Hôtel La Zoologie

I booked this hotel because of the proximity to the train station. Unfortunately, although it appears on a map to be fairly close, it is very difficult to walk there from the station, particularly if you have substantial luggage. The sidewalks and roads surrounding the hotel are under construction which makes it difficult to walk and also impossible for an Uber or taxi to approach the property. Note there is virtually no exterior signage, so identifying the property on a first visit is, well, challenging. Also, there is the matter of noise. The hotel is directly adjacent to a school/day-care and the children are yelling (screaming) constantly. That may not be a problem on weekends, but during the week the noise was constant until 18:00 making an afternoon nap impossible. The staff was very nice and understanding but, obviously, they were helpless to deal with any of the issues noted.

Nice architecture. Great breakfast buffet. Lovely decoration.

This is a truly unique hotel - the architecture is stunning. Staff very pleasant and helpful. Wasn’t quite so comfortable with the location so ate in the restaurant both nights. Food was excellent.

We found our stay at the Zoologie a little disappointing. The building is beautiful and the location is reasonable, but the service levels at the hotel let it down. - Spa information is not clearly communicated - guests are not informed that they have to book in advance and the free period is not well communicated upon arrival - Room service took 40 minutes for a cheese plate + drinks - Inexplicably, loud music being played at 0300 despite the bar closing at midnight. It took too long after being woken up, phoning the front desk and asking them to stop before it eventually did - Staff generally could be more helpful. We had requested some help to understand opening times for museums etc but these were never followed up on. Not the worst, but we certainly wouldn’t hurry back.

this property was one of a kind, I had never stayed at a university before, we absolutely loved the architecture of the room. it was lovely

This is a boutique hotel set up for people who like visiting the spa and tranquil music playing throughout the hotel. It is situated near a park and a local Bordeaux neighborhood. The food offered is French, being one is in France one should accommodate the custom not themselves. The food is lunch with vegetarian options from 12-2:30 and then dinner and you can get small plates in the bar. The bar is open and serves food and light snacks all day. Those on this review thread who said they could not get their “sandwiches” are better off staying at the Marriott. The music in the bar goes perfectly well with the high end boutique culture the hotel is opting for.

We were greeted with a friendly welcome and drink at bar while we waited for the room. Got to our room and we were very impressed with both the size of the room and the big comfortable bed.  The walk in shower was fantastic and it was great to have the toilet in a room on its own. The maid service was also superb. We were never bothered by knocks on the door and after going for lunch etc, we came back and the room was done. Perfect. Unfortunately though, music was played all day - sometimes from 8:30 in the morning. This was pretty disturbing when you just want a bit of peace. One day we’d not had breakfast, so around midday, we thought we’d have a bite to eat in the outside garden. We wanted just something light like a baguette etc but this was not available and the options were expensive and distinctly underwhelming - bunging a few flowers and a couple of strawberries on a heap of average quality jambon doesn’t pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. We decided to have a night cap in the bar one evening. It was an “interesting” experience. The din of the Reggaeton music assault, was interspersed by glasses and all kinds being slammed around and a general atmosphere of malcontent from the clearly fed up staff. I have bad days too, guys, but my valued clients would never be able to tell. When we checked out on Friday midday, the attitude of the woman on reception was pretty frosty too. No smile dispensed here. In fact when she made a mistake and asked my wife for 800 euros for the room, which was already paid for, no hint of a “my mistake, sorry”. This stay could have been so much better. Examples: A more consistent attitude from the staff. A simple lunch/snack menu. Maybe not play music that’s audible all day in all parts of the hotel. I am unable to give it more than 3 stars as there are a lot of improvements that are needed.

Hotel looks great and the rooms are comfortable as well as spacious. Sadly the aircon broke in the middle of the night sending the temperature up beyond tolerable so we had to change rooms at 2am. There was no one on reception when we complained for 20 minutes so the stay was very much marred by this. Otherwise the hotel would have been great.

Initial great impression. Friendly welcome and drink at bar while we waited for the room. Room impressive with quirky decor and decent shower. Had a hanging rail for shirts but nothing for dresses but I managed to improvise using a coat stand. Nice big comfortable bed. Room overlooked the garden area and it was quite noisy at times (music playing in the morning/afternoon) so we had to keep the window shut. We planned to sit in the garden but it seems this is the restaurant. Lunch was from a limited menu. We wanted something light like a baguette but this was not available and the options were expensive. Location is on the edge of the main town with longish walks to get anywhere. We thought staff were a bit mercurial. One night there clear tension with glasses being slammed around & felt a bit uncomfortable. Overall conclusion, nice property, comfortable stay. We didn’t use the spa so may have missed out on the wow factor.

Congratulations to the owners for turning this old Bordeaux university building into a fabulous hotel. It is a truly awesome place and a wonderful example of how to repurpose somewhere with love care and stunning attention to detail. Loved the welcome, the decor, the ambiance and the beautifully enthusiastic team. I promise you will not be disappointed and will equally adore Le Zoologie!