For this trip to the Centre-Val de Loire region, I specifically referred to Trip.com's recommendations and chose the Mercure Bourges Bourbon—a 4-star historic hotel converted from a centuries-old monastery. To sum it up in one sentence: It's not 5-star, but it's better than 5-star! 🌿
📍 **Perfect location**
The hotel is right in the middle between the old town of Bourges and the train station. It's about a 6-minute walk to the old town and only 14 minutes to the Bourges Cathedral on the hill. It's super convenient for both sightseeing and catching a train, so you don't have to drag your luggage very far.
🌸 **A surprise surrounded by floral scents**
The building is a centuries-old monastery, but the interior is newly renovated, fresh, and elegant. What struck me most is that the front door opens to a white rose garden. When we visited, the white roses were in full bloom, and the delicate floral fragrance filled the entire courtyard. The back door leads to a large private garden with flowers in full bloom, where the outdoor areas of the restaurant and bar are hidden among the blossoms. Just a dozen meters across the street is the main garden of Bourges, with fountains spraying, beautiful as paradise!
💐 **The architecture itself is the most beautiful scenery**
The indoor part of the restaurant is converted from the main hall of the monastery, which is grand and has a stunning sense of space! The breakfast variety is rich, and the lunch tastes top-notch. There are also London plane trees planted at the front and back doors that are taller than an 18-story building—the tallest plane trees I've ever seen in France. It was an absolute eye-opener!
💛 **Great service quality**
From check-in to dining, every staff member was enthusiastic, thoughtful, and attentive. It's not a 5-star hotel, but the experience is on par with one. It can be called a super garden-style historic hotel~
📝 **Stay tips**
1️⃣ There is a parking lot at the front door, which is very convenient for self-driving. I recommend taking a moment to enjoy the white rose garden
2️⃣ The outdoor area of the restaurant and bar is in the back garden. If the weather is nice, you must have a drink in the garden
3️⃣ If you want to take great French garden photos, the white roses and the fountain garden are excellent backgrounds. This is a hidden gem for photos
4️⃣ Since the building itself is a converted monastery, you can take a look at the design of the restaurant's main hall; it has a strong sense of history