Nickie was a wonderful host, and as with other guests, was kind enough to pick us up from the airport, which was a lovely personal touch when you arrive as a family of 4 in a new location. Throughout our holiday Nickie was available by phone, text and email, and on our arrival was able to show us where the local shops and bus stop were.

For us, Nickie's flat was just perfect. It is 10 minutes walk from two beaches, a 10 minute bus ride to the 4 mile long beach at Anglet and a 15 minute bus ride to a huge Carrefour shopping Mall. There are also a number of local restaurants 5 minutes walk away. We tried Soave, a very good Italian, and in particular liked Restaurant Leonie, which is a top draw Michelin rated restaurant.

The flat itself was spotlessly clean, exactly as described and ideal for a family holiday (two daughters aged 9 and 11). We didn't cook a lot, but the kitchen was well equipped with everything you would expect in your own home. There is also a full satellite/cable TV service including sports channels and a couple of English language news channels.

We didn't need a car at all; the local bus service is fast and frequent and there is a good help kiosk by the tourist info office in the town centre. With two young girls we spent a lot of time on the beach or walking by the sea, but we also used longer distance buses to visit San Jean de Luz and San Sebastien in Spain - all easy to do and not expensive.

This was our first trip to Biarritz, but it definitely won't be our last.