I enjoyed my stay in the Royal Hotel Lyon. We selected a suite for our visit and we were pleased with its size. What was interesting and a pleasant surprise were the two separate bathrooms - one off of the bedroom, the other off of the sitting room. This was ideal for us as one of us is a morning person and the spare bathroom allowed me to get ready for the day as early as I wanted and keeping disturbances to a minimum. Decor is old world in style as evidenced by the hotel's web site. Our room was done in red with 18th century scene prints on the drapes and bed covering. One could tell the couch was well used (not worn) by the way the cushions wouldn't stay in place. In the bedrooms, linens were brilliant white and crisp - not the silkiest but comfortable nonetheless.The rooms are in need of some "freshening", however. For example, some of the paint was peeling in the bathroom. In one of the bathrooms there was also some rust bubbling through the surface around the tub. Also, as mentioned, some of the furniture could also stand to be replaced.
Being off of the Place Bellecour, the location is ideal for wandering any parts of the city. Once we parked our car there was no need to use it for the three days we were in the city. We found several good restaurants within a couple of blocks of our location. Also, it was convenient to walk into the old part of town from the hotel.
The staff is also quite friendly. They were patient with me as I stumbled through my broken French. The concierge (I can't recall his name) was especially ready to assist providing us with numerous options for dinner, drinks, sites, etc. Le Royal's restaurant was worth a mention as well. It provides a relatively limited menu, but what it offers it does well.
Overall, I would recommend Le Royal Hotel in Lyon. It has some minor flaws but for those seeking a modicum of luxury in a convenient locale it's a good option. read more