Sofitel Lyon Bellecour 5 gwiazdki

One of the first Sofitel properties in the world but I am afraid on it’s last legs. If the building is not upgraded and soon the title of Sofitel and 5 star must be removed as this property will continue to inflict embarrassment on both the Sofitel and Accor brands. I feel for the staff who are now trying to do the best they can with what is a very dated product. This comes across in the check in experience which on arrival all be it a couple of hours before 4 we were basically told to go away. Accor status or not staff should still do there best to accommodate customers. Maybe take all the staff to the Asia Pacific region and see how style service and quality of Accor properties can be achieved. A premium experience is expected with the Sofitel brand this was our worst experience this trip to Europe including ibis, ibis styles,Novotel and other Sofitel properties.

We stayed at the Sofitel Bellecour two nights based on positive reviews, good location and recommendations of friends who had stayed there in the past. Unfortunately the hotel is in serious need of renovation. The first room we were given looked like it had not been redecorated since the '60s and the AC did not work. We were then given another, nicely renovated room, but the AC still did not work. After several visits from their engineer, it produced a tepid stream of air but never really cooled the room, so we just left the windows open most of the time. The staff was helpful and friendly and did what they could but it is clear that they can't do much to solve these issues without a significant investment by the owners in updating this property.

The A/C in our room was not functioning properly. For the cost of our room this is unacceptable. The staff sent someone to review the system, but there was no improvement. By that point it was almost 11:30pm and we were not interested in moving rooms. Very disappointed with our stay.

I was very happy with my 2 night stay at the Sofitel during the August heatwave. Thank goodness the aircon worked well! I had a nice view over the Rhône from my room. The location of the hotel is good for exploring the Presqu’île and there are bus stops nearby if you don’t want to walk far. The reception staff were very friendly and helpful, and I will be eternally grateful that after a 34 hour journey, arriving at the hotel at 1.45pm my room was ready. They also kindly printed out a document for me that I needed. I didn’t eat at the hotel. The restaurant was closed for the August vacation. But there are plenty of restaurants nearby. The room probably had not been renovated very recently, but it was comfortable and quiet and everything worked so I was happy. If I had a gripe it is probably that I had to hunt under tables and behind furniture to find an available powerpoint to charge my devices because there was none next to the bed. I would stay here again if I get the chance to go back to Lyon.

I booked this hotel because it was the only hotel I could find with a twin bedded room on a night when Lyon was booked out. I paid over Eur400 per night, which is maybe double what someone might normally pay. I stayed at another Accor Lyon hotel on another evening, so this review isn't about whether this hotel is great at Eur400+ (it absolutely isn't) but whether it's worth paying a bit more for this over 4* alternatives. Again, I'd say it isn't but he's why: Pros - location is great but hard to access by car (maybe someone else could understand the road system better than me!) - the view from the breakfast room is great, although the room is a bit tight. You might also have nice views if you were on floor 6/7 (I wasn't) Cons - it's a 60s French modernist building. Not particularly ageing well as a look, but inside you don't have to look at it! However, the modern character doesn't extend consistently into an internal decor. The lobby is a mash (tapestry and metallic tiles), the rooms look nothing like the lobby and different floors have different degrees of tiredness - the rooms are really tired. I was on the 3rd floor, and when I saw the 5th floor corridors from the elevator it looked even worse. - elite recognition is non existent. No welcome amenity for a Platinum, so not meeting the brand standard. No water in the room, Nespresso branded box stocked with cheaper alternatives. - the lobby is covered with lots of 'branding partnerships' which ends up looking like a cheap mess. If you have a building like this, you need to really lean into the design. This all looks very unloved. - getting into the car park requires v v careful skills to preserve your CDW. I wouldn't go back unless I had to. It's not unpleasant but it completely lacks wow and character.