First look: Inside the new floating boutique hotel taking wine lovers to Bordeaux vineyards

Trendy lounges

As is typical for small river ships that sail in Europe, Avalon Artistry II has only a handful of public areas — practically all of which had been revamped in an enormous approach throughout the ship’s makeover.

The ship’s foremost lounge (referred to as the Panorama Lounge) on the entrance of the vessel has all the time been a spacious, light-filled area with partitions of glass that provide gorgeous views of the passing surroundings. However now it options all-new decor with trendy modern furnishings and flooring.

Serving as the principle gathering spot for passengers on the ship throughout the day and into the evening (you would possibly simply name it the ship’s lounge), the Panorama Lounge is lined on its proper aspect (when dealing with the entrance of the ship) with cozy seating clusters, good for a predinner drink with new associates.

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On the left aspect of the room, a semicircular bar and teams of tables and chairs supply extra seating, with a small dance ground between the 2 areas that may come alive at evening.

The Panorama Lounge usually hosts stay music at evening, and there is a devoted area for performers with a completely positioned piano and soundboard simply off the dance ground.

There are extra lounge chairs towards the entrance of the room, and there is an space of tables and chairs that morphs into an off-the-cuff secondary eatery referred to as the Panorama Bistro for lunch and dinner. (See beneath for extra data on the ship’s foremost eatery.)

Notably, there’s sufficient seating within the Panorama Lounge to carry all Avalon Artistry II passengers without delay, even when each room on the ship is full — one thing that is not true for all river ships.

Simply in entrance of the Panorama Lounge, on the very entrance of the ship, is a forward-facing out of doors seating space with probably the greatest views on the ship. As a part of the ship’s makeover, it obtained new table-and-chair units the place passengers can take their bistro lunch outside on sunny days.

Additionally getting an overhaul throughout the ship’s makeover was the back-of-the-vessel Membership Lounge, a smaller lounge area with a 24-hour self-serve beverage station providing complimentary espresso drinks, sizzling chocolate and teas. Cookies and different snacks additionally can be found all through the day.

If the Panorama Lounge is the ship’s lounge, the Membership Lounge is its household room — a laid-back and often quiet area the place you may discover a small library of books and video games for group play, resembling Apples to Apples and Scattergories.

Eateries

As famous above, a small secondary eatery referred to as the Panorama Bistro opens throughout lunchtime and dinnertime within the ship’s foremost lounge. However the principle eatery on the ship, the place passengers go for many meals, is the Panorama Eating Room on the entrance of the ship beneath the Panorama Lounge.

The restaurant is full of gentle due to partitions of home windows alongside its sides. It affords buffet breakfasts and lunches augmented with table-served choices (you may order eggs Benedict within the morning, as an illustration, and burgers at lunchtime out of your waiter). There is a extra formal, four-course, table-served dinner each evening.

One notable characteristic of the Panorama Eating Room is that it affords many two-person tables, so single vacationers and {couples} by no means have to take a seat with strangers if they do not wish to — one thing that is not all the time the case on river ships. That mentioned, the seating is organized in a approach that permits for these tables of two to be pushed collectively into larger models to permit for bigger teams.

There are also set tables for 4 and 6 within the room.

With its transfer to the Bordeaux area, Avalon Artistry II may also supply extra gentle alfresco lunches on its prime deck, often called the Sky Deck, the place a brand new Sky Bistro space has been configured simply behind the vessel’s bridge.

The Sky Deck additionally includes a new seating space at its entrance, which was initially used to retailer bicycles for passenger use. An all-new fleet of bikes now sits in an space farther again on the highest deck.

Cabins and suites

Cabins and suites on Avalon Artistry II obtained a light-weight refresh upfront of the ship’s transfer to Bordeaux, together with all-new mattresses.

An up to date health room

Along with different revamped areas, vacationers reserving a visit on Avalon Artistry II this 12 months will discover an up to date health room.

The most important change to the small area, which has a working machine and sit-down bicycle, is the addition of a Speediance Gymnasium Monster, an all-in-one coaching machine that permits customers to do a variety of workouts.

Backside line

The river ship Avalon Artistry II is the most recent choice for a multiday keep in France’s Bordeaux wine area. It affords all of the onboard comforts of a small boutique resort whereas transferring you from place to put when you sleep.

Whereas not newly constructed, the 64-room vessel — the primary that Avalon has based mostly within the Bordeaux area — underwent a significant overhaul earlier than its redeployment to the realm from Central Europe, which has left it wanting virtually like new.

As is all the time the case for vacationers who guide journeys with Avalon Waterways, a keep on Avalon Artistry II comes with extra than simply your lodging. Offered as seven-night journeys, the Bordeaux voyages that Avalon is launching this week additionally embrace all meals, most drinks and, maybe most notably, a variety of guided tour choices for daily you are on board. All of that is included within the fare.

For somebody searching for an intimate and stylish choice for a weeklong keep within the Bordeaux area that features visits to the realm’s famed wineries and different websites, it is an ideal new alternative.

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