Les Criquets Hotel & Spa

A clean, comfortable hotel with ample parking and it is a great alternative to central Bordeaux. The staff was super - I had a medical issue and they were very attentive and helped me get to doctor. I wish I could have stayed longer but I do hope to be back.

To begin with I am completely flummoxed by the reviews I have read about this hotel. How anyone can rate their experience here amazing is beyond me. Maybe they know something I don't?? They are incongruent with my experience but I see do mostly appear to be about the restaurant and NOT the hotel. To begin with on arrival.the first thing you notice is the neglected state of the building. Opened in 1971 and there doesn't appear to have been much investment since. Paint peeling off exterior walls and tired furniture. The welcome was excellent, very professional and friendly. The carpet in the public areas is old, looks dirty and unappealing. The rooms are very basic. Thin mattress and pillows. We had a pull out bed for our grand son which was very uncomfortable. Air conditioning is operated from reception and the 1 member of staff left at 7pm so we didn't use it. The pool area is very nice and has a hot tub and sauna . Please note that this is an adult 'quiet' area and therefore not suitable for children if they want to play. The exterior sun area is old and tatty and very unappealing. Lastly, the price is extortionate considering the standard of accommodation. We paid €223.99 for 1 night plus we were charged €77.98 commission for not staying the 4 nights. I was told that this charge was a charged to them by ********** but I had a chat with ********** about this and they contacted the hotel in an attempt to have this charge waived but told me that the hotel refused. In total we paid €305.97 breakfast not included. By comparison the 5* Chateau de La Rivere in the vineyards outside St Emilion charges €315 for a suite! I know where I would have preferred to have been. Despite feeling completely ripped off by this experience we called at the tourist office in Bordeaux and they were very helpful and were able to book us into far superior (and cheaper) accommodation for the remainder of our visit. Bordeaux and the wine area are amazing and despite this experience we had a wonderful trip.

A nice, small, family-owned hotel with a pool and spa area, and a restaurant with the most exquisite food. What I missed in the building was a lift - as all the rooms are on the first and second floors and I was not the only guest with bad knees or hips. Also the stairs to get into and out of the pool are very high and hard to climb for a slightly disadvantaged older person. The sauna door has a gap at the bottom which lets cold air flow in and prevents the sauna from getting hot enough to fulfil its purpose. So, there is room for improvement! But the wonderful dinner and the friendliness of the staff and owners made up for it.