Yndo Hotel – 5*

REGION: Bordeaux
ATMOSPHERE : City
STYLE : Secret hideout
CATEGORY : 5*
ROOMS : 12 rooms and suites

A Design Hideaway

Some addresses are rarely shared, because those who discover them want to keep them confidential and above all… available! For the Yndo, a 5* hotel in Bordeaux, the secret is officially out. This is a well-known stayover among company leaders, stars, and lovers of luxury hotels with strong personalities. The inability to miss lies with the inimitable hostess, former Biarritz resident Agnès Guiot du Doignon, who has designed a spectacular, singular hotel, just a stone’s throw from Place Gambetta, in which to track down and appreciate some fantastic pieces of contemporary design in situ.

It couldn’t all be a matter of happy luck, could it? Hubert Le Gall’s whale armchairs, Marcel Wanders rugs, Tom Dixon lighting fixtures, seats and beds by the Campana brothers, Edra sofas, ceramics by the Cazaux family, creations by the Bouroullec brothers, Jaime Hayon furniture… An eclectic, exceptional collection that sets off the moldings and woodwork (painted in shades of purple by the painter Anne Gomez) of the building, which was built in the nineteenth century with timeless panache.

12 BEDROOMS AND SUITES, ALL DIFFERENT, are scattered throughout the outbuildings and floors. Need some peace and quiet? Head over to the “secret room” on the garden level and enjoy its hidden terrace. Want a little more space? Try a “cozy room” in the main building or in the former stables; or even one of the “so chic suites”, decorated with works of art and select furniture. Looking for fun? Opt for a “crazy room”, with beams, exposed stones and a touch of folly. You can choose between an “exotico-futurist” atmosphere around the Campana brothers’ four-poster bed or a “pinky pop” vibe from another duo of designers, the Bouroullecs, whose enveloping seats (Vitra’s Slow Chair) sit under a collection of bright pink half-spheres, as if straight out of the sixties.

THE SERVICE, HALFWAY BETWEEN THE CONVIVIALITY OF A TABLE D’HÔTE AND THE DISTINCTION OF A PALACE, is experienced in delivering delight during carefully prepared aperitifs served at the foot of the magnolia tree in the paved interior courtyard, at Agnès’ very private table, or when handing over fresh pasta with lemon via room service. Chic, refined and inspiring, this is a fabulous, unique urban retreat.

To do

• An exceptional dinner with local products (oysters from the Parc de l’Impératrice by oyster farmer Joël Dupuch, fresh homemade pasta, farm grown chicken…) to be enjoyed in the dining room, at the Table d’Agnès, or in your room.
• Taste great Bordeaux wines in the courtyard, take inspired breaks in the lounges, head out into the city and beyond on a bike tour (provided by the hotel)
• Ask for the hotel’s secret address book to discover the best that the city of Bordeaux has to offer

The surrounding area

• Museums (Decorative Arts and Design, Science and Nature Museum, CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art, Aquitaine Museum…)
• Strolls around the Dijeaux gate, the Palais Gallien, the Quinconces, Tourny, Parliament, Bourse, Gambetta squares…
• Walk along the Garonne and discover Bordeaux’s famous water mirror (Miroir d’eau)
• Terraces, cafés, delicacies at all hours (don’t miss the cannelés or the dunes blanches, a kind of chouquette filled with whipped cream imported from Cap Ferret)
• Spend an evening at the Opera, which is very close by