nfmungard:
* Premier Inn Liverpool -> Albert Docks
Not a chain normally associated with something "special" but I will keep it in mind for future visits.
In a similar vain there is an
Ibis Styles in le Havre which is decorated like an
original 50's Perret influenced flat. Probably a good way to stay in the city and get a feel for the OUV, though my standards could be low as my previous accommodation in the city was sleeping on the window sill of the ferry terminal.
Just to add to the list (and certainly to the notable hotels connection) is the
Gran Hotel in Mexico City, a highlight of the area around the Zocalo, worth popping in to see the stained glass ceiling.
And across the city one that certainly doesn't count, but is complimentary is the
Camino Real Polanco, which perhaps best shows the influence of Luis Barragan on Mexican architecture and design.