Hôtel du Palais

Biarritz

As a city with a wild untamed character, with waves crashing onto the shore, with its sometimes inclement weather and the unpredictable nature of the ocean, Biarritz was not originally destined to become the highly popular sea resort city it is today. Once a modest fishing port where even whalers would come to try their luck, Biarritz did not come into its own until the late 19^th century.

As early as 1843 however, Victor Hugo alerted his readers to the possible invasion of tourists to this charming and still preserved site. His prediction began to come true about a decade later when Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Eugénie decided to make it their vacation home. The international aristocracy immediately followed, and Biarritz became a Mecca for elegant parties, balls and celebrations of all kinds.

The splendor of this era can still be seen in the Casino and the Ocean Museum, two magnificent buildings which bear witness to the French Belle Epoque of the 19^th century that forged the reputation of Biarritz. Recognized today as an excellent surfing spot, the city has nevertheless preserved its classic charm largely thanks to a legendary hotel whose reputation has remained intact throughout the city’s different eras.

The Villa Eugénie

The Hotel du Palais is a luxury establishment built in 1854 by Napoleon III for his wife, Eugénie de Montijo. This former palatial mansion with its Second Empire imperial style overlooks the lighthouse and the beach known as the Grand Plage offering guests a spectacular uninterrupted view. The hotel’s facades and its roofs are classified as historic monuments. Whether it’s the period décor or the services provided, the total refinement of the Palais makes it one of the world’s most beautiful hotels. This veritable historic palace is the epitome of one’s notion of a Grand Hotel by the nature of its superb location, its rich colors and by the aristocrats and other world travellers who come together here to exchange ideas often giving birth to storybook adventures.

As a jewel in the crown of the French luxury hotel industry, the Hotel du Palais is a unique venue where history is not only present in old, dusty books. The past here can be relived in every room and every area thanks to an impassioned staff totally dedicated and enamored by the site. It is through this passion that the term “classic” can be employed without any sense of being old fashioned or dated. The atmosphere has remained the same since it opened, and the service with a smile, the quality of each gesture or detail has never represented anything but the height of excellence.

From the choice of fabrics for the curtains to the table settings, nothing has been left to chance; everything is exceptional and perfect. Although the hotel could easily be a museum, the rooms are far from silent and stuffy. Guests discover the Palais from day to day, totally immersed in the vitality of an establishment which defies its age. Its unique location makes it a living, cheerful and charming palace.

The hotel’s three restaurants are directed by the award winning chef, Jean-Marie Gautier who proposes a generous classical French cuisine in harmony with the hotel’s art for receiving visitors. And, as a symbol of the Palais’ attention to contemporary concepts, there is a magnificent 3,000 square meter spa.

For a long time now, The Palais has been a venue for sumptuous celebrations frequented by the most illustrious names in politics, art and show business. The same is true today. Always anchored in its era, the Hotel du Palais is a monument to celebrating a very special joie de vivre, a spirit which has and will continue to reign over this magical site.

Among the most illustrious guests to have stayed at the Hotel du Palais are Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Sacha Guitry, Charlie Chaplin, Jean Cocteau, Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Jayne Mansfield, Coco Chanel…