Best known as France’s premier wine-producing region, Bordeaux also offers beautiful Gothic and Beaux-Arts architecture, museums and mansions (it follows Paris as the city with the most listed or registered monuments in the country). It’s also a port city – the Garonne River flows through the centre – with an excellent gastronomic offer and plenty of nightlife. We recommend visiting between May and November if you want to tour the vineyards – go in September to catch the harvest time. But with so much to see and do, Bordeaux makes an elegant city break at any time of the year.
Marty Hotel Bordeaux, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Renaissance Bordeaux
Known as Bordeaux’s trendy district, The Old Docks, is home to this unique and inviting 4-star hotel. Conveniently located to explore the region, the hotel comprises stylishly appointed 149 rooms each with oversized windows from which guests can take in the local area below. Guests can enjoy a swim with a city view at the indoor pool on one of the highest rooftops of Bordeaux or relax with a drink or two in the upscale bar whilst all-day authentic Italian cuisine is served at the Gina Restaurant & Bar.
Les Sources De Caudalie
Take a five-star spa vacation at Les Sources De Caudalie. Set beside a peaceful lake, you’ll feel like you’ve arrived in the countryside, yet it’s just a 20-minute taxi hop back to the city centre. The hotel’s menu of ‘vinotherapy’ treatments has been inspired by the region’s produce and there are both indoor and outdoor pools. Additional alfresco amenities include a tennis court, a 3-hole pitch and putt golf course and free bike hire to explore the surrounding Château Smith Haut Lafitte vineyards. The building is grand, but it was crafted using reclaimed materials from local farms. And, combined with its own kitchen garden, Les Sources De Caudalie boasts an excellent carbon footprint.
Villas Foch
Located 5km from the centre, Villas Foch is made up of two private 17th and 18th-century mansions. While the building may be old, the hotel is brand new, having recently opened in the summer of 2021. Just 20 bedrooms and eight suites ensure an intimate atmosphere in this sumptuous period property that’s adopted sophisticated modern decor touches. Each room is soundproofed with a free minibar and use of an espresso machine, but guests can also buy snacks at the in-house deli, or in the bar lounge. Accessible and family-friendly, the hotel also features a full-service spa and swimming pool set in a stone-arched cellar.