Regina Biarritz Experimental: an under-the-radar European escape

Biarritz, the sleepy seaside town on France’s southwestern coast, is currently enjoying somewhat of a comeback — and it’s all thanks to Regina Experimental.

Despite its timeworn facades, this corner of the French Basque Country, which enjoyed its champagne-swigging heyday in the 1800s, still retains plenty of slow-paced charm — and keen surfers and seaside sojourners alike have been flocking back to its shores since Regina Experimental gently reopened its doors last summer.

Easily the town’s crowning jewel, this palatial pad perched along the coastline (just opposite Biarritz’s iconic lighthouse), has been entirely rehauled and renovated by fun-loving French brand Experimental Group. With its grandiose staircase and quadruple-height atrium, the Belle Époque building still oozes old-school glamour, but has been given a new lease of life by designer Dorothée Meilichzon, with bold dashes of colour, architectural shapes, and funked-up furnishings.

Where?

Regina Experimental sits on the crest of Biarritz, which is nestled within the Basque Country, straddling the cusp of France and Spain. It’s an easy stroll into town and to the beach, a ten-minute drive from Biarritz Airport, and just under an hour to foodie capital San Sebastian.

Style

Reinvigorated grand dame with oodles of French flair: think swooping curves around each corner and columned corridors, all framed around a soaring skylit atrium, which functions as an all-day bar, restaurant, and lounge. Rather than fusty interiors, expect Experimental Group’s signature style: playful prints, patterned textures, and a kaleidoscopic colour palette that Wes Anderson himself would be proud of.

Facilities

Rejuvenating Susanne Kaufmann facials take centre stage at the subterranean spa, along with pampering body scrubs, hot stone massages, and lymphatic drainage rituals that will leave you feeling entirely reborn — there’s also has a gym and marble-clad hammam for steaming off. The sizable outdoor pool is heated year-round, and surrounded by chic sunbeds to spread-eagle yourself by — and if you’ve forgotten your swimwear, the hotel boutique is stocked with a selection of local brands to browse.

Extracurricular

Walks along the beachfront promenade, and sunbathing at Biarritz’s Miramar Beach are the natural order of the day. The town has an impressively high concentration of artisan chocolatiers and patissiers, so make sure to sample one of the region’s famous macarons — and of course, an indulgent slice of Gateau Basque — before heading over to San Sebastian to line your belly at one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants. Diving excursions, surfing lessons, and guided hikes along the coastline can all be arranged by the hotel — and keen golfers can take full advantage of the 18-hole Golf du Phare, which sits adjacent to Regina Experimental.

Food & drink

An all-day menu is served within the atrium, with salads, pastas, and charcuterie boards all on offer. Come evening, sink a tipple at the bar (where there’s live music every night) before heading over to Frenchie (a transplant from the very same restaurant in London and Paris), where you can feast on delicious three-course suppers utilising seasonal produce. A continental breakfast spread of local cheeses, freshly baked madeleines and flakey croissants is laid out in the atrium every morning.

Which room?

All of the 72 nautically-inspired rooms are perfectly comfortable for a weekend away, but opt for one of the ocean view suites on an upper floor for panoramic views over the dramatic coastline. In each, find curvaceous headboards in varying shades of blue, striped mint-coloured sofas, and plenty of nautical touches (rope framed mirrors, bathrooms clad in blue tiles, and tiller-shaped taps).

Best for...

Friends, couples, and solo travellers looking for a relaxed weekend by the sea.

Details

Nightly room rates start from £268. reginaexperimental.com