Hôtel Alexandra

We usually stick to hotels rated four stars or higher because we like knowing what to expect. I’ve seen people say this feels more like a three-star place, and the property says it was recently awarded its fourth star. You can see why. The staff were fabulous. Jenny was lovely at check-in, and on her recommendation we went to the basilica a couple of hours later to see the light show and the view across the city. Breakfast was adorable and varied, and the staff were so kind. It felt like a BnB, with a little pantry off to the side where they made coffee and brought it over. I’d also read concerns about safety because the hotel is on a pedestrian strip, with a long hallway leading to the hotel level. There’s a small, well-lit corridor, then stairs and an elevator that you can only access by buzzing reception. Reception is staffed 24 hours, and there’s a large monitor with a dozen camera views. We never felt unsafe. Even on New Years Eve, in a first-floor room facing the front right across from McDonalds, we heard nothing all night. The rooms are really quiet, and the walls aren’t thin or noisy. We brought our small dog, and the staff were kind and accommodating. The room was compact, with the sort of colorful, darker, modern look and personality you might find in midtown NYC. We turned off the radiators because they put out a lot of heat, and after that our cozy room was adorable and perfect for four nights. The renovated bathroom was very spacious. The area is excellent too, with shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, and pretty much everything else. We parked our mid-size SUV in the garage at Place Bellecour, a seven-minute walk up the pedestrian street. The Alexandra has a small garage and looked cute, but we didn’t want to squeeze into a tight space when we didn’t need to. We also booked the five-star Royal Hotel on the corner of Place Bellecour. It cost double, and the reviews complained about noise, old decor and upkeep, small old bathrooms, a closed restaurant, and construction noise from the restaurant. On our last evening, we went to its bar for a cocktail and immediately felt the chill. The place felt soulless. There was no holiday decor in the lobby, and the lights were off around 5, so it felt as though we were walking into a closed place. The atmosphere was cold. The cocktails were tasty and the waiter seemed nice and made great drinks, but even he felt less warm than staff elsewhere. He was very formal, which may be what a fancy, self-proclaimed five-star property wants. Mmk. If, like us, you tend to skip city hotels that seem simpler or more budget-conscious, Alexandra is exactly the kind of place I’d call boutique. It’s cozy, a little cheeky, and incredibly warm and kind. Don’t let the star-rating fuss put you off.

The room was small but suited the two of us, and the receptionist was very helpful. My main concern was the long driveway to the elevator. If I’d been traveling alone, I would’ve felt very unsafe. I’d have liked to need a key card to use the stairs or elevator.

The breakfast was really good, and the ladies serving it did all they could to meet our needs. The hotel has an old-fashioned feel that suits its place in old Lyon, and it’s charming. A perfect base for visiting the city.

For a centrally located hotel, the entrance is an odd one: you walk through what looks like an underground parking garage, then reach a tiny, crowded front room for a lobby. The breakfast coffee is powdered, served in chipped old ceramic mugs in a dim, cramped room with no visible window. There’s old furniture and even an iron folding chair in a little closet, which all makes the place feel heavy. The staff are okay and smile when they greet you, but seem disinterested afterward. I wouldn’t call this a bad place, just an average, ho-hum one. It feels more like a 2-star hotel, perhaps 2.5 on a good day, and definitely not a 4-star place. I have no idea how it got that rating.