Biarritz

Biarritz has spent more than a century reinventing what a seaside resort can be. Once a small Basque fishing town, it became one of Europe’s most fashionable escapes after Empress Eugénie and Napoleon III made it their summer retreat in the 19th century. Belle Époque villas, Art Deco buildings and grand hotels still overlook the Atlantic, but Biarritz later acquired an altogether different identity when surfing arrived on its beaches in the 1950s. Today, aristocratic architecture, Basque culture and laid-back surf style coexist remarkably well, with contemporary design adding another layer without polishing away the town’s eccentricity.

Food and drink connect Biarritz to both the Atlantic and the wider French Basque Country. Exceptional fish and seafood meet Bayonne ham, Espelette pepper, sheep’s cheeses and gâteau basque, while nearby farms and fishing ports keep produce close to the table. Traditional Basque restaurants and market stalls coexist with natural wine bars, creative neighbourhood kitchens and ambitious contemporary dining. Spain is only a short distance away, and the influence travels easily in both directions, making eating here feel somewhere between French coastal sophistication and the intensely social food culture of the Basque Country.

Biarritz’s most interesting hotels range from legendary seaside grande dames and extravagant historic villas to smaller design-led addresses and relaxed surf retreats. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, Atlantic landscape and Basque identity come together—hotels that capture what makes Biarritz so appealing: a little imperial glamour, a little salt in your hair and absolutely no need to choose between the two.