Big news from France. Le Figaro reports that the Hotel du Palais, the legendary landmark in Biarritz, will be managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. The city of Biarritz, which owns the hotel, spoke with “a dozen” major hotel groups before choosing Four Seasons, and a management agreement is expected to be signed by the end of 2016.
The Toronto-based hospitality company currently operates 96 hotels in 41 countries, and exciting new debuts have included the Four Seasons Bogota and the Four Seasons Casablanca. There’s also been lots of buzz about the upcoming Four Seasons resort development on the jetset island of Hvar in Croatia.
First built in 1855 by Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) before she sold it to the city in 1880, the Hotel du Palais has a reputation as the best hotel on the Atlantic coast of France’s Basque country. This grande dame was awarded the prestigious “palace” hotel label in 2011.