The Vibe: A classic French country hotel with a twist.

The Area: In the village of Bouliac, just a few minutes outside of (and overlooking) Bordeaux.

The DNA: Le Saint James is a design statement, a conspicuously modern structure covered in panels of weathered steel grating, recalling the appearance of the region’s traditional tobacco drying barns. The cuisine is one of the main attractions here: Nicolas Magie’s restaurant is fantastic. The wine list, naturally, is extensive, as is the collection of cognacs and armagnacs at the hotel bar and cigar room. Out back, guests lounge on the teakwood deck, framing a sleek black swimming pool. Not your grandfather’s Bordeaux, perhaps, but quite suited to its surroundings, once you get the hang of it.

Suite-Me-Up: The hotel’s Zen-inflected minimalist rooms are large and airy, outfitted with platform beds of blonde wood and walled in white plaster, to expand the already generous spaces. Windows open out onto a view of the vineyards, the Garonne river and the city of Bordeaux. Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems are standard, and all layouts are unique; one room comes complete with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle as, one presumes, some sort of makeshift couch. 

✅ free Wi-Fi • size matters: 18 rooms & suites (20-45m2) (215-484 sq ft) • hotel opened: 1989 • architecture & interior design: Jean Nouvel ✅ free on-site parking ✅ pets allowed, no charges • 24-hour front desk • wheelchair accessible