The Best Hotels in Lyon

Lyon Hotels

With impressive Renaissance architecture, world-class restaurants, and a thriving cultural scene, Lyon is a quintessentially French city. Wherever you look there are grand statues and intricately designed buildings, with the wide open spaces of several squares to break up the crowded streets. It’s also well-known for being a shopper’s paradise, with an interesting mix of high-end designer plazas and modern malls.

Bellecour Square is at the heart of Lyon, surrounded by statues and with wide flat spaces to accommodate public gatherings. In the colder months, an ice rink and Ferris wheel are installed and the area becomes a charming winter wonderland. A short walk to the north will find you at Terreaux Square (Place des Terreaux) which is a smaller square full of historic buildings including the impressive Lyon City Hall (Hotel De Ville) which boasts intricate, well-restored 17th century details. At the center of the square you’ll find an impressive fountain, behind which there are several small restaurants and cafés, so you can sit outside enjoying the view. Part Dieu Mall is an impressive, glass-fronted building that’s stuffed with boutiques, fashion chains, and other quality stores, with several floors of chic shopping to enjoy. In the evenings the Stade Gerland is a great place to catch a soccer match, with teams from around Europe playing on the field. It has also been the venue of several high-profile rock concerts, with some of the most famous acts in the world performing memorable sets.

Hotels in Lyon

There are plenty of accommodation options both in the heart of the city and the surrounding areas meaning it’s easy to find Lyon hotels to suit your vacation plans. Those traveling on a budget will enjoy the charming 2 and 3 star boutique hotels which are close to the major tourist attractions and have features such as bars, complimentary WiFi, and free daily newspapers. The charming rooms have plenty of extra amenities, and these could include flat screen televisions, hair dryers, desks, blackout drapes, and direct-dial phones. You’ll also enjoy daily housekeeping services and wake up calls on request.

Where to stay

Old Lyon is a unique Renaissance styled neighborhood with charming narrow, cobbled streets, tall terraced buildings, and a grand cathedral that sits atop the hill looking down over the area. The neighborhood is bohemian and artistic, with small art galleries, cozy cafés, and authentic French restaurants with a laidback vibe. La Presqu'ile is at the heart of the city and is where you’ll see many of the oldest buildings, as well as the important centers for government and culture. The chic streets are full of upmarket stores, world-class restaurants, and imposing office blocks. The area around Tete d'Or Park is a popular spot for family vacations, with plenty of space to run around this impressive urban park, and a small zoo full of exotic species, it offers a fun place to escape from city life.

How to get to Lyon

Lyon-Part-Dieu Station is in the heart of the city, and from here there are dozens of high-speed TGV trains arriving every day from Paris, and other major cities in both northern and southern France. There are also trains from Frankfurt, Germany, and Eurostar trains from London, UK. Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport is also a popular point of entry about 12 miles east of the city center. You can catch a train from the conveniently located Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport Station which can be reached by following the signs in the terminal, taking the Rhônexpress which will get you into the heart of Lyon in about half an hour.