Bordeaux Bliss: Eklo Hotel's Chic Bastide Escape
Bordeaux Bliss: Eklo Hotel - A Review from a Slightly Disorganized but Enthusiastic Traveler
Okay, buckle up, buttercups, because I'm still buzzing from my recent trip to Bordeaux and the whole experience was, dare I say, blissful. And that's largely thanks to the Eklo Hotel, this chic bastide escape tucked away in the heart of the city. Let's be real, I'm not exactly a "travel blogger" type. I'm more of a "pack-too-much-and-forget-half-of-it" kind of traveler, but I'm here to tell you, Eklo Hotel nailed it.
First off, a confession: usually accessibility details are a blur to me. I’m fit and able-bodied. But, since I’m trying to be thorough, I did notice the Eklo seemed pretty decent in that area. Wheelchair accessible? Yep, looked like it. Elevator? Absolutely. And they even had facilities for disabled guests listed! Good on ya, Eklo. I'm learning to notice these things, even if I don't need them. It's just… good hospitality.
Now, onto the good stuff. The real good stuff.
The Vibe: Imagine a modern, minimalist haven that still manages to feel warm and inviting. That's Eklo. The décor is clean and stylish, with pops of color that make you feel instantly relaxed. It's a world away from the fussy, overly-decorated hotels I usually end up in. (Seriously, who needs all those doilies?!) My room? Non-smoking, thank heavens. Had a great bathroom with a shower. And a window that opens! Crucial for fresh air after a long day of wine tasting (more on that later). I think there was an alarm clock too, though who needs one with a phone that's constantly buzzing?
Rooms & Comfort: I went with a room with an air conditioner. Absolute must, in the Bordeaux summer heat, or I'd be a sweaty, grumpy mess. The blackout curtains were a lifesaver for sleeping in (because, wine). Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! No fighting for bandwidth in the lobby – thank goodness. There was complimentary tea, which I appreciated, even if I mostly stuck to the coffee maker. I loved that the desk was functional and I could do some writing on my laptop as the laptop workspace was super helpful.
Cleanliness & Safety: This is where Eklo truly shone. I felt incredibly safe and secure. Anti-viral cleaning products? Check. Daily disinfection in common areas? Check. Staff trained in safety protocol? Absolutely. Felt like they were operating at a level above most hotels. I also found that my room was sanitized between stays and you could even request the room sanitization opt-out available to save a little cash, bonus!. Hand sanitizer everywhere! And they had the cashless payment service available. They’re taking this seriously, and it put my mind at ease.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Oh, the food! This is where I truly lost myself (and maybe added a pound or two). Eklo's restaurant has it all. The breakfast [buffet] was a glorious spread, with everything from croissants to fresh fruit to a real Western breakfast. They also have an Asian breakfast, but look, I was in France, so… croissants, always. You could get breakfast in room too. I enjoyed the bottle of water I was offered, perfect after a night of… well, wine (again).
And the poolside bar? Don't even get me started. Sitting there, sipping a perfectly chilled glass of local rosé, watching the sun set over the city… pure magic. They had a snack bar so I could grab a quick bite between swimming. Coffee/tea in restaurant was available. And let's not forget the dessert. Desserts in restaurant were delectable. Yes, I'm guilty of sampling everything.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: Let's just say, you won't get bored. The swimming pool [outdoor] with its Pool with view was idyllic! Definitely a highlight. The gym/fitness looked good, but, let's be honest, the only exercise I did was waving my fork around. They go Spa/sauna so that's a bonus.
Services & Conveniences: These guys thought of everything. There's luggage storage, a concierge for any questions. The contactless check-in/out was a lifesaver. You could even get dry cleaning done.
Getting Around: They had car park [free of charge]. You could even rent a bike. It's great, but Bordeaux is so walkable. I would recommend putting on shoes that are made for walk, with good support.
The Big Moment: My Unexpected Spa Day
I swear, I wasn't even planning on going to the spa, but one afternoon, after a particularly enthusiastic wine tasting session (ahem), I thought "why not?". The Eklo spa is small but perfectly formed. I sprung for a massage, and oh. My. Goodness. It was a truly transcendent experience. The masseuse, a woman named Isabelle, was an absolute wizard. All the stress and tension of… well, just everything just melted away. I emerged feeling like a new human. Consider this my rave review for the Spa. It was the best massage I've ever had. I was so relaxed I went back to just sleep.
