Enjoy a chic stay at Hotel Regina Experimental – overlooking the Bay of Biarritz
Biarritz is really a top destination, especially if you like old chic with a surf vibe holds. Exists! Ideal if you are a couple, for example, where one half prefers to be in the water every day to surf, and the other half likes to shop in (designer) boutiques. Or with kids: surf camps plenty and mom and dad will also get their money's worth as Biarritz has so many really good restaurants. And all of that within less than 100 meters of each other. We love it and have been coming here for years. The seaside resort (the Saint-Tropez of the French west coast, so to speak) is located in the southernmost point of France on the Atlantic coast, near the Spanish border (less than an hour's drive from San Sebastian, talk about gourmets). This time we slept in the Hotel Regina Experimental. A majestic white villa overlooking the Bay of Biarritz, from the French folks behind the creative Experimental hospitality group (read: always a good idea).
We had a family room overlooking the pool, but there are also rooms with a sea view so that the surfers can keep a close eye on the waves - be sure to ask for it when booking. A plus of course, but looking inside, your room is, is also a party: it is beautiful in all shades of (sea) blue combined with the best prints (hello striped sofas and chairs, scales on the carpet and beautiful marble in the bathroom)
Expensive? Yes. But nice things cost money. What we always do is combine cheap with expensive. So an apartment for a few days and then another night in the category Hotel Regina Experimental to finish. Do you want something other than a hotel? Via Booking.com you can choose from a wide range of unique accommodations, such as cozy apartments, holiday homes with a view and rustic forest cabins, in addition to Bed & Breakfasts and more!
The hotel itself is a huge oval hall with a stained glass ceiling. The 3-storey space is surrounded by white balustrades where the rooms adjoin. You can’t help but think that some really wild parties must have been held here in the last 100 years. Like in the film ‘The Great Gatsby’ – that classic with Leonardo di Caprio. You can just imagine the dancing on every floor, looking out at the crowd below…
It is nice to mention that kids are very welcome - ergo the family room. No special facilities for the little people, but they are certainly welcome, so don't be put off by the beautiful chic and stateliness that the hotel exudes!
After the top breakfast at Le Frenchie (highly recommended even if you are not staying at the hotel), you can walk into town via Le Grande Plage in ten minutes. Nice, along the sea. In the morning, you can feast your eyes on fresh fish, cheese and sausage at the covered market Les Halles Biarritz. Then for the little ones an outing to the Aquarium de Biarritz (with a view of the sea from the seals). Quickly have a beer at the slightly rough Irish bar LeNewquay. And finally, a great dinner at Chez Albert. And then you come home to the Lé Regina hotel with a feeling of well-being and step into your neatly made bed.
The Best of Biarritz – where to eat and drink in the French coastal town
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