Hôtel Royal-Barrière

This is the Royal Hotel, one of Deauville’s two legendary palaces. It opened in July 1913, rising from the ground in record time, just ten months after construction began. The design was the work of Théo Petit, the architect behind the Normandy Hotel, with help from Georges Wybo, who would later create the Casino.

The reason for this second palace was obvious: the instant success of the Normandy, which had opened only a year earlier, proved there was room for something even more grand. The site chosen carried its own symbolism too. It was once home to the villa La Louisiane, built for the Duke of Morny, the very founder of Deauville. In its place now stands a vast U-shaped hotel, seven stories high, built in reinforced concrete, its immense facade facing the sea, decorated with checkered patterns and half-timbered details. From the day it opened, it was nicknamed “the Prince of Deauville.”

Inside, 189 rooms and 29 suites, many with sea views, still display the refined style of designers Jacques Garcia and Nathalie Ryan. Add a pool, spa, hammam, and gardens, and the Royal has all the splendor of a grand château, with the horizon of the sea as a bonus. But the Royal is more than just a palace; it has always been part of Deauville’s social stage. From equestrian enthusiasts to fashionable beachgoers and passing fortunes, it has drawn the high society of every era.

And every September, it becomes the headquarters of the American Film Festival. For ten days, its suites and salons host Hollywood actors, directors, and jurors. Alongside the Normandy, its Barrière twin, the Royal has lived to the rhythm of the Festival for more than half a century. The Royal is a double symbol: a witness to the golden age of seaside leisure and a living stage of Hollywood glamour. A palace that has stood for over a century without losing an ounce of its aura.