Bordeaux charming center

Hotel Description

Honestly, when I first walked up to Bordeaux charming center on rue Sainte Catherine, I wasn’t expecting much from the name – it sounds a bit generic, right? But you know what, sometimes these unassuming 3-star places really surprise you. The building itself has that classic Bordeaux stone facade that blends right into the neighborhood, and I mean that in the best way possible. You’re literally in the heart of everything here – rue Sainte Catherine is actually Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street, so there’s this constant buzz of people wandering around, but it never felt overwhelming.

What really got me was how the staff seemed to actually care about the details. Check-in was smooth (they speak decent English if your French is rusty like mine), and the front desk person immediately started pointing out little neighborhood gems on a map – not the touristy stuff, but where to grab the best coffee in the morning and which wine bar stays open late without the cruise ship crowds. The rooms are what you’d expect for a solid 3-star – clean, comfortable beds, decent WiFi that actually works. Nothing fancy, but everything functions properly, which honestly matters more than marble bathrooms when you’re exploring a city all day. The shower pressure was surprisingly good, and I appreciated the blackout curtains since rue Sainte Catherine can get a bit lively on weekend evenings.

Location-wise, this place is kind of perfect for first-time Bordeaux visitors. You can walk to Place de la Bourse (that famous mirror fountain everyone photographs) in about 10 minutes, and the tram stops are everywhere if you want to venture out to the wine regions. But here’s the thing – you’re also surrounded by actual local life. There’s a small morning market that sets up nearby where you can grab fresh pastries, and I discovered this tiny wine shop just around the corner where the owner let me taste three different Bordeaux varieties while explaining the differences in terroir. The 8.6 rating makes total sense to me because it’s one of those places that just works – it’s not trying to be boutique or luxury, it’s just genuinely well-run and positioned perfectly for exploring. Sure, you might hear some street noise if you’re a super light sleeper, but that’s city center life, and honestly, it died down after midnight most nights. For the price point and location, I’d definitely stay here again.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $254. Two-Bedroom Apartment with 2 × 1 large double bed for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Very glad we decided to stay at this apartment! – David from United Kingdom – 20 August 2024 (9/10)

  Excellent location almost in the centre of the city, not far from the river, with many restaurants close by. The Line A tram stop is very close which made it easy for us to catch a tram each morning for La Bastide where we were going to a language school. We followed advice and bought a weekly ticket for the trams and buses which cost 17 euros each. Yes, the apartment is on a busy pedestrian shopping street with market stalls below the window for two days and it can be noisy with the windows open. However, despite some hot days, we did not have a problem with heat even with the front windows closed as the rear windows provided enough ventilation. Clean, comfortable beds, and excellent shower.

• Great apartment in a fantastic location with easy access to everything Bordeaux has to offer. – Michael from United Kingdom – 17 April 2024 (9/10)

  This is a very comfortable and well appointed flat in the heart of Bordeaux. It is on one of the main shopping streets, which is pedestrianised with great access to local transport (a tram stop is about 200m away) and the main attractions of the city centre are close to hand. I was anxious about the arrangements for payment (the proprietor does not accept card payments through the site) but I took cash and this was absolutely fine.
  
  What could be improved: The toilet is a bit cramped for a large person, as is the shower in the bathroom.

• Location perfect, accomodation superb, local information was well explained just a fabulous place 😊 – Pauline from New Zealand – 9 April 2024 (10/10)

  Beautifully decorated, comforting & warm. Wish we could’ve stayed longer, certainly would come back
  
  What could be improved: Nothing to say here

• Excellent – Kathryn from France – 31 December 2023 (10/10)

  Central, clean and comfortable
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Exceptional – John from Ireland – 13 September 2023 (10/10)

  Really central location in the city on a pedestrian street. The owner was really helpful and even came to check us out at 7am so we could get to the airport. Very comfortable.
  
  What could be improved: No air con & it was 36 degrees when we stayed 🙂 It was ok tho, there are fans.

• Exceptional – Dawn from United States – 9 July 2023 (10/10)

  Thank you so much to our hosts for going above and beyond to meet us later than expected!
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• lovely place with great location! – Nancy from United States – 14 April 2023 (10/10)

  the location so good. lots of space for 4 people. clean!!

• Lovely apartment, great location, unfortunately have to pay via cash or bank transfer. – Liam from Australia – 9 September 2023 (6/10)

  Visually, the apartment was lovely. The big windows were beautiful as were the lace curtains. The apartment was spacious, with two large bedrooms and a living area. The location was great if you want to be in the centre of the city, close to the main attractions and eating areas.
  
  What could be improved: There were multiple inconveniences that were not communicated by the hosts. Some furniture was faulty, including multiple power-points that did not work. The apartment was also not adequately equipped for a long stay (we stayed for 6 nights). We were only provided 2 rolls of toilet paper and one small garbage bag provided for our entire stay. The kitchen also did not have enough utensils to cook easily, such as no oven trays despite there being an oven. Moreover, we were surprised at having to pay cash. While it is noted in the booking confirmation email, it was hidden at the bottom and was not noticeable at first glance. We were 1.40 Euro short at the start of our stay as we were not able to take the exact amount out in cash from an ATM. We were asked by the host to provide the 2 Euro at checkout which we did. When we then asked for our change they insinuated that we were making a fuss.

• Excellent position … noisy but close to everything. – Kay from Australia – 8 June 2024 (7/10)

  The position was close to the centre of town and there was only one set of easy stairs to climb to get to the first floor. The bedrooms were very clean and comfortable. The kitchen was well equipped.
  
  What could be improved: The telephone on Booking.com for the owner was incorrect so we ended up waiting 4 hours to get the keys. I only received a msg from Booking.com after lunch on the day of arrival explaining we could ask for an earlier check-in. This was impossible to organise as the phone number was incorrect and I didn't have any internet connection.
  Workmen were hammering out the stone walls invthe next property during the day so it was difficult to nap during the day.

• Fantastic location but needs better curtains to block out street lights. – Andres from Australia – 4 November 2022 (7/10)

  Location is fantastic. The main pedestrian street is right outside the door. Beds and quality of linens was good.
  
  What could be improved: Unfortunately, the pedestrian mall has very bright lights that are on all night and light up the apartment even if the wooden shutters are closed. It needs much thicker curtains on all windows. Dishwasher and TV remote didn’t appear to work.

SURROUNDINGS