Le Boutique Hotel, Bordeaux, France

The first thing on my mind after stepping foot into Le Boutique Hotel in Bordeaux, France was that I had walked onto a location set for the movie, “Les Miz”. The little property nestled among the narrow streets of a city set in the 1800’s was seriously channeling the past.  An ornate sandstone exterior, so characteristic of the city’s grand residences, harbored a set of giant carved wooden doors with a gargantuan silver knocker. They opened into a vaulted marble vestibule. Beyond were a light filled atrium and a few steps up to the left a miniscule reception desk which led to a long winding staircase. The former family home was all really grand, so 200 years ago, yet with chic modern décor.

Peering out to the courtyard I spied the hotel’s popular Wine Bar situated in a greenhouse- like room at the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage classified structure. Beyond was a lush garden with tables and chairs in sharp black and white.  The atmosphere on this early Sunday night was noticeably convivial here in the wine capital of France. The furnishings in the glass enclosed room borrowed from quite a different time period, with more a Jazz Age feel, the big leather armchairs butting against gleaming chunky metal tables and minimalist lamps.  It struck me that someone with a very keen eye had curated the furnishings painstakingly, with a lean toward international vintage pieces, the kind you might discover at Paris’ Porte de Clignancourt flea market on the city’s outskirts (that is if you have a big enough budget). I half wondered what other surprises I’d find as I worked my way to my room.

Stepping into a tiny modern-day push button elevator installed at the base of the stairs (the only one possible as a result of the city’s status) I felt a bit like I was piloting my own little time machine. Up I went discovering a world that had truly paralleled history.  I later learned that the building did indeed date to the 18^th century and the majestic staircase spiraling through the center of it all flaunted a prestigious past.  I imagined Count Pierre-Denis Peyronnet, its original owner, rushing down the curling steps to conduct one of his famous poetry soirees as the address was a known rendezvous for high society and lured some of the great names of French literature like Victor Hugo. But for now I was merely getting to my room on the top floor (my bags had somehow vanished). Peering out of the glass enclosure over 4 floors I saw how this former private mansion, barely modified over decades, had comfortably retained its harmony with the past. But today’s savvy owners had wisely stylized the authenticity of the surroundings with updated takes on modern French decor.  No feeling of Marriot here, no sense of Hilton … no way, this was the real deal, and a real find!

True to the character of the address, owners Christophe and Marianna Grant- San José, fell in love with the history and soul of the place, preserving its spirit while giving free rein to their love for contemporary design. All the accommodations are unique and follow a common theme paying tribute to Bordeaux wines and vineyards with rooms named after the region’s famous chateaux.  My door had a little brass plaque that read “Chateau Pape Clement”.  I slipped the big solid metal key into the latch and turned it till it clicked. Inside the sprawling “appartement” sported almost 1,000 square feet of space with 2 big bedrooms (wow factor accent colors a big plus), a fully loaded kitchen and a petite balcony at the top of a winding staircase leading down to the garden. The views stretched above and beyond the rooftops of Bordeaux.  Again, I felt like I had stepped back on that movie set, the giant original latched doors and windows with antique iron hardware a real novelty (I became fascinated with those mechanisms).  And my bags were right at the entrance waiting for me.

The ensuing days were idyllic.  Morning coffee on the terrace (coffee maker AND fresh coffee in the apartment of course), a long shower in the tremendous walk-in rain shower (to get the wine out of my head), a little morning news on the giant 64” flat screen TV in the living room, breakfast in the “glass box” downstairs with fresh squeezed orange juice (rare in France unless you’re in the south), then a full day of shopping the city and experiencing the awesome museums, like the brand new La Cité du Vin. The hotel gave me a sense of place. I felt I belonged and that is quite a special feeling in a French city.  And when I returned well after dusk, I had more fantastic wines to sip at The Wine Bar … as well as people to meet.

Returning to Chateau Pape Clement later in the evening, I found I longed to stay awake and study the city from a distance on my little terrace. Finally, preparing to dim the lights for sleep after another sunny day in Bordeaux, I spied a little black book marker at bedside.  “Bonne lecture” (Good reading), it read, the image of a white quill pen surrounded by an artistic grillwork flourish … perhaps courtesy of the Count?  Oh well, I guess I can stay up just a wee half-hour more and see what I can find on poetry.com.  Who knows who I might impress at The Wine Bar tomorrow?

*All photos courtesy of Le Boutique Hotel