InterContinental Bordeaux, where Roman decadence meets modern opulence

Is it really grand? If you are lounging amid the sumptuous furnishings and infinite space of the Royal Suite, or banqueting in the Belle Epoque splendour of the Salon Sauternes, it’s as grand as they come, opulent luxury with French sophistication. And wherever else you go in this historic hostelry, you’ll not want for five-star pampering with a long pedigree.

How did it get so grand? It all began back in the 1780s, when Bordeaux – a port city on France’s Atlantic coast – was a trading powerhouse. Having grown immensely rich, the city laid out stone-built streets of Parisian elegance. In its centre, an opera house of multicolumned splendour arose, and a local aristocrat decided he’d like its architect to build him a big house opposite this new monument. In 1789, the Sacriste de Rolly family moved into a mansion the grandeur of which reflected that of the opera house across the new Place de la Comédie (Theatre Square).

Are the Rollys still there? Don’t be silly, they rolled off long ago. Part of the mansion became a hotel in 1902, and soon the whole building was the Grand Hotel, Bordeaux’s leading hostelry. After a century of ups and downs, the property underwent a major revamp with interior designer Jacques Garcia giving guest rooms a classic look based on 18th-century style, reopening in 2007. Last year, this beacon of luxury came under the InterContinental banner.

How well will I sleep here? Like a dream. The 130 rooms come in five grades of ascending comfort and include 44 suites. As well as offering enough space to go jogging and lots of plush upholstery to sink into, a Prestige Suite is a fine place in which to entertain friends or associates, with its own oak-topped bar and velvet-cushioned stools. While you won’t get lost in the more modest rooms, the deep-mattressed beds are just as likely to carry you off to the Land of Nod.