ZAC Orchidee Cesar - Route de Châteauroux, 18570 Bourges

Novotel Bourges

Name: Novotel Bourges
Address: ZAC Orchidee Cesar - Route de Châteauroux, Bourges, 18570, FR
Rating: 4.1

Hotel-restaurant 4-star with pool in Bourges

Presentation

Novotel Bourges is easy to spot from the A71 exit, along the Route de Châteauroux, in the municipality of Le Subdray. A low-rise, three-story building, a large free and secure parking lot, and charging stations for electric cars. Guests often arrive here at the end of the day, trunk full, wanting to turn off the engine without having to look any further.

The area feels more like a business district than a postcard setting, with other hotels from the group just a stone’s throw away and a few dining options. To reach Saint-Étienne Cathedral or the Jacques-Cœur Palace, you will need to get back in the car and allow about ten minutes. In return, you can park right by the entrance without driving around medieval streets, and be back on the highway in three minutes the next day.

In the lobby, there is a fireplace, low armchairs, and the bar right next door. This is where everything happens in the evening. Sales representatives close their laptops, families negotiate bedtime, and a dog dozes under a table. Pets are welcome, and it shows.

The restaurant is called Le Tazon. Traditional cuisine, a short menu, and in summer, the terrace extends all the way to the edge of the pool. In guest reviews, the servers’ first names often come up, which says a great deal about the atmosphere in the dining room. With an organic beer from Bos Brewery, brewed in Bourges, dinner takes on a local flavor.

The outdoor pool is heated and open seasonally, bordered by a garden where children can enjoy a playground. On sunny days, barbecue lunches are organized by the water. During the rest of the year, the fitness room takes over.

As you head upstairs, the decor changes slightly in tone. The ground floor has been refreshed, while the hallways and some of the rooms have not quite caught up yet, and the furniture or carpeting occasionally show their age. The 93 rooms remain spacious, designed so that a family of four can sleep without getting in one another’s way, with a 160 cm bed and a sofa bed depending on the room category. The bedding is comfortable and the nights are quiet. There is a large desk for finishing up some work, a kettle and a few tea bags, a safe, and a screen with Chromecast so you can stream your own series.

For business travelers, seven flexible meeting rooms can accommodate up to 250 people. The kind of place where you organize a regional seminar because everyone arrives by car. The hotel also holds the Green Key certification.

Breakfast comes in several options. For those leaving before dawn, an Early Bird breakfast is served at the front desk between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. Later on, there is the buffet at the restaurant, an express option at the bar with pastries and orange juice, or a full box to take away. Children under 16 eat breakfast free of charge.

Bourges itself deserves more than an overnight stop. The city will be the European Capital of Culture in 2028, and its marshes—135 hectares of cultivated gardens at the foot of the city walls—are perfect for an afternoon walk.

A tip for the morning of your departure: if you have a long drive ahead, choose the Breakfast Box. It fits on the passenger seat and will keep you going until your first break.

Summary of a few positive reviews found online

We came with our dog. No issues at all, and a very warm welcome from start to finish.
The children were made very welcome. At dinner, the server was professional and gave great advice.
Dinner at the hotel restaurant with an organic beer from Bourges. The dishes were good and generous, as were the desserts.
A little far from everything, but the room was lovely and quiet. Smiling staff.
A convenient stop along the A71 on the way home. Professional welcome and a good-quality room.
Pleasant, attentive staff. Clean room and a generous breakfast.