52 Av. de l'Impératrice, 64200 Biarritz

July 2023

The Hotel Regina, located in Biarritz, on top of a cliff, is overlooking the Cap St Martin (Atlantic ocean) for almost 120 years.
Built as an hotel in 1906, by architect Henry Martinet has a full "Belle Epoque" architecture. Belle Epoque was our starting point, of course, with this 15 meters high atrium, large windows and sculpted indoor details. But we wanted to add some local inspirations from the same period : the Néo Basque architecture, especially the brothers Gomez work with the villa Malaye and by extension the Villa Leihorra (Joseph Hiriart) and the Villa Arnaga (Albert Tournaire) : All white architecture, half round shapes, sculpted fresco, grooved cornices, 45°angles, tile shaped genoise, half round mirrors, black iron ... and some stoneware Art déco tiles from Winckelmans. 

But also some elements typical from the Atlantic ocean : rope shaped moulding and skirting, striped fabrics, dark and light blue lacquers, ocean liner inspired architecture, pelota pediment shape for the bathroom vanity, fabrics hanging as sails...  and of course some shells ! As wall lights, razor shells sculpted on the reception desk, nautical fauna on carpet, fabrics and bas relief ...

We also wanted to pay a tribute to Japan and its close links with the basque country : with japanese straw, black lacquer, some indigo hanging fabrics and paper lamps. So a mix of inspirations, for a very luminous space punctuated by some dark green, dark red and blues together with stoneware, ceramic and natural tones such as straw and ropes.

The rooms are mainly white, blue and mint green with waved genoise, paneled doors, wardrobe covered in Japanese straw and ropes with huge bedhead lacquered in light blue. The corridors are open to the large atrium and covered with carpet with an aquatic fauna print. The spa is light blue, and warm green, with curved tiles, lime on wall ands straw wallcoverings. The restaurant and Atrium are inspired by some architectural elements from Eilen Gray from the late twenties : curved wood furniture, her barstools, a counter built as her house in Roquebrune Cap Martin, as a huge Ocean Liner.  In the atrium we have created multiple small living rooms, with suspended paper lamps from Ingo Maurer and Anthony Dickens and some sofas inspired by the shape of the ones of Itsasoan bridge in Guétary. 

Client : Experimental Group

Interior Architecture + Design : Dorothee Meilichzon

Graphic Design : Studio L’Etiquette

Chef : Gregory Marchand (Frenchie)

Photos : Patrick Locqueneux