La Maison d'Estournel

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.

Review of La Maison d’Estournel, Bordeaux, France

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

Rooms at La Maison d’Estournel

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.

Read Also: Best Places to Visit in France

Amenities at La Maison d’Estournel

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.

Location

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).