Hôtel Le Grand Barnum

The website being in English would have helped, since at first the location seemed odd to me. Still, the place was clean, the bed was great, and everyone was super friendly. It was way too hot for the first few hours, though. I'd go back, just not in summer.

The dinner was delicious and cost €15. We ate in a really cozy lounge with sofas, coffee tables, and a 70s-80s look. Local producers make 385-gram jars of preserves for the hotel. I had the Parmentier with duck confit, served with firm mashed potatoes, flaxseed bread, yogurt, and fruit. It was tasty and easy to digest. I was in town for training at Cepec in Craponne, and our training provider recommended this hotel because it was so close. We booked the month before, which was lucky, as it was already full when some colleagues asked later. There are about twenty rooms, each decorated differently with care and good taste. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and the roller shutters made the room properly dark, just how I like it. We had a very peaceful night. Breakfast, included in the room price, starts at 6:45 am. The hotel is on the 4th floor of a building, with paintings available to buy on display. The "Salute the Proletarian Army" of the building has renovated it brilliantly. It's a beautiful result in a very peaceful, third-place setting. I highly recommend it and will be back when I'm in Lyon or here for training.

We were glad to find a hotel nearby, and the decor was quite original. The room was clean and well arranged, and the receptionist greeted us very warmly. She explained that after 9 pm there would be no one on site and my friend would need to use his access badge. When he returned after 9, the hotel floor was completely dark. Security staff came in a few seconds later, apparently looking for someone in particular, and shouted at him. He doesn't speak French and couldn't understand what was going on. They helped him open the door, then told him to hold up his hand with the badge while they shone a flashlight on him. After that, the badge stopped working on the room door; they had to try three times before it finally activated. The next morning, at 8:00 a.m., a woman who works at the hotel opened our room door as we were leaving the bathroom. It was surely a mistake, but checkout was still a long way off, so she should have knocked. The night had already been eventful, and unfortunately we have no desire to repeat the experience.

The hallway noise carries right into the room, which is the main downside. I still got a very warm welcome and found the hotel charming and original, especially its unique location, which I love. I'm giving it 4 out of 5 because its style may not suit everyone.