Sofitel Lyon Bellecour

We love Sofitels and stay in them regularly, all over Europe, but the Lyon Sofitel is urgently in need of total refurbishment. The state of the bedrooms is disgraceful - heavily scuffed, dirty and stained wallpaper, scuffed elderly furniture and multiple maintenance issues. The rooms look as if they haven’t been redecorated for at least 30 years - there are also insufficient plugs for charging electronic items. Such a shame as the staff are lovely and very professional, the location is perfect, breakfast delicious and there is a very nice bar on the top floor with stunning views. Hence the 3 star review as all these other things are 5 star, but the bedroom was very much a one star experience.

This hotel delivers a five star experience from check in to departure. The staff are fabulously helpful - especially as my French is non-existent. Room was super comfortable with a much appreciated black out screen, Location was steps away from countless restaurants, shops and interesting site. Bravo team - best hotel award for our Europe 25 trip, 🏆

We chose Sofitel Bellecour Lyon because it is advertised as a 5-star hotel and we were there to celebrate a birthday, but unfortunately our experience was far from that standard. The overall impression is that the hotel is stuck in the past. Much of the furniture looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 70s, which might be charming in theory, but here it just felt tired and outdated. The most disappointing part was the state of the bathroom: peeling ceiling, visible black mold, and an overall feeling of neglect. For a hotel carrying the Sofitel brand and 5-star rating, this was unacceptable. On top of that, we had an unpleasant surprise with the so-called “welcome drink.” We received digital vouchers in the All Accor app, but apparently Accor’s policy is to issue them only for one room, even if you book multiple rooms. As we were traveling with our children and had reserved two rooms, this meant that when we all went for the welcome drink, we had to pay out of pocket for two of the drinks. We raised the issue with staff but were told that “nothing can be done” as it’s company policy. For a hotel of this level, such inflexibility feels petty and unwelcoming. Overall, our stay did not meet expectations. The Sofitel name and 5-star rating raise expectations of comfort, service, and quality, but sadly this hotel delivered none of those. We would not stay here again.

A tired but well functioning Sofitel located next to the river in the city. Lobby area is well maintained but assigned room is showing its age. Check-in was efficient and professional. Assigned room (corner) was bright and of good size for an European hotel. Furniture is typical for the chain but showing its age which in some instances were unsightly. Everything worked as expected, viz, temperature control, wifi. There are sufficient electrical outlets for the many peripherals that this customer hosts. Shower provides good pressure but it requires stepping into a bathtub that is rather high and therefore posing a hazard for the less coordinated. Layout of the toilet is awkward - it is placed too close to the bath tub that I suspect makes it less than ideal for taller clients. Breakfast on the 8th floor was reasonable but service was chaotic and a little grating. I saw the staff admonishing a client who made an error in her seating location and I had to wait an unreasonable period for my order of a beverage; I received it after I finished the meal. But overall - a reasonable establishment - perhaps commensurates with the rates charged.

My husband and I recently stayed one night at the Sofitel and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The hotel location is perfect - centrally located to old town with beautiful views of the river. The staff is professional and very helpful. Our room was large, comfortable and clean. The restaurant is on the top floor and has amazing views. The food was quite good. My only negative would be that dinner was very expensive. We would definitely stay here again if we are back in Lyon but probably would eat dinner elsewhere.