Hôtel du Palais: an imperial temple of luxury and wellbeing
Hôtel du Palais: an imperial temple of luxury and wellbeing
Since the nineteenth century, Biarritz has been considered a spa town. Its pleasant climate and wild beaches have traditionally attracted the crème de la crème of European society, who found peace and wellbeing in this city of the French Basque Country. Napoleon III and Eugénie de Montijo were the main drivers of the popularity of Biarritz, as they built a summer residence here that hosted large celebrations attended by important members of the aristocracy and royalty. Some time later, that palace became one of the most important luxury hotels in the world: Hôtel du Palais.
Recently renovated and currently managed by The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, this five-star establishment welcomes celebrities, politicians, and artists from all over the world in its rooms, where personalities like King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the Dukes of Windsor, and the Spanish Monarchs Isabella II, Alfonso XIII, and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg once stayed. The 86 rooms and 56 suites were renovated preserving historical details such as the ceiling woodwork, the gold leaf from the Napoleonic era, and the tapestries. In addition to the building’s historical importance, current guests continue to come to the Hôtel du Palais seeking wellbeing and tranquility. To that end, the Imperial Club and the Imperial Spa are especially important.
Imperial Club is a charming space dominated by a kidney-shaped swimming pool that was inaugurated by Frank Sinatra in 1957, being decorated with landscaped gardens and panoramic views of the sea. Surrounding the pool are the famous cabanas which can be rented by the day or by the season.
The Imperial Spa, on the other hand, measures 2,500 m2 and features an indoor freshwater pool with a counter-current swimming system, swan neck jets, a jacuzzi, a solarium, a sauna, a hammam, a gym, a Leonor Greyl haircare salon, and nine treatment rooms managed in collaboration with the Guerlain Institute (remember that, in order to celebrate the marriage between Napoleon III and Eugénie de Montijo, the emperor commissioned the perfumer Guerlain to design an exclusive fragrance for her).
At the Imperial Spa, customers can enjoy one-off treatments (foot reflexology, osteopathy therapies, four-hand massages, lymphatic drainage, anti-aging treatments, makeup, etc.), half-day passes (which combine a massage with access to the spa facilities), day passes (which include a facial and body treatment, exfoliation, mask, meal, yoga class, and access to the spa and the Imperial Club), three-day retreat packages (Surf Camp Experience, Balance & Serenity, Biarritz Energy & Vitality), as well as longer-term memberships aimed at the local community.
At this palace, the treatments, activities, and care have been refined over time. Nevertheless, just like the fragrance by Guerlain that continues to work its magic on the current guests, the essence of this place is the same as during the Second Empire: the search for wellbeing.
Hôtel du Palais
Part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
1, Avenue de l’Impératrice, Biarritz.
Tel.: +33 559 411 234
