History of the hotel

The two establishments, the Hotel Bayonne and the Hotel Etche-Ona were bought in 1983 by Mr & Mrs PARINAUD. Our Hotel Bayonne underwent complete renovation for the first time in 1990. Renovation of the Hotel Etche-Ona followed in 1997.. In 1998, the two hotels merged to become a single establishment, the Hotel Bayonne Etche-Ona. In 2001, Catherine PARINAUD, the owners’ daughter and current manager of the establishment, joined the team and took over the business.

The two establishments, the Hotel Bayonne and the Hotel Etche-Ona were bought in 1983 by Mr & Mrs PARINAUD. Our Hotel Bayonne underwent complete renovation for the first time in 1990. Renovation of the Hotel Etche-Ona followed in 1997.. In 1998, the two hotels merged to become a single establishment, the Hotel Bayonne Etche-Ona. In 2001, Catherine PARINAUD, the owners’ daughter and current manager of the establishment, joined the team and took over the business.

Our establishment consists of two 18th century listed houses.

The Bayonne mansion, now offering 33 rooms and suites, was historically the former residence of the Prince of Asturias, heir to the throne of the King of Spain. It became a hotel in 1950.

The Etche-Ona residence, offering 28 rooms and suites, was used by the household staff of various nobles, notably the nobility of the Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux and the Hôtel de Sège located on the Cours du Chapeau Rouge and Rue Esprits des Lois in Bordeaux. This inn, originally run by a family from the Basque country, housed a restaurant and a few rooms. It became a hotel in 1967.

Like all listed buildings of the 18th century, the top floors of our houses were reserved for service personnel. The ceiling height is therefore lower (2.5 metres), whereas the other floors, called the “nobility floors”, have a ceiling height of 4 metres.

In 2015 and 2016, major renovation work was undertaken on both buildings. The Bayonne residence was the first to undergo works and was closed for 6 months for refurbishment. The Etche-Ona residence was then given a makeover for a period of 6 months as well.

Today, the Best Western Premier Bordeaux – Hotel Bayonne Etche-Ona offers its visitors two completely different atmospheres: Art-Deco 1925-1930 for the Bayonne; Cabinet de Curiosités & Retour de Voyages for the Etche-Ona.

The 1925-1930 Art-Deco decorative style that our guests enjoy in the Bayonne residence is inspired by New York City and particularly the Rockefeller Center.

Each decorative element has been custom-made specifically for the hotel and designed in large part by Catherine PARINAUD. The artisans who worked to bring her sketches to life were carefully chosen, with a focus on skill and know-how and geographical proximity to our establishment. The Best Western Premier Hôtel Bayonne Etche-Ona has worked with cabinet makers and ironworkers from the Médoc area.

Maison ARTE helped us create the wall coverings: unlike simple wallpaper, these coverings are made up of two or three “skins”: they are sound and heat insulators, offering our clients optimal sound comfort.

Made to measure, our furnishings (reception counter, seats, desks, beds and headboards, lighting, etc.) have been carefully designed by French or Italian manufacturers. Our fabrics (silk, cotton, velvet…) have been selected for their quality, such as those produced by Rubelli, Designer Guild, Pierre Frey, Lelièvre and Dedar.

Our bathrooms have also been designed and created to measure. The decorative style of the showers and bathtubs is inspired by the Art-Deco world of 1925-1930 for the Bayonne residence and the Cabinet de Curiosités & Retour de Voyages for the Etche-Ona residence. These bathrooms are made of corian (80% marble and 20% resin to allow for inlays), slate (on the floor) and chromium-plated stainless steel, or corian inlaid with Northern Italian earthenware, of the highest quality.

The fittings, from the Hans Grohe “Axor” collection, are Art-Deco. It is made of stainless steel and porcelain.

In imagining the decorative style for the Bayonne residence, Catherine PARINAUD also wanted to work with two materials in particular and set them off at their very best: shagreen and moiré silk. Shagreen, dried fish skin, was used by Louis XIV to make highly resistant shoes. Louis XV chose to use it for furniture marquetry. Initially, these inlays in furniture were made from different types of wood, bronze, ebony or ivory. Louis XV added shagreen to this list.

As for moiré silk, which comes from India, it was used for clothing under Louis XIV and Louis XV. In 1925-1930, these two materials, which were no longer in use, were reintroduced as decorative elements, particularly in the United States.

Throughout the hotel, our guests will find them as wall coverings in the Bayonne stairwell as well as in the rooms for the leather of the headboards and seats. In the stairwell of Hotel Etche-Ona, our customers will be able to admire the lacquered motifs.

The stained glass windows, which our visitors can admire in our Hotel Bayonne Etche-Ona, are from the 18th century. For their renovation, we approached one of the most skilled stained glass window makers in France.

The reception desk in the Etche-Ona residence is also original, dating from 1930. In the lounge adjacent to the reception area, guests can also admire unique and original pieces dating back to the 18th century: planters, mullions, Spanish Basque fireplace bench, tables, seats, chandeliers and sconces. In every corner of the hotel, our guests discover decorative pieces made by artists or carefully found by Catherine PARINAUD.

If you come across her in one of our residences during your stay, don’t hesitate to ask her to tell you the story behind one of these rooms, she will be delighted to tell it to you.