Résidence Ibaïa

Do NOT stay at Hotel Ibaia! I was double charged and despite their promises, I never got my money back. Their card device is ancient and cannot process refunds, and they said they would do a bank transfer—but it’s been two weeks and I still have nothing. To make things worse, they completely ignored all my emails. Their customer service is nonexistent, and dealing with them feels like being scammed. Be extremely careful if you are thinking of booking here. This hotel is unprofessional, unreliable, and I would never recommend it to anyone.

We stayed here as we were looking for a moderate climate while still being able to have ample of beach days. An inquiry with ChatGPT later we knew the basque region was what we were looking for and we could reach it via train and have a couple of days in Paris. About Hendaye: We chose Hendaye as it was directly on the Spanish border and we imagined this could give us the best of both worlds. Turns out we were right! Reaching Bayonne, San Sebastian, Hondaribbia and others via public transport from the hotel is no issue. The downside of Hendaye is that there are way too many cars for not enough parking, I would not recommend going there by car, looked like a nightmare and lot of frustration. About Hotel Ibaia: Great hotel, very clean! Service is great, pool is amazing and great after a day trip or after a day on the beach. Gym is ok but could be more practical. Location is great with lots of public transport nearby. It can be a tad noisy due to the constant cars sharking for parking, but for us that wasn’t too much of an issue. Breakfast had a good variety and a recommended option, only downside it ends at 10:00 already. More catering could be offered after breakfast. The lunch and evening food logistics was a daily struggle as all restaurants need to be reserved in advance in August, but once you get the hang of it, it‘s fine. Would be nice in the future to also be able to eat in the hotel every once in a while. Recommended Restaurants: I thought I add a couple of restaurants we liked, especially as we had to hunt for vegi options, which is not that easy in France in general. - Le SolSol is a great restaurant, with something for everyone. If you want to go for Dinner there, pop by at noon same day to reserve a table. Very close to the hotel. - Also a creperie is nearby that is to be recommended - For more innovative food head to Jimba at Decathlon, great stuff there - Italien food is great at Della Nonna, most crowded place in the area reserve a day in advance. - Close to Della Nonna is Le Flammkuche which is really good at, well I guess you already know. - For a Snack the Chicken Kitchen or the Asia Restaurant next to it are solid options. Surfing: Hendaye is a surfer paradise and we did a three day training course and loved it. Strong recommendation for the whole family. We went to New Surf School close to the hotel and these guys are great fellows!