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Hôtel La Réserve

La Réserve, 1 Avenue Gaëtan de Bernoville, 64500 Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France

Prestige Hotel

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5 PHOTOS

Location Saint-Jean-de-Luz

Budget (€)

Per night without breakfast

200

Gault&Millau's review 2026

Prestige Hotel

In Saint-Jean-de-Luz, this former motel overlooking the Atlantic has had several incarnations before finding its true purpose. Opened in 2009 and completely renovated in 2017, the establishment owes its current success to one man: Bastien Soumoulou. This thirty-something chef, who trained at Michel Guérard’s Les Prés d’Eugénie, is now at the helm of Ilura, a restaurant that stands out for its ability to blend generosity and refinement without ever sacrificing one for the other—seasonal, healthy cuisine deeply rooted in the Basque and Landes regions. Prioritizing short supply chains—from local market gardens to farm-fresh produce and fresh catches—the chef and his team master the art of pairing ingredients with a precision that is as surprising as it is compelling. This is evident in the Landes foie gras with nori seaweed and its black garlic-mushroom condiment, the Pyrenean lamb with honey-glazed turnips, or the roasted sea bass with cockles and almond milk, not to mention the fine cheeses aged by Beñat Moity. Under the banner of Basque red, the hotel’s 41 rooms face the ocean. The estate, a member of Teritoria, spans a 3-hectare park that includes a residence with 44 apartments, two infinity pools, and a tennis court. The complex is located just a stone’s throw from the legendary Chantaco golf course and only a fifteen-minute walk from downtown.