There’s a case to be made that one of the most quintessentially American surf-shack motels isn’t in Malibu or Montauk. It’s in Cap Ferret, France.
We knew Hotel des Dunes way back when. Karine Tiphagne-Hecquet and husband Jean-Philippe had spent years living in New York and sampling all of America’s best surf destinations. In 2021, they returned to France to start their own boutique hotel, and they reached out to a member of our team for advice. “We said to ourselves that if we do things right,” Katrine tells us today, “Hotel des Dunes should have its place on Tablet.” Well, they did it right. In 2023, we chose Hotel des Dunes as one of the best designs of all the new hotels added to our site.
We wish we could take more credit. But the roots of Hotel des Dunes far predate one admittedly minor conversation. The owners are bona fide hotel aficionados, with a speciality in seaside surf boutiques. Inspired by places like the Hotel June and Surfrider in Malibu, the Surf Lodge in Montauk, and the Surfjack in Hawaii, they set out to build their own version of a distinctly American model: a casual, chic boutique restored from a historic motel.
Whatever the inspirations, the execution is entirely local. Karine and Jean-Philippe took the bones of the accommodations, first opened in 1969, and reworked them with art and handcrafted furniture from French artisans, antique accessories, and painstakingly sourced black-and-white postcards that give a sense of the place’s storied past. Interiors are chic and elegant, with light colors and raw materials that emphasize a setting by the sea.
On a razor-thin peninsula an hour’s drive from Bordeaux, the 13-room Hotel des Dunes is one of a very few public accommodations in this most laidback of French beach towns. It’s that dearth of options on this protected spit of land, perhaps, that keeps away the swarms of tourists. The place swells in the summer, but with regulars — who often stay at their own family villas.
That might remind Americans of Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard, and it goes without saying that Cap Ferret is an upscale setting. But the town keeps its pomp to a minimum. It’s literally impossible to traverse around the terrain here in high heels, and the same can be said of flashy sports cars. Admittedly, the many vintage Land Rovers might betray some sense of the town’s clientele.
Nonetheless. For decades, what the town’s most known for has been its oyster industry, surfing, views, and access to Dune du Pilat — the tallest sand dune in Europe. “Oysters and sand sums up quite a bit of the Cap Ferret experience,” attests Tiphagne-Hecquet.
At Hotel des Dunes, take a bicycle to the daily market, enjoy a picnic on the beach, hike, surf, grab a hotel-prepared aperitif basket for sunset, try yoga on the terrace, and take a trip to the best oyster shacks in the country.
California cool, maybe — but French to the bone.
Book Hotel des Dunes on Tablet Hotels.
Nuts & Bolts
A bite-sized breakdown of your most frequently asked questions about Hotel des Dunes.
Who comes here?
Guests tend towards the international, but whoever you are, come for a highly relaxed atmosphere and an escape completely steeped in the local attractions. Visitors should like the following: oysters, yoga, hiking, swimming, surfing, lounging, design, eating, small towns, biking…
When’s the best time to visit?
The hotel closes for winter, around mid-November, and reopens in March. Summer’s beach time, but don’t be afraid to consider Cap Ferret for fall or spring, when you’ll have the town more to yourself.
What else is there to do in the area?
Fresh oysters and a splash of white wine. The hotel team will gladly recommend their favorite restaurants and oyster shacks, but explore too hiking among the dunes, wild beaches and peaceful beaches, surfing, bicycling, the iconic Cap Ferret lighthouse, and a summer market full of traditional products.
Best room for a solo traveler? A couple? A family?
Hotel des Dunes has 11 rooms and two suites. The Sunrise Standard and the Sunny Balcony will work perfectly for solo travelers or couples, and the suites add a second room with convertible sofa bed for a larger party. Most rooms come with balcony or other private outdoor space.
What’s a design feature I would miss if you didn’t tell me about it?
The idea was to give the hotel a “holiday spirit,” a feeling of simplicity and relaxation that’s nonetheless chic and elegant. In practice: light colors of blue, white, sand and sun yellow, natural materials, custom furniture in raw pine, vintage elements, antique accessories, and stripes to evoke the seaside spirit.
What’s there to eat?
Breakfast is the big event — from 8 to 10:30 in the dining room, terrace, or in your room. Local products, homemade pastries, and cakes rule the day — or order your favorite avocado toast or eggs. The hotel has no restaurant, but serves a living room snack at 4:30, and provides refreshments any time you need. Don’t miss too your chance to grab a picnic basket for the beach, and an apéro basket (half a bottle of wine, tapas) for sunset.
Anything to say about sustainability?
At the moment of opening, the hotel became a partner of the Surfrider Foundation Europe, which works towards improvements in marine litter, water quality, coastal management, and climate change. The hotel participates too in beach cleaning initiatives.
What’s the final word?
A deeply local, deeply French version of the classic American motel-turned-boutique. When you’ve gotten your fill of the city, you come here for an escape.
Book Hotel des Dunes on Tablet Hotels.
(All photos courtesy of Gaëlle Rapp Tronquit)
Mitchell Friedman is a writer for Tablet Hotels and the global hotel editor for Michelin Guide. He started with Tablet in 2018, and very badly wants you to subscribe to our newsletter.