The Sheraton Bordeaux Airport, in Mérignac, is a beautiful new hotel that raises the bar on the mediocre offer around the airport. So much so that I regret that it’s not right in the heart of the city!

When I was planning this trip to Bordeaux, I was surprised to see a brand-new Sheraton at Mérignac airport in the Marriott application, which I’d never even heard of! Impossible for me to ignore it. Arriving at the airport in the late afternoon, I found it more appropriate to spend a night there before heading for the city center the next morning, rather than going there on the way back and sacrificing a Saturday evening in the city center.

You’ll find all the articles about this Bordeaux getaway at the bottom of the page.

Booking

I booked a room at this hotel, which I had just found out about when booking a downtown hotel about three weeks before my trip. I took a Deluxe room at 112 euros per night.

Location of the hotel

The hotel is located on the airport platform, right next to the airport, so much so that you can walk to it.

For those who know the area, it’s at the roundabout just before the airport when arriving from Bordeaux.

However, access was not so easy when I first arrived, but that’s understandable and I don’t think you’ll face the same situation if you go there now.

Indeed, the hotel had only been open for a few weeks and was not signposted at all from the airport. Even for me, who knows this airport well, getting to the hotel on foot was quite complicated, firstly to find out when to reach the sidewalk from the parking lot, and secondly to cross the road once or twice, which takes a bit of courage to do.

Also, at that time, the streetcar didn’t go all the way to the airport, which is now the case. For those who don’t feel like walking (10-15 minutes), there’s now just one streetcar stop between the hotel and the airport.

Anyway, here’s the correct route (I made a mistake by going to the end of the parking lot, which meant I had to do some not-so-legal things to get back to the normal route.

Arrival at the hotel and check-in

I arrive at the hotel on foot from the airport. The building is brand-new, but it’s clear that not everything is up and running yet: the fountains aren’t working and the green spaces haven’t been planted.

I walk in and head for reception. It’s very pretty and has nothing to do with the old Sheratons that hurt the brand’s image.

In fact, I’ve noticed a convergence of styles between the new Sheraton, Courtyard and even Renaissance hotels.

The empty shelves make me think that the decoration isn’t finished either.

As for the lobby, it’s very pleasant and sunny.

The welcome at reception is very cordial and smiling. However, you can feel that the hotel is in soft opening: the receptionist is young and seems to me a little hesitant. A slightly more experienced colleague lets her do and only intervenes when necessary, and she’s right: it’s the best way to help people progress.

My membership of the loyalty program is not mentioned at all, no recognition, no mention. Something that usually horrifies me, but which I will gladly forgive, youthful error and lack of experience.

No upgrades either, even though the application indicates that suites are available. I’ll chat later with her more senior colleague, who’ll come to bring me a welcome service in my room and tell me that there was only one suite left, but with an air-conditioning problem, if I remember correctly. Either she’s bullshitting me or they shouldn’t leave it in the inventory (what happens if someone books it?) but I’m only half convinced and satisfied. At a glance, the floor plan shows 4 suites per floor, which makes 20 in a hotel that was virtually empty… Maybe not all the suites are finished?

She did, however, offer me the chance to visit a suite, which I declined, giving me the opportunity to return and see if it was a youthful flaw or a misguided marketing policy.

However, as the club lounge isn’t open yet, I’ll have a 20 euro voucher for the restaurant or bar.

So I will take possession of my room.

The room

The corridor leading to my room smells like new.

Once the door is open, you find yourself in a small corridor with the bedroom opposite and the bathroom to one side.

The room is really big for a standard room (the Deluxe is the hotel’s entry-level room).

The decor is sober and warm.

The desk is large (something I really appreciate) and has all the necessary connectivity and wireless charging.

Well, it’s not so much a desk but rather a multi-purpose chest. It’s impossible to sit comfortably and work on it because it’s low (or to fit your legs under it). Another hotel that’s not made for people who have to work a bit, it’s getting annoying but I’ve seen worse.

There’s also a cosy lounge area.

But not too suitable for working either, unless you want to wreck your back.

As always at Sheraton, the bedding is very comfortable, especially since it’s brand new.

The room is very sunny but the view…perfectible as things stand. Once they’ve planted some grass and trees, things will get better.

There’s a kettle and tea and coffee making facilities, but the minibar is empty. Weird for a new hotel: if they don’t want to provide this type of service, they might as well not install one.

The bathroom is beautiful and functional and the shower is large, but I regret the absence of a bathtub.

While I’m settling in, the slightly more experienced girl I saw at the reception desk brings me a welcome gift from the hotel’s pastry chef, accompanied by a word of welcome from the management. We’ll take advantage of the opportunity to chat a little, talk about the hotel and her experiences in other hotels in the group… Very pleasant.

And in the evening, when I go to bed, I’ll find this little gift left during the turndown service.

In bottom line, if you disregard the few imperfections typical of a soft opening, it’s a nice-sized, very pleasant room. My only regret is that hotels seem increasingly to forget that many guests need to work comfortably. In a Moxy it’s fine (even if..), but not in a Sheraton. I was told, however, that the suites had real desks.

Anyway, I’ll have a great night!

We end with the video visit.

Facilities

The hotel features a gym, spa and outdoor pool on the top floor. All three are grouped in the same place.

