Hotel du Palais

France
Europe

The Experience

Perched on southwestern France’s coast and overlooking the azure Atlantic Ocean, this 19th-century palace was the former summer home of emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. Though devastated by fire in 1903, the red-brick-and-beige hotel has since been rebuilt as a crown jewel for mature, deep-pocketed heirs and heiresses (and Hollywood A-listers, whose autographed pics decorate the walls). They sun themselves on sandy beaches before comingling in the sunny, marble-dipped lobby decorated with busts and gilded furniture.

The Rooms

Much like the hotel’s public spaces, the rooms feature oodles of ornamentation, from moldings to heavily draped curtains to period furniture. The standard rooms start at a respectable 290 square feet, but more desirable are the 800-square-foot imperial suites, outfitted with Burmese teak, Italian-glass mosaics and bathrooms made of Carrara marble. Suite No. 506, situated inside a turret, overlooks both the Grand Plage beach and the local lighthouse.

The Service

The staff ceaselessly pampers, with pool attendants clad in crisp whites ferrying endless snacks and sips. However, French haughtiness sometimes peeks through, with easily irritated waiters and frowning housekeepers. But the accommodating concierge ensures smooth sailing—or surfing and horseback riding.

The Highlights

Should beachgoers tire of the crashing ocean (or surfing Europe’s finest waves), the concierge will gladly arrange a round of golf at one of 11 well-manicured courses. Should fore play work up a thirst, sample an Armagnac or cognac in the jazzy Le Bar Impérial, where musicians jam beneath gilded moldings. Follow that with dinner in La Villa Eugenie, where shimmering chandeliers illuminate rich dishes of sea bass swimming in white-wine cream; come summer, al fresco eatery L’Hippocampe provides striking ocean views. More wonderful than the food, though, is the sprawling spa: Spread out over five floors, it offers everything from counter-current indoor pools to a hair-care institute to tension-relieving masseuses.

 

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