The Big Six: Hotels with colour

Semiramis, Athens

Ultra-modern high-gloss finishes, elegant furnishings and carefully co-ordinated colours are the hallmarks of Semiramis, a 52-room design hotel located in Kifissia, an upmarket suburb of Athens. Designer Karim Rashid keeps things tasteful throughout, and it's the detail that shines through – from the bold, bright bathrooms to the swooping, tiled pool and the striking yellow balconies on the modern façade. Regular exhibitions of modern art complete an impressively colourful picture.

Semiramis, 48 Charilaou Trikoupi Street, Athens, Greece (00 30 210 628 4400; yeshotels.gr ). Doubles start at €185, including breakfast.

L'Hotel de Sers, Paris

From the formal classical façade, you wouldn't guess that the luxurious L'Hôtel de Sers hides a colourful secret. The 52 rooms in the newly renovated interior contrast white walls with rich, dark curtains and violet carpeting, but it is the public spaces that really impress – from the pinks and reds of the restaurant through to the S'Bar, where cream-coloured armchairs are set near a backlit bar that changes colour every few seconds.

L'Hotel de Sers, 41 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Paris, France (00 33 1 53 23 75 75; hoteldesers.com ). Doubles start at €359, room only.

Pantone Hotel, Brussels

The seven floors of this new hotel each deploy different colours from the Pantone Colour Matching system (which has long been used as a reference tool in the printing and design worlds). So the "Daring, Fiery" rooms correspond to Pantone 200C (scarlet red), while the hotel's "Fresh, Eager" accommodation uses Pantone 353C (spearmint green). Throughout, these blocks of colour contrast boldly with otherwise minimal, white interiors. Design fans take note: colour-matched mugs, stationery and bags are also available to buy.

Pantone Hotel, 1 Place Loix, Brussels, Belgium (00 32 2 541 48 98; pantonehotel.com ). Doubles from €89, including breakfast.

Seaside Palm Beach, Gran Canaria

From the outside, it's a beach resort from the 1970s. From the inside, it's a ... beach resort from the 1970s. But in a cool way. Architect Alberto Pinto has refurbished the Palm Beach with two-toned rooms, and swooshy patterns and bold stripes of colour everywhere else.

Avenida del Oasis, Maspalomas, Grand Canaria, Canary Islands (00 34 928 063 200; hotel-palm-beach.com ). Doubles start at €194, half board.

Color Hotel Bardolino, Italy

The Color Hotel uses something called "chromotherapy" throughout its 80 rooms to soothe its guests. The four azure pools – combined with the cooling waters of nearby Lake Garda – should also help wash away the blues.

Color Hotel, Via Santa Cristina 5, Bardolino, Verona, Italy (00 39 045 621 0857; colorhotel.it ). Doubles start at €128, including breakfast.

Hi Hotel, Nice

The light that lured the Impressionists south to Provence is used to great effect in this eye-catching property close to the city centre. The public spaces are awash with colour, while the rooftop pool is a picture-perfect high-altitude beach. Even the organic breakfast is a feast of vibrant colour.

Hi Hotel, 3 Avenue des Fleurs, Nice, Cote d'Azur, France (00 33 4 97 07 26 26; hi-hotel.net ). Doubles from €249, including breakfast.