs.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- Behind these colourful bottles...
0:19:10 > 0:19:15- ..are glass panels telling the story - of a local boy called Dylan Thomas.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- Over there is an area where - you can relax by the fire.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- There's an outdoor relaxation area - through those doors.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- You get the feeling that - this place was made for relaxation!
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- This is Room 104, in the roof.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14- There are stunning views of land - and sea to be seen from the windows.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19- This room is exceptionally red!
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- They've certainly - opted for colour here!
0:20:23 > 0:20:28- It's really dark, - compared to the rest of the hotel.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33- You're at the top of the building - and you can see the roof structure.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36- Plastic chandeliers - hang from the beams...
0:20:36 > 0:20:41- ..giving it a more contemporary feel - than some of the other rooms here.
0:20:44 > 0:20:45- Do you think it works?
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- It's certainly seductive - and very sexy.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- You climb up a dedicated staircase - to reach this room.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- It has a huge impact on you, - that's for certain.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00- It certainly works for me.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04- I'd be happy to stay in a room - like this with a comfy sofa...
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- ..in front of - a fantastic television!
0:21:08 > 0:21:10- Yes, not to mention the bed!
0:21:10 > 0:21:15- You can have the bed, as long as - I get the television and the zapper!
0:21:36 > 0:21:41- These huge, Moroccan doors - open onto this magnificent space.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43- It's a glorious dining room.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46- Yes, - there's a different ambience here.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48- It's a classic layout.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- This walkway splits the space - in this long room.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58- Looking at the rather rough finish - of some of the timber in here...
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- ..it could almost be a shed!
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- It's very honest and open.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- The bolts and the structure - are there for all to see.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- It also has bare light bulbs.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- It's very raw - and that works with the stone...
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- ..but the furniture - gives it a classic touch.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- That frame looks as though - it's framing absolutely nothing!
0:22:25 > 0:22:27- I can appreciate its beauty, - of course.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- It's not like you to be negative!
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- It's not like you to be negative!- - I'm trying not to be.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37- It looks like someone ripped out - a doorway from someone's home...
0:22:38 > 0:22:42- ..but it ties in with - the Moroccan doors we saw earlier.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- Seeing it hanging up there - brings a smile to your face.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- It's captivating.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- What's your favourite thing - about this place?
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- The equilibrium - between the elements.
0:23:12 > 0:23:18- A great collection of furniture - is teamed with arts and crafts.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- It feels like you're - in a gentleman's drawing room...
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- ..with some shabby chic, - feminine elements.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27- I adore its playfulness.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- I like the fact - you can see it from a distance.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- It's a sanctuary - on the coastal marshes.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- You enter the hotel - prepared to see a formal house.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44- That's not the case - and it's a pleasant shock.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones