Mercure Lyon Centre Beaux-Arts

The Mercure Lyon Centre Beaux-Arts is a small hotel in the middle of the city, built into an existing building. It feels more like a boutique hotel than a Mercure. The welcome was lovely, the street was quiet and the breakfast was a highlight. But the room was tiny.

Quick verdict: A charming little hotel with a very friendly team, a quiet room and a great French breakfast. The problem is the space: the Classic Room and the bathroom are very small, there is no desk, and there was no room for my suitcase. My ALL benefits were modest. JCI Score 2.9 out of 5.

Location

The hotel is on the Place des Jacobins, in the middle of the old centre of Lyon, between the two rivers. Everything I wanted to reach in the city centre was within walking distance.

I arrived by TGV. From the TGV station, I took a bus for a few stops into the city centre. It took about 10 to 15 minutes.

Getting There & First Impression

On the photos, everything looked like a fancy boutique hotel. In reality it is smaller, older and not as fancy, and that disappointed me a bit. You notice that the hotel is fitted into an existing building. The welcome was super friendly. I don't speak French, so everything happened in English, and the team was just as friendly in English.

Check-In & Loyalty Experience

I was a Gold member, but the ALL benefits were modest. I didn't get a room upgrade, and I don't think I redeemed my welcome drink. What I got was a very warm welcome, and that counts for a lot.

The team also showed how helpful it is after my stay. Because there was no room for my suitcase, I had hung my clothes in the wardrobe, and I forgot them there. I wrote to the hotel, and they put the things aside. When I came through Lyon again, I could pick them up. That was really friendly and attentive, and it is the reason for five stars for Friendliness.

The Room

I had a Classic Room with a double bed, 15 m², on one of the lower floors facing the street. The street is a pedestrian area, a small street without traffic, so it was very quiet.

The room was very small, and that was not because I had booked the smallest category. It is a narrow hotel in a tight city centre, and the rooms there are simply small. Around the bed, which was small too, there was not much space left. There was no room for my suitcase, so I hung my clothes in the wardrobe, which I normally never do. There was no desk, so you can't really work here.

The bed was comfortable. It was hot in Lyon, and there was air-conditioning, but I could also sleep with the window open, because it was so quiet. The bathroom was very small. The shower was okay.

Food & Drink

The breakfast is on the first floor. It is a bit tight, but it is charming and very good. I ate very well: delicious coffee, tasty pastries and a great selection of cheese. You can tell that France is different here from, say, the USA.

Digital Customer Experience

Nothing digital to report.

The Bill & Value

Four nights cost €595.66, which is about €149 per night. I earned 2,004 Reward points and 1,354 Status points. For a small room that is not cheap, but the location is excellent. You can check current rates on the official Accor page for the Mercure Lyon Centre Beaux-Arts.