Esprit Bordelais

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest with you – when I first walked up to Esprit Bordelais, I wasn’t expecting much from a 3-star place right in the heart of Bordeaux. But you know what? Sometimes these smaller hotels in prime spots really surprise you, and this one absolutely did.

The thing about staying right in Bordeaux’s city center is that you’re literally steps away from everything that matters. I mean, you can stumble out of bed and be at Place de la Bourse in about five minutes – perfect for those early morning shots when the mirror effect on the water is still calm. The hotel sits on one of those classic Bordeaux streets where the limestone buildings practically glow golden in the afternoon light, and honestly, just walking back “home” each evening felt pretty special. What really struck me was how the staff actually seemed to know the neighborhood – not just the obvious tourist spots, but they pointed me toward this incredible little wine bar tucked away on Rue du Pas-Saint-Georges that I never would’ve found otherwise. The rooms themselves? Well, they’re not going to win any design awards, but they’re clean, comfortable, and have that authentic French charm you can’t fake. My room had these tall windows that opened right onto the street (bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper – Bordeaux gets lively on weekend nights), and the morning light streaming in was absolutely gorgeous.

Here’s what I really appreciated though – the whole experience felt genuine rather than polished to death. Check-in was smooth, the woman at reception spoke perfect English but was clearly delighted when I attempted my terrible French, and there’s something refreshing about a place that focuses on the basics rather than trying to be something it’s not. The location means you can walk to the tram stops easily (seriously, public transport here is fantastic), but more importantly, you can explore all those narrow streets around Saint-Pierre on foot. I’d wander out for morning coffee, spend the day wine tasting in Saint-Émilion or exploring the Médoc, then come back to a neighborhood that actually has life in it – real restaurants where locals eat, not just tourist traps. The 8.4 rating makes total sense to me because this isn’t about luxury amenities or Instagram-perfect lobbies. It’s about being in exactly the right spot with people who clearly care about what they’re doing, even if the towels aren’t the fluffiest you’ve ever used. If you’re the type of traveler who values location and authenticity over having a concierge, and you want to feel like you’re staying in Bordeaux rather than just near it, Esprit Bordelais hits that sweet spot perfectly.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $194. Two-Bedroom Apartment with 2 × 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for Max persons: 5

Reviews

• Great location and served its purpose – Gemma from Ireland – 2 July 2025 (7/10)

  Clean and had everything we needed.
  
  What could be improved: Communication and the pick up and drop off of keys. This is quite far away from the property and my son had a to hire a scooter to collect the keys and drop them off. The owner only communicated haphazardly via booking messages and in French only!

• Very central and comfortable apartment with good amenities. – Jono from New Zealand – 13 September 2024 (9/10)

  Very central and walking distance to most attractions. Good communication and very helpful. Very comfortable and good amenities.

• Superb – Edwina from Ireland – 31 August 2024 (9/10)

  Location was excellent. Right beside tram station and shops
  
  What could be improved: No windows to outside

• Good – Samantha from Ireland – 19 July 2024 (7/10)

  We loved the location, it was right beside the Opera house which is central. It was right beside a chemist which came in handy. The beds were cozy & comfy. Cool apartment with nice design and compact. Though a bit warm as no windows in the bedrooms.
  
  What could be improved: Black mould on the ceiling is a health hazard. We only had one bath towel each, no hand towels for washing hair. We only had one tea towel. Not enough loo roll. No washing up liquid. We had to buy more loo roll, washing up liquid etc. The front door is really hard to open as the door knob is broken, this is also a hazard esp if there was a fire. There was no instructions or note left on how to use the oven, TV, hob, rad in bathroom so we didn't get any of these working. The cleaning fee included was a bit expensive at €94. The upstairs neighbours had the hover going for hours as they must have been doing a deep clean so it was noisy one of the days. The owners can definitely improves on all above. And maybe leave some teabags and more coffee.

• Perfect location, cute apartment in centre of town! – Sarah from Ireland – 18 June 2024 (9/10)

  The location was amazing. 5 min walk to the Main Street. It was modern and pretty!
  
  What could be improved: There were fans only (no air con) and a little dark which was fine!

• Well equipped and comfortable property in fabulous location. No external views. – Julia from United Kingdom – 15 February 2024 (8/10)

  Fabulous location
  
  What could be improved: Internal aspect meant it was quite dark.

• Superb – Thomas from United States – 18 November 2023 (9/10)

  What could be improved: The glass door on the bathroom entrance.

• Superb – Patricia from Ireland – 20 April 2023 (9/10)

  Almost everything you need in a lovely clean, comfortable, cosy apartment
  
  What could be improved: Only 1 coat hanger per bedroom
  No blind on windows

• Great location but needs upkeep. – Kyle from Canada – 5 June 2025 (8/10)

  Excellent location, close to the heart of bordeaux. Spacious, kitchen was fairly well equipped. Good communication.
  
  What could be improved: Huge black mold in the eating area. Really unacceptable. This was reported in reviews a year ago. Needs immediate attention. Need instructions on how to use equipment. Couldn't operate the fan in the bedroom, dryer or locate more kitchen towels and cloths.

• Lovely apartment – Lois from United Kingdom – 26 August 2024 (8/10)

  The apartment was lovely – in the centre of Bordeaux. Easy walking distance to everything!
  
  What could be improved: We could have done with 2 separate beds in the 2nd bedroom for our girls rather than the one double which was prepared.

SURROUNDINGS