Hôtel Parc Victoria

This stately gingerbread Victorian (Napoleon III if you're French) home sits in a manicured garden in a lovely residential suburb of the picturesque seaside town of Saint Jean de Luz. Roger Larralde purchased the home and converted it into a jewel of a hotel and extends a very gracious and warm welcome. The entrance hall with its displays of 1930s glassware leads to the spacious living room graced by delicate Victorian furniture. Here guests help themselves to drinks from the honor bar and contemplate the menu offered by the restaurant found just across the garden. Surrounded by lush landscape, windows in the restaurant afford tables a wonderful sense of being outdoors-on summer days and nights meals can actually be enjoyed at tables on the pool terrace. Don't miss the romantic little pavilion, game room (termed Pavillon des Chats because of the whimsical collection. The bedrooms are all decorated with beautiful antiques, many from the art deco period, and complemented by lovely fabrics and immaculate marble bathrooms. If you are looking for a romantic hideaway, ask for one of the six luxurious cottage suites on the grounds. From the front gate it is just a five-minute walk to the beach and a twenty-minute stroll into town-a tremendous advantage in summer when the narrow streets are clogged with cars.