ibis Bordeaux Lac

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to the ibis Bordeaux Lac on Rue du petit Barail, I wasn’t expecting much. It’s got that modern chain hotel look, you know what I mean? But honestly, this place surprised me in the best way possible.

The thing about staying here is you’re actually in the Lac district, which most tourists completely skip – and that’s kind of the beauty of it. You’re about 15 minutes from the old town center, but you get to see how locals actually live in Bordeaux. There’s this massive lake (hence the name) just a short walk away where people jog in the mornings and families have picnics on weekends. I mean, it’s not exactly picturesque like the Garonne riverfront, but it’s real Bordeaux life. The tram line 1 stops practically at your doorstep, so getting into the city center is actually pretty painless – though fair warning, those trams get packed during rush hour.

What really got me about this ibis was how they’ve managed to make a 3-star chain feel… well, not sterile. The lobby has this warm wood thing going on, and the staff – honestly, they seemed to genuinely care about helping you figure out the city. My room was smallish (it’s an ibis, what do you expect?) but cleverly designed. The bed was surprisingly comfortable – I’m talking good sleep, not that weird too-soft hotel bed nonsense. The bathroom was compact but functional, with one of those rainfall showerheads that actually had decent pressure. You can hear some traffic noise from the street, but it’s not the kind that keeps you up at night. The air conditioning worked well too, which was clutch during my July visit when Bordeaux was basically melting.

Here’s what I really appreciated though – the breakfast. Yeah, it’s continental, but they had local pastries that actually tasted like they came from a real bakery, not some industrial kitchen. Plus real coffee, not that bitter hotel swill. Parking was free and easy, which if you’ve ever tried to park in central Bordeaux, you’ll know is worth its weight in wine. Speaking of wine – there’s this little cave à vin about two blocks away where the owner will talk your ear off about local vintages if you’re into that sort of thing.

The area gets pretty quiet after business hours since it’s more residential, but that meant I could actually sleep instead of dealing with drunk tourists stumbling around outside. During the day, you’ve got everything you need within walking distance – a Carrefour for snacks, a few decent bistros, and that lake I mentioned for when you need to escape the city buzz for a minute.

Would I stay here again? Absolutely. It’s not going to blow your mind with luxury, but for the price point and that solid 8 rating it’s earned, the ibis Bordeaux Lac delivers exactly what you want from a good base camp. You get clean, comfortable, reliable accommodations with easy city access, plus you experience a slice of Bordeaux that most visitors never see. Sometimes that’s worth more than marble bathrooms and overpriced minibars.

Early hotels booking in Bordeaux is essential during major events like the Wine Festival, as accommodations fill up quickly with visitors eager to experience the city’s renowned vineyards and gastronomy.

Rooms

• Standard Double Room with 1 double bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Standard Room with 1 double bed and sofa with 1 double bed and 1 sofa bed for 2 adults, 1 child
• Standard Twin Room with 2 single beds for 2 adults, 1 child
• Two Double Rooms next to each other with 2 double beds for 4 adults

Reviews

• Luana from Spain (9/10)

  Nice hotel, comfortable bed, clean, spacious room, very friendly staff. Beautiful sunsets over the lake from the hotel room window. Great value for the price.

• Kemberly from Malta (7/10)

  The location is just in from of the tram station.. room is in good size and its clean..the staff are friendly..

• Terence from United Kingdom (7/10)

  Room size. Modern clean comfortable

• Heidi from United Kingdom (8/10)

  The room was nice and big, parking was secure, breakfast very nice, the staff was friendly and spoke good English.

• Sandra from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Brilliant stopover hotel for travelling through France .Close to the motorway /ringroad.Lovely staff and great service.Excellent choice at breakfast..Nice restaurant with good menu for dinner.

• Allison from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Friendly staff, great breakfast, great transport links for centre of Bordeaux

• Duncan from United Kingdom (7/10)

  Good location secure parking same as all the other ibis

• Brenda from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Good sized comfortable room.
  Great location with tram stop across the road. Also excellent for a stopover night.
  Staff were very friendly and helpful.
  Restaurant was very good and excellent value.

• Conway from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Just off the motorway.
  Restaurant on site
  Good breakfast
  Dog friendly

• Irene from Portugal (9/10)

  Good location good breakfast

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities