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The British owner of Margaux winery Château Cantenac-Brown will convert part of the estate into Médoc's newest luxury resort.

Luxury Hotel in the Works for Margaux

British owner of Cantenac-Brown will convert part of château

Diana Macle
Posted: Monday, May 05, 2008

Visitors to the Médoc will soon have another luxury lodging option, as the British owner of Margaux's Château Cantenac-Brown is planning to convert part of the property into a premium hotel. While managing director José Sanfins said that he wasn’t ready to comment on the project, municipal authorities in the village of Cantenac issued a building permit authorizing construction in late January.

Simon Halabi, a British real-estate investor worth several billion dollars, bought Cantenac-Brown two years ago. The third-growth, located just a mile south of Châteaus Margaux and Palmer, earned 91 points for its 2005. The Cantenac local government has approved extensive renovations of the 19th century château, famous for its red-brick facade, creating a restaurant and a 58-room hotel, including suites and numerous facilities.

The new restaurant will replace the current outside terrace. One of the château’s wings will be demolished and replaced by a section boasting 23 hotel rooms. The site plan also features a spa, swimming pool, gym, relaxation room, bar and reception facilities capable of catering to up to 500 guests. In addition, authorization has been given for the construction of an entirely new building adjacent to the château, comprising a further 44 hotel rooms. According to the building plans, the project, overseen by Bordeaux-based Atelier des Architectes Mazières, will respect the estate’s traditional Tudor-style architecture. No changes are planned for the château's winemaking facilities on the north side of the property.

Despite being home to some of Bordeaux's most famed producers, the Médoc suffered from a dearth of fine hotels until recently. Jean-Michel Cazes converted Château Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac into a luxury resort, complete with a Michelin two-star restaurant. Another premier property would make it even easier for tourists to visit the wineries and not need to drive back to the city of Bordeaux each night.

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