The (Minor) Imperfections:
Okay, so here's the truth: no place is perfect. The hallways weren’t the widest. And the coffee shop was small, but I didn't really care. I was too busy soaking up the French joie de vivre.
In Conclusion:
Eklo Hotel offers a fantastic package. This place isn’t just a hotel; it's an experience. It’s a chic, stylish, and incredibly comfortable base for exploring Bordeaux. It’s a place where you can relax, unwind, and truly feel like you're on vacation. It’s a place where even a slightly disheveled traveler like myself can feel like they've stumbled upon a little slice of heaven.
My Recommendation: Book It. Now.
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Tired of Ordinary Hotels? Discover Eklo Hotel's Chic Bastide Escape in Bordeaux!
Are you searching for a stylish hotel in Bordeaux that combines modern comfort with authentic French charm? Look no further than Eklo Hotel! Our review reveals the ultimate Bordeaux experience, offering everything you need for a perfect getaway.
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- Stylish & Modern Design: Experience a chic, minimalist aesthetic that creates a relaxing atmosphere.
- Unbeatable Location: Explore the heart of Bordeaux with easy access to top attractions, including [mention specific attractions].
- Exceptional Cleanliness & Safety: Relax with our top-notch hygiene protocols, including anti-viral cleaning and staff trained in safety. Perfect for the health-conscious traveler!
- Delicious Dining: Indulge in a delectable breakfast buffet (including Western and Asian options!) at our restaurant or enjoy a poolside bar.
- Relaxing Spa & Pool: Unwind with our sauna, massage, and outdoor swimming pool with a view. Perfect for couples, families, or solo travelers!
- Accessibility & Convenience: We offer wheelchair accessible rooms, an elevator, and a range of services to make your stay as smooth as possible. And Free Wi-Fi!
- Perfect for All Travelers: Family-friendly, with kids facilities, and a focus on creating a welcoming environment for couples and solo travelers alike.
Book Your Bordeaux Adventure Today!
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Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this ain't your grandma's itinerary. We're going to Bordeaux, baby! Eklo Bordeaux Centre Bastide, here we come. Prepare for a glorious mess, a symphony of slightly-off timing, and a whole lotta wine-soaked existential pondering.
The "Probably-Not-Gonna-Stick-to-This-Exactly" Itinerary: Bordeaux Bound!
Day 1: Arrival, Confusion, and Croissants (Mostly the Confusion)
- Morning (8:00 AM - ish): Touch down at Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport. Jet lag? Oh honey, jet lag is understatement of the century. My brain feels like a scrambled egg trying to comprehend French. I'm pretty sure I mumbled "Bonjour… baguette?" to the customs officer. He just sighed. Probably used to it.
- Getting Around (9:30 AM - 10:30 AM): Find the tram to Eklo. This, my friends, is where the real fun begins. Let's just say, the tram map, while beautiful, might as well be written in hieroglyphics. After much frantic pointing and a generous helping of broken French ("Excusez-moi… gare?"), I eventually stumble onto the right line. The journey? A blur of cobblestone streets, charming (and judging) French faces, and the growing suspicion that my suitcase is about to explode.
- Check-in & Room Revelation (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Finally! Eklo Bordeaux Centre Bastide. Pretty cool looking, I guess. Receptionist is impossibly stylish and speaks English that puts mine to shame. My room: small. My mood: slightly defeated. But hey, the window looks out onto…something. Probably a street. Could be worse.
- Lunch & First Bite of France (12:30 PM - 2:00 PM): Okay, sustenance is needed. Desperately. I stumble upon a little boulangerie nearby. The aroma of freshly baked bread almost brings tears to my eyes. Order a croissant (because, cliché, obviously), a ham and cheese sandwich (for stability) and a coffee (to jolt my brain back into functioning). The croissant? The best damn croissant I've ever had. The sandwich? Standard. The coffee? Made me feel like I could conquer France.