Gym

It’s on the top floor, large and very bright, as it opens onto the terrace where the swimming pool is located.

It’s very pleasant, with recent, if somewhat limited, equipment. If more than three people want to do something other than cardio, there’s bound to be a problem.

Spa

The gym leads to the spa, which in fact consists of a sauna and a hammam.

The gym leads to the spa, which in fact consists of a sauna and a steam room.

There are also showers.

Everything is clean and brand new.

Pool

And here’s the highlight: a superb outdoor swimming pool on the top floor! It too is accessible from the gym.

Here again, the soft opening effect is visible: no deckchairs and the lampposts are still lying on the ground. In any case, in April, if the sun is shining, I doubt the temperature will be conducive to swimming.

There’s also a jacuzzi, which wasn’t operational at the time of my visit.

From the pool you have a superb view of the runways and the planes taking off and landing. A real spot for avgeeks.

A really pleasant and differentiating quality facility.

Bar and restaurant

The hotel features a club lounge, a bar and a restaurant. Bar and restaurant are located next to the lobby.

Club lounge

It was not yet open during my stay.

Bar – Aperitif service

Located as an extension of the lobby, it is decorated in the same style. There’s a long bar and a cosy lounge area where you can sit facing the bay window.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they installed a nice terrace outside in the summer.

The staff are young and very friendly. Good service.

Restaurant l’Eden – Dinner service

The restaurant is an extension of the bar.

Once again, a beautiful, large room, again very bright.

The restaurant has a beautiful open kitchen.

Being an airport hotel restaurant, I don’t expect much. Burgers, a few classics and that’s it.

What a surprise when the menu was brought to me.

I place my order and they start by bringing me an amuse bouche with my aperitif: a carrot glazed with turmeric.

It’s fresh, quite nice.

Then the starter: Crispy prawns, garlic-orange-almond nougatine, apple-celery-grapefruit tartar, sweet garlic foam

First of all, it’s pleasantly presented.

The prawns are perfectly cooked. Delicious with the garlic foam. At first I found the tartare a little acidic, but this eventually faded.

In the end, it’s beautiful, good, fresh and tasty, with a fine balance between a wide variety of flavors.

Then the main course: Landes poultry, tequila-Espelette pepper bisque, crayfish, pak choi, fermented lemon condiment.

Again, a great effort in terms of presentation.

The meat is perfectly cooked but perhaps not hot enough. With the bisque and condiment, it’s quite surprising but perfectly balanced.

Once again, a beautiful, good dish with a perfect balance of unlikely flavors.

Surprise: they bring me a pre-dessert. A madeleine.

It’s as if covered by a cloud of lemon. Fresh and good.

Finally, dessert. Garden of Eden apple, caramelized apple-celery leaf, apple-cognac gel, vanilla mousse, green apple sorbet

Visually it’s beautiful, but in taste it’s a killer!

I won’t deny that I didn’t expect this at all in an airport hotel restaurant, where customers are often captive and have to make do with what they’re given. All the more so in provincial France.

When I signed my bill, the waiter confirmed that the chef had made great efforts on the menu to attract a clientele beyond that of the hotel. I think he succeeded.

The staff

Overall young but good service and, above all, very friendly and pleasant.

A few understandable hesitations during a soft opening period.

Staff in suits and sneakers at the bar and restaurant…Sheraton is getting a facelift and I really like it.

Check-out

I’ll do my check out on the Marriott mobile app and won’t have to go through the front desk.

I’ll be taking an Uber to the city center for the rest of my stay, but unfortunately the hotel is new and the app requires a pick-up from the airport (as is the case for businesses in this new business park). But a phone call to the driver will solve the problem.

Bottom line

An excellent surprise and a very nice experience, I didn’t expect this at all in an airport hotel. So much so, in fact, that I’m not ruling out a return visit, even though it would make more sense for me to stay in the city.

In fact, if it were in the city, this hotel would certainly be one of the two or three best in Bordeaux. After the indisputable Intercontinental Bordeaux (although I’m not a fan of the style and the rooms are tiny, plus it’s overpriced) and I don’t see what the Renaissance Bordeaux has that this hotel doesn’t (apart from the location, of course, and the year-round rooftop pool…).

But at 112 euros, i.e. half the Renaissance price, you might be tempted to sleep at the airport and take the streetcar to visit the city…

And if you have to sleep at the airport, the offer is so mediocre that this Sheraton is by far the best hotel on the platform.

Articles on this Bordeaux getaway

Review #	Type	Post
#1	Diary	Preparing a getaway in Bordeaux
#2	Hotel	Moxy Roissy
#3	Flight	Paris-Bordeaux – Air France – Economy
#4	Hotel	Sheraton Bordeaux Airport
#5	Hotel	Moxy Bordeaux
#6	Restaurant	Tentazioni Bordeaux
#7	Restaurant	L’entrecôte Bordeaux
#8	Restaurant	La Tupina Bordeaux
#9	Restaurant	L’Embarcadère Bordeaux
#10	Restaurant	Cromagnon Bordeaux
#11	Restaurant	Un Soir à Shibuya Bordeaux
#12	Restaurant	Maison Nouvelle Bordeaux
#13	Diary	Bordeaux travel guide
#14	Flight	Bordeaux-Paris – Air France – Economy
#15	Diary	Debriefing this stay in Bordeaux