Bordeaux: Le Joyau de Cerf Volant

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about Le Joyau de Cerf Volant? The name literally means “kite jewel,” which honestly sounds a bit whimsical for Bordeaux, but it actually fits once you’re inside. This little 3-star gem sits right on Rue du Cerf Volant – and I mean right in the thick of things in the city center, though thankfully the street itself is narrow enough that you’re not dealing with major traffic noise. The building has that classic Bordeaux limestone look that blends right into the neighborhood, but step inside and there’s this unexpected warmth to the place. The lobby’s got these rich burgundy accents (very on-brand for wine country) and the staff genuinely seemed to know their stuff about the city, not just the rehearsed tourist spots.

What I really appreciated was how they’ve managed to keep that intimate boutique feel without sacrificing the practical stuff. The rooms aren’t huge – I mean, we’re talking about a historic building in central Bordeaux here – but they’re thoughtfully laid out with decent storage and, more importantly, genuinely comfortable beds. The bathroom in my room was surprisingly modern, which you can’t always count on in these older properties. And here’s something that matters if you’re actually planning to explore: you’re literally a 5-minute walk from Place Gambetta, which means you can duck back to drop off shopping bags or grab a jacket without it being a whole production. The Cours de l’Intendance is right there too, so you’ve got that perfect mix of local cafés and the fancier shopping if that’s your thing.

Honestly, the 8.2 rating makes sense to me – it’s not trying to be a luxury palace, but it delivers on what matters. I stayed there during shoulder season in October, and the whole area was perfectly walkable without the summer crowds. You can actually hear the trams from some rooms, but it’s more of a gentle urban hum than anything jarring. Parking is… well, it’s city center parking, so don’t expect miracles, but there are a couple of public garages within a few blocks. The breakfast was solid – nothing revolutionary, but proper coffee and fresh pastries, which is really all you need before heading out to explore. What sealed it for me was that the front desk guy gave me this spot-on recommendation for dinner at a tiny bistro on Rue des Bahutiers that I never would’ve found otherwise. That’s the kind of local knowledge that makes a stay memorable, you know?

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $126. One-Bedroom Apartment with 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• great location , nice room! – Sara from Panama – 24 November 2023 (8/10)

  loved the room! the entrance of the place is not that pretty. but other than that, everything is perfect and the location is great.. you have everything walking distance.
  
  What could be improved: the entrance of the place is not that pretty.

• Very good – Francis from United Arab Emirates – 18 July 2023 (8/10)

  Fantastic location. Comfortable bed. Clean
  
  What could be improved: I didn't receive check-in I formation and had.to call to find out.

• Great location in the centre of Bordeaux, but very quiet and peaceful – Damon from France – 29 May 2023 (9/10)

  Great location. Comfort and beautifully decorated.able

• Delightful apartment in wonderful location – James from United Kingdom – 3 May 2023 (9/10)

  Fantastic location, right in the centre but completely calm and peaceful. Lovely flat with very comfortable bed and well equipped, bathroom and shower was very nice.
  
  What could be improved: Minor complaint but it would have been lovely to have a small bottle of milk in the fridge, some tea and enough capsules for each of us to have coffee on both days we stayed there, it's small things like this that make a place feel really like a home from home, but everything was great even so.

• Comfortable apartment in the central location of bordeaux city – Kaajal from United Arab Emirates – 24 April 2023 (9/10)

  The location and the setup of the apartment was really perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better location than this. Close to all the trendy wine bars, super markets and easily connected by the tram station. The apartment is well equipped with the basics, cutlery, kettle and hair dryer and the sheets smell really clean and comfy. The whole apartment seems to be remodeled and the room as well as the attached private bathroom had really good fittings.

• Very good – Ugiomo from Canada – 3 October 2024 (8/10)

  The location was excellent, close proximity to most of attractions.
  
  What could be improved: A kettle would be a nice idea. The coffee machine though it dispenses hot water, I found a bit too noisy.

• Superb – Geoff from New Zealand – 22 September 2024 (9/10)

  Fantastic location in the center of the old city. Felt very safe. Close to good restaurants, namely Papy 5* which is close by and great food, staff and atmosphere, Funky Burger (great value), Bo-tannique a lovely restaurant with fabulous food.
  
  What could be improved: Only one chair to relax in so consequently people have sat on the side of the bed and this has left the edge of the bed slightly collapsed making it an uncomfortable sleep.

• Nice and convenient – Anthony from Australia – 23 September 2023 (8/10)

  Location was great and it appeared to be recently renovated. A few items inside the unit were missing and the owner very quickly bought replacements for us.
  
  What could be improved: Bed needs replacing, the shower wasn't the greatest.

• Excellent location. – Anastasia from Ireland – 13 July 2023 (8/10)

  Lovely studio apartment, tastefully decorate in center of city, close to all must see attractions and restaurants. Did not met host, but easy communication via booking.com messaging. Contacted to say that apartment available early for check in. Link sent with all information required for accessing keys and all other information required for stay.
  
  What could be improved: There was noise from the plumbing throughout our stay, informed the host so hopefully it sorted.
  Also bathroom needs some hooks or rails for towels.
  Received test message from SK EVASIONS with link for security deposit, thought it was spam until received the same via booking.com messaging.

• Cosy stay in the centre of Bordeaux – Stephanie from Australia – 5 July 2023 (8/10)

  Cosy apartment in a very central location. Walking distance to everything, with an abundance of restaurants at the door step.
  
  What could be improved: Bathroom has a bit of a mouldy/stagnant smell coming from what we assume were the drains. It went away after a day.

SURROUNDINGS