Once upon a time, in Biarritz under the Second Empire… The history of the Hôtel du Palais began in 1854 when Napoléon III decided to build a summer residence for his wife Eugénie de Montijo who wanted to be closer to her native Spain. Today, an emblematic jewel of Biarritz, a must-see for an international clientele and the only Palace on the French west coast, the hotel has benefited from a renovation to completely rethink its identity.

This new identity is imagined like a link between past and present to create a contemporary image from the Hôtel du Palais. The letters N and E of the logo refer to the initials of Napoleon and Eugenie. It became the emblem of the Empire after Louis-Napoléon married Eugenie in 1853.
Logo versions also exist for external and internal applications such as social media, coasters, dishes, uniforms, pins, corporate documents, etc.
We use a contrasting typographic combination to remind customers of the palace glorious past while rejuvenating its image. The crown of the logo is a stylized version of that of Empress Eugenie. It has the same elements redesigned to be visible at different sizes. The colour palette is inspired by the environment of the hotel and the “palaces”. The two main colors are dark blue and bright red. Gold can be used for certain occasions, mainly external and exceptional ones such as important events, VIP audiences. The portraits of Napoleon III and Eugenie, as well as the initials N and E are used on the different collateral documents to remind us that we are in their old home.

The tone of voice of Hôtel du Palais should reflect its values and personality in a unique way. It should be distinctive and recognisable like a real person, yet not like any other hotel.  As we aim to give Hôtel du Palais the presence of a luxury guest house, the objective is to give everyone the feeling that he or she belongs, as if Hôtel du Palais was part of the guest’s family heritage. As Napoléon III and Eugénie de Montijo started this long dynasty, we want the tone of voice of Hôtel du Palais to speak for them, yet, in an idealized, contemporary and approachable version.