- Afternoon Walkabout & "Lost in the Bastide" (2:30 PM - 5:00 PM): Time to wander. I emerge, ready to explore. The Bastide district is lovely, all tree-lined streets and handsome buildings. I immediately get lost. Miserably and gloriously lost. I stop at a little park, watch some kids playing, and feel inexplicably melancholic. This is the beauty of travel, isn't it? A mix of awe, wonder, and a healthy dose of "where the hell am I?"
- Wine, Cheese, and a Moment of Truth (5:30 PM - 8:00 PM): Okay, let's be real. We're in Bordeaux. Wine is the priority. Find a little wine bar. Order a glass of something red (was it Merlot? Cabernet Sauvignon? Who cares!). Pair it with some cheese. The cheese guy is clearly judging my choices and knows more about cheese than I know about my own name. But I don't care. I sit outside, people-watching, and take a moment to just be. It's moments like these, when the travel chaos melts away, that I remember why I bother with any of this.
- Dinner Debacle (8:30 PM): Finding a restaurant is another adventure - and I am not good at it. The first place, I had a terrible time finding it. I looked like a clown in the street. I felt silly in my attempts to understand menu. The waiter was kind, or at least patient. I probably ordered wrong, but I ate it anyway.
Day 2: Wine, Bridges (and a touch of existential dread)
- Morning (9:00 AM): Coffee and a quick jaunt to the river. The Garonne river is beautiful. Seeing the bridge in the hazy morning light, I am filled with joy, but also, you know, the standard existential dread of being a human being in a vast universe.
- Wine Tour (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM): This is it, the big kahuna, the reason we all came to Bordeaux. A wine tour in the Saint-Émilion region. We're talking vineyards, châteaux, and likely, copious amounts of wine. This is the moment I embrace the tourist clichés, the "oohs" and "aahs," and the inevitable tipsy giggles.
- The first chateau: Stunning, elegant, rich history. We learn about the grape varieties, the terroir, the whole shebang. The wine? Divine. Honestly, I think I was already swooning after the first sip. The tour guide? French perfection personified. I'm half-convinced he's a vampire, so elegant and polished.
- Lunch in the Vineyard: We were treated to a traditional French lunch in the middle of the vineyard. The landscape - rolling green hills, endless rows of grapevines, and a clear blue sky. The air was fresh, the bread was amazing, and the wines just kept flowing. We get to talking. My travel companion is also a wine enthusiast. The conversation turned from lighthearted chatter to deep philosophical questions about life, the universe, and everything. "Wine encourages deep thoughts, and I love it," she said.
- The second chateau: More wine, a slightly less refined experience (we're starting to get a little less coordinated), and I may or may not have attempted to speak French to a wine-vender. He did not understand me. But it was fun! My judgment is deteriorating with each sip of wine. We are happy and chatty.
- Evening (7:00 PM - onward): Back in Bordeaux, a very necessary nap. Then, a wander along the river with the sunset. The bridges look magical. Dinner in a small, rustic bistro. I'm probably going to try to speak more French, fail hilariously, and love every second of it.
Day 3: "Almost" a Local and Farewell
- Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Time to try to be a local. Find a local market. I’m not sure what to buy. Try to buy some fruit and vegetables and somehow almost get into an argument with a stern-looking French woman. She was right, though, I was reaching for the wrong-looking tomatoes.
- Afternoon (1:00 PM -3:00 PM): Back to the hotel where I packed and got ready for the transfer.
- Departure (4:00 PM): Head back to the airport. The city's already fading as the taxi pulls away. Did I see everything? Nope. Perfect trip? Absolutely not. But was it me? Damn right. Bordeaux, you crazy, beautiful city, you've been a blast. And I'll be back, because I have unfinished business with that croissant and a whole lot of wine.
Bordeaux Bliss: Eklo Hotel - You've Got Questions, I've Got... Opinions. (Mostly Good Ones, Okay?)
Okay, so, Eklo Bordeaux… What's the *actual* vibe? Like, is it Instagrammable or what?
