A few streets back from Biarritz's famous surf beaches.
The walk to Biarritz's Grande Plage or the Côte des Basques runs anywhere from about five to seven minutes depending on the route, through the lively Halles market district. This is proper Atlantic water — cooler and more open than the Mediterranean coves elsewhere on this list, with real surf on many days. The hotel itself occupies one of Biarritz's oldest buildings, once home to a finance minister under Louis XV.