4, Avenue Layats, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France | (888) 710-7049
Pleasant garden setting with green lawns and mountain views
A short drive from the Grande Plage and Place Louis-XIV
Appealing (heated) outdoor pool with sunbeds and umbrellas
Comfortable, contemporary rooms with LED TVs and free bottled water
Patio restaurant serving Basque cuisine
Inviting lobby bar and guest lounge
On-site fitness room and bocce pitch
Meeting spaces for up to 75 people
Free on-site parking and free Wi-Fi throughout
Northeast of the city center and away from the water
Not within walking distance of top attractions
No in-room AC, minibars or tea/coffeemakers
Decor throughout feels a bit unremarkable
Situated in a pleasant garden with sprawling lawns and views of the Pyrenees, this upper-middle-range hotel on the edge of Saint-Jean-de-Luz offers a resort-y atmosphere at affordable rates. But the commercial area around it can’t be called “quaint.” Moreover, the 63 contemporary-style guest rooms, though clean and comfortable, aren’t particularly well-equipped. Free Wi-Fi and LED TVs, for instance, are standard issue; air-conditioning, minibars, and tea/coffee-making facilities aren’t. But the on-site features stand out -- among them an inviting outdoor pool, a full-service restaurant with alfresco seating, and an adjacent bar, plus a small fitness room and bocce ball court. Visitors who are willing to forgo these amenities to be closer to the beach and tourist sights should consider Hotel La Marisa, a charming, three-pearl guest house in the city’s historic center.
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Scene
A scenic, resort-like spot with a cheery ambiance
Hotel Donibane’s large property -- complete with sprawling lawns, flower beds, vegetable patches, and Pyrenees views -- provides a bubble of tranquility in an otherwise conventional commercial neighborhood. A dining patio and pretty lounger-lined pool let guests maximize their fresh-air time; but even the interior common areas feel sunny and bright. The sky-lighted lobby, for example, features a cherry-red reception desk and walls adorned with colorful contemporary art, while the adjacent bar and small fitness room have glass doors that seem to bring the outside in. That said, there's nothing particularly memorable about the decor at the Donibane. Instead, the appeal is more in the hotel's features, its calm atmosphere, and its competitive rates.
Location
In a garden setting near the train station -- but far from the city center
Hotel Donibane sits northeast of the city center, in a commercial area that's close to the highway. Sightseers might get frustrated that there are no attractions in walking distance. However, Place Louis-XIV -- the historical center of Saint-Jean-de-Luz -- is only six minutes away by car. (You can reach it via a direct bus, too, if you don’t mind a few extra minutes of travel time.) The key tourist attractions are located within a short drive as is the sandy sweep of the aptly named Grande Plage. Better yet, when you’re in the mood for a day trip, popular Basque destinations like Anglet, Biarritz, Bayonne, and even San Sebastian in Spain can be accessed by car in 35-minutes or less. - Five-minute drive to the Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure Train Station
Rooms
Clean contemporary rooms outfitted with the bare essentials
Available in a variety of sizes -- from wee singles to family-friendly quadruples -- the 63 rooms here share a common decorating scheme. Red, gray, and black striped carpeting dominates, with complementary curtains and gray accent walls creating a unified look. The clean-lined furniture is kept to a minimum (aside from beds, each contains only nightstands, a small desk, and a chair). The same goes for the in-room amenities: LED TVs with satellite channels, free bottled water, and free Wi-Fi are found in all categories, but air-conditioning, minibars and tea/coffee-making equipment are noticeably absent. On the upside, the cute matching bathrooms boast rectangular vessel sinks and attractive glass-doored showers with tile details (the largest of the lot include a separate tub, too); towel warmers, basic toiletries, and hairdryers are also provided. Note that some second-floor options have low ceilings, and hence may not be the best choice for tall guests.
Features
An outdoor pool and full-service restaurant with Basque dishes add to the property's appeal
While its location and its rooms are a mixed bag, Hotel Donibane's features are a highlight, and the property packs in a lot for a three-and-a-half-pearl place. Outdoor amenities lead the list, the most notable being a pretty heated pool and surrounding deck dotted with sunbeds and umbrellas. The restaurant’s attractive plant-edged, mountain-view patio scores points, too. Three meals a day (all at extra charge) can be enjoyed either there or inside the dining room (which isn't quite as attractive). Both buffet and à la carte items -- regional Basque dishes among them -- are offered. Guests who wish to lounge afterwards can install themselves in the adjacent bar, relax with a book in the comfortable lounge, or simply retreat to garden. Those seeking a little exercise can make use of a bocce ball court or a small but bright fitness room equipped with a treadmill, stationary bike, and bench press. Two meeting rooms with a combined capacity of 75 people can be requested for events of every category, and basic business services (such as faxing and photocopying) are available as well. Other on-site features include a 24-hour front desk with multilingual staff, room service, free newspapers in the lobby, free parking outdoors, and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi.
