An affiliate of Hyatt Hotels Corporation has entered into a management agreement with Socomix for the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, France. The repurposed historic palace will be the third property in France to join The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, alongside the Hôtel du Louvre in Paris and the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes.
The 142-room hotel is the sixth property in the collection in Europe and London's Great Scotland Yard Hotel and Budapest's Parisi Udvar Hotel are expected to join the brand by year's end 2019.
Originally the "Villa Eugénie," the structure was built in 1855 by Napoléon III for his wife Eugénie de Montijo. The hotel will be fully renovated by several design companies, including Atelier COS, with a view to honoring the hotel’s heritage. A partial reopening is set to take place between July and October 2019, and final renovations are scheduled to be complete for a full reopening in June 2020. New features will include renovated guestrooms, two revitalized signature restaurants, a new lounge and bar, as well as restored public areas.
“Hôtel du Palais provides Hyatt with a unique opportunity to take on a property steeped in rich national history, significantly strengthening our European resort offering for Hyatt overall and The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in particular,” said Guido Fredrich, regional VP of development Europe, in a statement. “We have seen some significant additions to the brand throughout the course of this year and our priority remains expanding its footprint in a meaningful way. Hôtel du Palais, with its exclusive location, elegant design and unique story, is a perfect fit for The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand.”
There are currently eight other Hyatt properties open in France, including the new Hyatt Centric La Rosière, Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, Hyatt Paris Madeleine, Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Méditerranée, Hyatt Regency Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile and Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme. Hotel du Louvre is currently under renovation and Hyatt Regency Chantilly is scheduled to open in late 2018. Three additional hotels are expected to open within Hyatt’s select-service portfolio in the coming years: Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Charles De Gaulle Airport and Hyatt Place Rouen.