La Maison Galiène

The owners were friendly and helpful, and the location was perfect for visiting Bordeaux. We had a fabulous duplex room, with twin beds upstairs and a double bed downstairs. It had a big bathroom with a double sink and huge windows. The old building has been converted into a B&B with refined decorations.

The room itself had several problems, and when I raised them, the staff said everything worked and blamed me. Two other guests also complained about the Wi-Fi, but the issue was still denied. The main light was out, the air conditioning barely worked, the internet crawled at night, and noise carried from upstairs and from cars outside because the windows are tiny. They were rude and defensive when I tried to discuss this, told me I was being “insulting,” and threatened legal action over my opinion. Parking was another mess. It costs €15 a night in cash only, and you have to hand your keys to a stranger so they can move the car. None of that was disclosed on the website. I would never have booked if I’d known, and it felt neither secure nor professional. The staff were passive-aggressive about other things too. When I asked for the Wi-Fi password, they sent me back to an earlier message, even after I twice said it wasn’t there. I declined breakfast at first, then changed my mind, but they made excuses about serving it despite it being included in the price, saying they didn’t want to waste food. This was one of the worst stays I’ve had. The place felt poorly run, with bad facilities and policies, and I won’t return. I’d tell anyone who values their money, time, and sanity to stay elsewhere.

Worked well for our group of 10. The kitchen has what you need, and every room has its own bathroom. There’s also an extra bedroom up in the attic. A washer and dryer would be a useful addition.

We’d happily come back. The place was beautiful and very clean, the continental breakfast was lovely, especially the fresh orange juice, and our hosts were friendly and helpful.