La Villa Premayac

The €150 Smartbox didn’t feel worth that price. The address on the box was wrong, and when I arrived at 5:45 p.m., the manager said the included winery tour had been scheduled for 5:30. I told him I hadn’t received any details, but he insisted he’d emailed me. I checked, and he hadn’t. He rearranged it for 10:30 a.m. the next day. When we left that morning, nobody was at reception. I found a note with my name and a change of tour time to 11 a.m. We’d been asked the day before what time we wanted breakfast, and I’d said 8 a.m. He could have told us about the change while we ate. The room’s air conditioning was very noisy and the bed uncomfortable. Breakfast was the worst part. It was labeled homemade, but didn’t seem homemade at all. During an August heatwave, nothing was kept cold: yogurts, cheese, open jam jars, fruit with midges on it and gone rotten, orange juice that wasn’t homemade, milk, and pastries were all left out. There are so many cats in the garden that sitting outside wouldn’t appeal if you dislike cats or are allergic. The free parking nearby was the one positive. The winery tour itself was wonderful, though, with a beautiful vineyard explained by someone passionate about his work. A real favorite!

The welcome was perfect, and there’s free parking nearby. It’s within walking distance of the Vauban citadel and restaurants. Inside, the house is magnificent and tastefully decorated, with a lovely shaded garden. Our room was comfortable, had a good bed, and was very well equipped. Breakfast was generous. What a lovely surprise as I walked in!

The homemade breakfast was a real disappointment. The bread and pastries were soggy, and the orange juice didn’t taste fresh at all. The rooms are lovely and look out over the garden, though they aren’t very soundproof, and the bedding is so soft it probably needs replacing. It’s a beautiful Bordeaux townhouse in a great spot, only 300m from the estuary.

The room and bathroom were spacious, and the hotel is close to the city center. But €124 felt like poor value for a room with no fan or air conditioning, especially as it was excessively hot. There happened to be a concert at the local café that evening, though I can’t blame the owners for that. Breakfast was very basic, and parking was only available on the street. To me, the place is worth no more than €80.