Hôtel du Palais

Napoleon III built this as a seaside villa for his wife, Empress Eugénie, in 1854. She loved the Atlantic coast and wanted a summer palace to rival anything on the Mediterranean. The building became a hotel in 1893 and has been the grande dame of Biarritz ever since — perched on the cliffs above the Grande Plage, it is as much a part of the Basque coastline as the waves crashing below it. A comprehensive restoration in 2021 by Hyatt brought the interiors up to contemporary standards while preserving the imperial proportions. 152 rooms, an outdoor pool overlooking the Atlantic, and a spa that draws on the Basque tradition of thalassotherapy.