Experience the epitome of French luxury at La Maison d'Estournel, where opulent comfort meets the rich heritage of Bordeaux winemaking.
Saint-Estèphe, France
Nestled in Bordeaux's wine heartland, La Maison d'Estournel offers a luxurious retreat combining comfort with the elegance of vineyard life. Sumptuous rooms, exquisite dining, and bespoke amenities, including an outdoor pool and fitness center, ensure an indulgent stay amidst the tranquility of historic wineries and sprawling estates.
Essential Information
Route de Poumeys «Leyssac»
Saint-Estèphe, France
+33 5 56 59 30 25
Number of Hotel Rooms: 14
Bordeaux is one of the leading wine regions in the world. So, when planning a trip to legendary vineyards, I wanted to find a luxurious place to stay that offered comfort. Voila! La Maison d’Estournel turned out to be a wonderful hidden gem.
As I walked through the doors, I knew La Maison d’Estournel would exceed expectations. I was greeted by friendly staff who promptly took my bags and prepared the room as I arrived early.
There is no lobby. You walk right into the dining area, which leads outside to an expansive lawn with elephant statues and a vineyard. To the left is the menu board for the day. To the right is a sumptuous sitting room with books from the past 200 years and several games for a rainy day.
I first stopped and had lunch. I tried the roasted leek, followed by the mushroom risotto. Since La Maison d’Estournel is associated with its winery, Cos d’Estournel, I had to try the wine too.
See Related: Hotel Ritz Paris Review
After lunch, I was escorted to my room. We ventured down a hallway filled with old pictures.
Then, after using a large metal key, I went into my very own bedroom with views over the lawn. The room is well decorated. The art is fun and inventive, and small design touches make all the difference, like this mirror with webbed feet next to the welcome treat:
The curtains are darling and block out the sun so you can sleep late. The beds are comfortable and made fresh for you daily. And there are plenty of pillows to spare. You can always ask for extras, too.
The rooms are spacious and have almost everything you need. There is a coffee/tea machine, a safe, storage for clothing, a TV, and plenty of toiletries. My room had no refrigerator, which I never needed, but some may miss. And, of course, excellent wifi.
The shower, though, is incredible. It is like stepping under a waterfall. The bathroom is modern and, although snug, has all the essentials, including a Dyson hairdryer with accessories for use.
The towels are soft, the toiletries smell like heaven, and the robes are cozy. And most importantly, the rooms are spotless. Every corner of the room was taken care of.
Provided its boutique size, La Maison d’Estournel has splendid amenities. The sitting room has books and games to pass the time leisurely. The onsite restaurant is essential given the location, and is quite good. Each day, they handwrite the menu on a board near the restaurant.
I stayed for three nights, and the menu didn’t change much. My favorite menu item was the foie gras, followed by the leek. My friends loved the ceviche.
The dining area is lovely. Plush chairs with pillows and art all around. Here, they serve breakfast, which is self-serve, with custom eggs, lunch, and dinner. They also serve meals outside on the terrace.
In addition to the restaurant, La Maison d’Estournel has a brand-new fitness center with many different machines.
Right outside of the fitness center is a beautiful new pool. It is so easy to lay under the shade by the pool and enjoy La Maison d’Estournel’s wine. So, bring a good book to pass the time here.
There are more amenities to take advantage of. The staff will help with dinner recommendations and reservations, finding transportation (only high-end professional drivers), and anything else you need.
The hotel also has e-bikes for rent to take in the French countryside. The last part to mention isn’t an amenity, but it is definitely important. That is Cos d’Estournel, the winery that the hotel stems from.
The winery has been around since the mid-1700s and is still considered one of the top wines in Bordeaux. Most of their bottles sell for over $200, even at the hotel.
La Maison d’Estournel can help schedule a wine tasting and tour of the winery. There are several tours for different budgets where you can taste up to six wines. Out of our tasting, I enjoyed the 2017 Cos d’Estournel Blanc.
La Maison d’Estournel is nestled among some incredible wineries, including its own, Cos d’Estournel. It is about an hour and twenty minutes from the Bordeaux airport. You will need transportation or a car rental to get here—La Maison d’Estournel partners with drivers who can assist you in advance.
But being in the heart of wine does make it difficult to travel. There isn’t much to walk to. They have e-bikes available for rent, which would make it easy to go into one of the nearby towns like Pauillac (about a 20-minute bike ride).
Alex is a travel writer for ViaTravelers currently living in Amsterdam. She has lived in three countries, 4 states, and visited over 15 countries worldwide. She enjoys top-tier restaurants, old books, and uncovering historic sites around the globe. She specializes in European destinations, particularly her favorites, Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna and is an expert at family travel after visiting 12 countries and 13 national parks before her daughter turned 2 years old.
Hey, looking for more amazing things to do in France? We have plenty of posts about this beautiful country. Check them out here: