1930
Everyone who lives in Pyla-Sur-Mer has memories of the Hôtel Haïtza – the rock in the Basque language.
The visionary Louis Gaume built the establishment with Neo-Basque architecture in 1930, which is the privileged witness of the golden age and rise of the Côte d’Argent.
Haïtza quickly became an emblematic place where famous personalities would stay: the actress Annabella, the fashion designer Jeanne Lanvin, the Rothschild and Michelin families, but also the singers Charles Trenet and Yves Montand.
The hotel became the great place where those who loved the Bay would meet, the epicentre of eccentric, cosmopolitan cultural effervescence.
2016
Driven by the desire to preserve and bring the spirit of the place back to life again, Sophie and William Techoueyres wanted to give the Ha(a)ïtza a new lease of life by adding the soul that has forged their strength and success: a mix of simplicity, closeness and elegance.
The objective was to restore the hotel’s flair of days gone by, accommodate their friends and share the art of living and the charms of the region they love.
They had already undertaking the renaissance of the Hôtel La Co(o)rniche at the foot of the Dune du Pilat, and thanks to a refurbishment designed by Philippe Starck, they have given a new lease of life to the Ha(a)ïtza, now a 5-star luxury hotel.
The hotel has 30 rooms, 5 suites, 2 junior suites and a superb 120m2 apartment.
On the ground floor – the hotel’s focal point –, the pool under a glass roof that opens is surrounded by a cocktail bar, a Codage spa, a David Lucas hair salon, a Technogym fitness room and a meeting room.
The hotel’s 3 restaurants serve a varied choice of meals: a fine dining restaurant with 2 Michelin stars direct by Chef Stéphane Carrade, a brasserie, and Café Ha(a)ïtza, opposite the hotel, a real spot for those who love bistrot food. And lastly, the Pâtisserie de Famille, where pastry chef Antony Prunet reinterprets all the classics, with the Paris-Pyla first in line!
OPEN ALL YEAR
Philippe Starck
Philippe Starck looked to the sand that makes up the Dune du Pyla among the host of fertile ground in the region as one of the elements incorporated in the hotel’s design. Being both organic and mineral, solid yet moving, sand’s contradictory nature is the basis for building the imaginary world found in the establishment. It is the transition between exterior and interior, anchoring the hotel in its region, inviting you to travel to places beyond, known or unknown lands.
Starck imagined Ha(a)ïtza like a paradox: dream worlds from our collective imaginations rise from the gravity of the Rock. The historic building becomes a door opening onto bold-natured spaces which are revealed by and reveal themselves to those visiting. Ha(a)ïtza is a series of abstractions, dream spaces, with stylish eclecticism.
Ara Starck
For Ara Starck, Ha(a)ïtza is a gem and its stained glass a window to a parallel universe. The stained glass panels only let the light shining out from the place through, inciting curiosity and leaving you to guess what might behind them, like a preface to the poetic world they herald.
“We love Ara’s sensitivity, poetry and kindness, which are a host of qualities that are vital for welcoming people and fanning their imagination in such a beautiful hotel!” S. and W. Techoueyres
Sophie and William Techoueyres
Philippe Starck describes him as a “a unit of life” and attributes “all the elegance of a bellowing burst of laughter” to him. William Techoueyres impresses as much due to his stature as a former rugby player as his clear, uncompromising generosity. As a former international rugby player in the French national rugby team, and for Bègles in the first division, he has tackled his sporting career at the highest level, as well as that of restaurateur, which he continues today.
Entrepreneurship is second nature to him and six years after the renewed success of La Co(o)rniche, taking charge of Ha(a)ïtza was an obvious choice for him. William looked to Philippe Starck again to bring the place back to life. With Sophie and his son Thomas by his side, he strives to restore the establishment’s prestige while retaining its legendary hospitality. They are surrounded by a loyal team of employees, choosing new ones to join it who embody the spirit of Pyla, of days gone by and today.
Thomas Techoueyres
Thomas Techoueyres’ father taught him the importance of team spirit, which he did not forget when he took over the Ha(a)ïtza. Along with it he added the spirit he honed during his years at the École Ferrandi cookery school, and the various positions he went onto occupy working for top level chefs (Alain Ducasse, Hélène Darroze, Michel Roth and Jean-François Girardin among others).
As Thomas pays great attention to detail, he manages his teams with openness and shows his clients a warm welcome all while making sure that this wonderful place exudes understated, stylish luxury each day.
Chef Stéphane Carrade
As a chef that has been awarded two Michelin stars, Stéphane Carrade, creates authentic cuisine which elevates the simplest product from the terroir, and enhances specialities by crafting new, surprising and subtle combinations. His motto lies between tradition and avant-garde: “the terroir step by step”.
And everyone in the team
Alexandre, Simon, Paul, Rémy, Laetitia, Emilie, Clémentine, Hugo, Julien, Antony, Romain, Stéphane, Edgar, Fiona, Grégoire, Anne, Laurie, Camille, Océane, Nicoletta, Vincent, Yann, Sébastien, Nicolas, Gwélane, Louis, Thomas, Clément, Stéphane, William, Jules, Valentin, Manel, Valentin, Yadès, Gabriel, Simon, Martin, Mathieu, Tom, Simon, Margaux, Maxime, Julien, Christophe, Tibault, Roudish, Clémentine, Mélissa, Elodie, Faicel, Aude, Amaia, Amélie, Margaux, Victor, Thomas, Robin, Mina, Frédéric, Macodou, Moth, Benjamin, Aymeric, Paul, Fanny, Jérome, Caroline, Fotima, Natasha, Mathilde, Jennyfer, Mélina, Antoine, Emmanuelle, Laura, Jean, Loïc, Karine, Rosalie, Rosa, Diogo, Evi, Orianne, Cody, Manon, Margaux, Florent, Agathe, Victor, Kamel.
