Seeko'o Hotel

With 18th-century buildings lining Bordeaux’s waterfront, you may be surprised to come across a four-star design hotel disguised as a chunk of ice. Cool in more ways than one, the name ‘seeko’o’ translates as ‘iceberg’ in Inuit. A striking contrast, but it fits in surprisingly well in this historical city. The boutique hotel has 45 suites – modern and quirky – with mood lighting, flat-screen TVs and designer furniture. The environment is at the forefront of the hotel’s ethos and you’ll find organic products in the bathroom as well as on the breakfast table. There are also secure car park, business facilities, Wi-Fi, great cocktails and spa, complete with steam room, sauna and massage chair.

It had certainly been a while… nobody had mentioned icebergs in Bordeaux since the Vikings, who invaded at the end of the ninth century. But, since December 2007, the flawless white form of Seeko’o (Inuit for a mass of ice) has been adding a hint of cool to the prestigious listed monuments that line the quays of Bordeaux. Perfectly integrated with the 18th-century façades, Seeko’o has established itself as a major symbol of innovation in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed “city of stone”.

The story of Seeko’o is the epic tale of a crazy family with an appetite for danger, who set off in search of the great southern yeti (King Kong Architecture). They shared a common goal: to create a boutique hotel in Bordeaux (45 suites) which is playful and creative, without compromising any of the international standards expected of a luxury hotel. Seeko’o is an unorthodox urban landmark, a hotel created by adventurers to welcome the 21st-century traveller.