biarritz

SINCE 1908

Juana Eguren, born in Zumárraga, with a family background in hospitality (Hotel Paraíso, Zumárraga), came to San Sebastián at the turn of the century and bought the Hotel Biarritz in the Plaza de Zaragoza. Married to Juan Juantegui, they had four children: Amparo, Maritxu, Carmen and Antonio.

In 1908 she bought a villa on Calle Zubieta and built the Hotel Niza. The hotel was run by her niece María Luisa Alvaro.
They closed in winter and went to live at the Hotel Biarritz, where Doña Juana, a woman with a strong personality, ran everything from finances to management and supervision.
During the Spanish Civil War, two floors were added to the Hotel Niza, raising it to its current height. The Biarritz bar housed the restaurant where guests could try the dishes prepared by Mr. Linder, a former cook to the German Kaiser.

Juana Eguren died in the late sixties and the Juantegi family set about disposing of her estate. The Hotel Biarritz was sold and its name disappeared. Eduardo and Gonzalo Chillida acquired the Hotel Niza on the death of their parents Carmen Juantegui and Pedro Chillida.

In 1970 Eduardo Chillida, his wife Pilar Belzunces and their eight children became the sole proprietors. Ambitious renovation work began, under the architect Mr. Iturriaga, as each floor only had two rooms with en-suite bathrooms plus one other bathroom shared between four rooms. All the rooms were given a fully-equipped bathroom, the fabric of the building was reinforced and the layout of the hotel turned into what it is today.

Roots in Basque Cuisine

Traditional Basque cooking since 1908
A meticulous selection of the finest seasonal produce chosen from local markets and auctions, prepared in the traditional way according to classic Basque recipes.

Our workforce

Our staff bring to your table a traditional cuisine with a contemporary twist, based on simplicity and respect for local and seasonal produce. And always with a nod to our roots, our culture and our surroundings: the Bay of Biscay and Basque cuisine.