Alright, REAL TALK. Yes. YES! It's ridiculously photogenic. Like, you walk in, and it’s all clean lines, that minimalist-chic thing that screams 'I'm cultured and sleep well.' Think lots of blonde wood, pops of color, and an overall 'French magazine' aesthetic. But here’s the kicker: it’s not *just* for the 'gram. It feels… *inviting*. Like, I felt less pressure to pose and more pressure to, you know, actually *enjoy* myself. Which, spoiler alert, I did.
My friend, Sarah (who's basically a professional Instagrammer), was OBSESSED. She spent a solid hour just photographing the lobby furniture. I, on the other hand, was busy fighting off a sugar craving fueled by way too many breakfast pastries. Priorities, people. Priorities.
The rooms! Tell me about the rooms! Are they tiny shoe boxes? I’m claustrophobic.
Look, "tiny shoe box" is a valid fear. Been there, lived it, cried about it (okay, maybe not *cried*, but definitely muttered under my breath). But Eklo? Nope. They're clever. They're efficient. They're not *massive luxury suites,* let's be real. But they're smart. They've maximized space. Think comfy beds, well-designed storage (thank GOD), and a surprisingly decent-sized bathroom. I had a view of the courtyard (lucky me!), and while it wasn’t the Eiffel Tower (wrong city!), it was pleasant.
Now, here's a confession: I’m a total slob. I leave clothes everywhere. I spill things. I'm the nightmare guest. But even *I* managed to keep my room tidy. That says something, right? That’s a real endorsement. It truly did not feel like a closet, even with my mess… well, mostly.
Breakfast? Crucial. What's the breakfast situation like?
Oh. My. GOD. The breakfast. Okay, so it's not a full-blown, five-star buffet with a chef carving up a roast (which is not to say I wouldn’t be happy with a chef). But it's *perfectly* adequate. And maybe even... sublime.
There were fresh croissants (SO good, I might have eaten four in one sitting), pain au chocolat (a must), yogurt, fruit, cereal, and, importantly, a decent coffee machine. Oh, and this one little jar of apricot jam... I still dream of it. Honestly, I'd go back just for the breakfast. Seriously. It ruined me for all future breakfasts. And I'm still trying to replicate that jam. No luck.
The only slight downside? It can get a little crowded at peak times. But hey, that's a small price to pay for carb-loaded happiness, right? And I'm not usually a morning person so the fact I even showed up at breakfast is a miracle.
Location, location, location! Is it actually near anything interesting?
The Eklo is in the Bastide district, which is on the right bank of the Garonne river. It's away from the immediate tourist crush, which is a *huge* win in my book. It’s a nice short walk across the bridge to the main attractions. And what's better, the tram is right outside. The tram is the PERFECT way to get around. Seriously!
We took the tram to the city center, went to a wine tasting in a *boulevard*, and did a little bit of shopping. I felt like a local, a cool local. Okay, maybe I got a little lost once (blame Google Maps!), but overall, the location is absolutely brilliant. It’s close enough to everything you want to see, but far enough away to escape the hordes. Win-win.
Okay, but are there any *actual* downsides? Like, any dealbreakers?
Alright, let's be real. Perfection is a myth, right? (Unless we're talking about that jam, then it's basically divine.) There were a couple of minor things.
First, the air conditioning… sometimes a bit too eager to blast you into a frozen state. And the walls aren’t the thickest. (I blame the trendy minimalist design; gotta save on the walls, I guess.) I did hear the couple next door, which, well, let’s just say I learned *way* more about their love life than I bargained for. Ahem.
Other than that? Honestly, not much to complain about. Okay, I also slightly missed having a full-service restaurant *in* the hotel (though there are plenty of options nearby!), but really, those are tiny quibbles.
The biggest "downside" overall? Having to leave! I was genuinely a little sad to check out. I’d happily go back in a heartbeat, and I’m already planning my return.
Let's get real: Is it good value for the money?
ABSOLUTELY. Look, I’m not made of money, although I wish I were. Eklo is a great bang for your buck. It's modern, clean, well-located, and the breakfast is basically worth the price of admission alone. It's not budget-level *cheap*, but it's well-priced for what you get. I'd say it's a steal for a quality stay in a city as gorgeous as Bordeaux. Considering the experience, the location, and that jam, I'd say it's one of the best value hotels I've stayed at in a long while. Book it. Seriously. Now. Before I go and take over every room.
