3 Best Hotels in Ainhoa, The Basque Country, Gascony, and Hautes-Pyrenees

A registered historic monument, this 17th-century, Basque-style building was once a staging post on the fabled pilgrims' route to Santiago de Compostela, and today it still makes a fitting resting spot if you're doing a modern version of the pilgrimage or just need a stopover on your way deeper into the mountains. Comfy bedrooms are complemented by wood beams and antique accents, and the lovely garden and outdoor pool are just right for relaxing. The rustic dining room combines inland game and fresh seafood from the Basque Coast in creative ways.

This 17th-century relais, or stagecoach relay station, on Ainhoa's main square and pelota court is one of the loveliest Basque houses in town, with small but adequate guest rooms. The convivial owners are always ready to share their knowledge about the locals and the locale, and the restaurant serves creative interpretations of traditional Basque specialties.

Alain Ducasse may no longer be here, but his taste and touch are palpable in the style, the ultracontemporary equipment and accoutrements, and, especially, in the regional Basque cuisine with international accents at this hotel in a 100-acre park around a 17th-century farmhouse. Although some of the complex is modern and cold, various rooms and suites remain lovely settings for Basque woodwork, regional textiles, and sleek sculptures. The landscape is superlatively Basque and the nearby Iparla Ridge hike, one of the greatest in the Pyrénées, will keep appetites primed for fine dining. As an optional extra, you can be brought here from Biarritz airport by helicopter. Ostapé also has a private museum of Porsche cars.