Our first time to this part of South West France and we are impressed with Biarritz and the Bay of Biscay. Clearly Biarritz is a city to be enjoyed in the summer, but this area of Basque country attracts visitors year round. One of the benefits of off season travel is the selection of hotels to be had. We stayed at the five star Sofitel Miramar Hotel in Biarritz in January and were delighted with its location and the weather.
From our superior ocean view king room we could see the Cordouan lighthouse and hear the waves crash against the Roche Percée in the Bay of Biscay. That’s not a completely true statement. We could hear the waves in the bay from our balcony, but we actually had to get out of bed and walk the paved trail to reach the lighthouse, beach and harbor. There are so many things to see and do in Biarritz that you won’t stay in your luxury hotel room for long, but you could.
With 109 guestrooms and 17 suites in the hotel, 70 of them with family-friendly connecting rooms, you could spend the day lounging about the hotel, dining in Le B restaurant, or relaxing in the Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa sea & spa. Our spacious room included a terrace with lounge chairs, overlooking the outdoor seawater pool and the Atlantic Ocean, beyond. The bathroom included a tub with luxurious Herme Eau d’orange verte shampoo and conditioner. Of course, the room included a set of robes and slippers if we wanted to slip on down to the spa.
For those of you that like to sleep late, or go to bed earlier than your suite mate, the hotel room features a wooden sliding door that separates the bathroom from the bedroom; brilliant! One of my favorite features was Sofitel’s signature MyBed experience. Each night, turn down service included chocolates and a calming tea blend for sending you off to dream land.
We enjoyed dinner as guests of Le B restaurant. The bar offers a menu of various homemade cocktails with local products and liquors as well as a snack menu. The “Happy Hour” is named “Apero Chic” and offers pre-dinner drinks such as Champagne or a signature cocktail accompanied by a ribbon of a unique Kaviari caviar, center-cut salmon, or authentic Manex Basque ham. It costs €35 per person. In keeping with healthy dining options, low calorie cocktails are also available.
“B” Côté Dîner offers a healthy dining menu, but I opted for beef cheeks with carrots and polenta and the Basque sheep’s cheese plate of Ossau Iraty, Blue cheese, Ardi Gasna and Tommme De chevre.
Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa sea & spa
Sofitel offers to all its guests staying at the hotel free access to the Fitness and Wellness area: outdoor and indoor heated seawater pools, relaxation lagoon, hammam, sauna, and fitness room. The hotel also has direct access to a thalassotherapy institute, spa and hair salon for an additional fee.
I was fortunate to experience several treatments at Thalassa Sea & Spa. The Vichy Shower Exfoliating treatment with marine salts was relaxing, but the watermass slimming treatment was out of my comfort zone. I really enjoyed the seawater cocoon on a floating bed, with a head and face massage and would book that treatment again in a heartbeat. I’ve never experienced anything like that in any of the spas in the US, Canada or Mexico. My final treatment, the Cryoskin cryotherapy treatment, was designed to tighten pores, increase collagen production and help stave off aging of the skin. My husband said that my skin looked younger, but again, this treatment was a little extreme for me. I did like the fact that all of the treatments, save the facial, utilized the sea water during some part of the process. The Thalassa Spa projected a calm and healing place.
Need to know:
Prices range from $236.08 (Classic Room, low season) to $2,360.78 (Prestige Suite, high season) City tax per person and per night: €2.50. As always, check the website for current rates and pricing.
There is indoor parking (valet will park car in covered parking garage: €30 per day, per car) and outdoor parking (valet will park the car in the streets nearby the hotel: €20 per day, per car)
Depending on the package, breakfast may be included in the hotel stay. Buffet breakfast costs €29 per person, per day; breakfast is free for children up to 12 years old.
Animals are welcome at the hotel with a fee: €20 per animal and per day. Obviously, pets are not allowed at the thalassotherapy center or in restaurants, but with someone trying to bring their peacock on a United Airlines flight, I thought it worth mentioning.
Free Wifi Access
Check-in: 4:00 pm
Check-out: 12:00 pm
Insider Tips:
While the hotel offers parking for a fee, parking is sometimes available on the residential streets above the hotel. Headed into town? Catch the complimentary bus that drives into the city and leave parking hassles to others.
Checking in or out early? Store your luggage and head to the spa area for free – as a guest of the hotel.
Free kids club for children ages 3-12 coinciding with French school holidays, not including summer. For additional insider tips follow travel writer @Nancydbrown on Instagram or Twitter @Nancydbrown and @SofitelBiarritz on Twitter and Thalassa sea & spa on Instagram.
If You Go:
Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa sea & spa Hotel +33 5 59 41 30 00
13 Rue Louison Bobet,
64200 Biarritz, France
Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa hotel review and all photography by travel writer Nancy D. Brown. As is typical in the industry, I received a complimentary media stay, however, all opinions are my own. To learn more about the New Aquitaine region in France click here.