Radisson Blu Hotel Lyon

The view from my room was breathtaking, especially for a lyonnaise. The pillows weren’t great, though, and I really regretted getting breakfast because the coffee was awful. My room’s AC also didn’t work very well, so it got pretty hot at night, around 23 degrees.

I was fed up by the time I wrote this, all over one toothbrush. The room didn’t come with one, so I called Room Service between 8 and 9pm. They said they’d bring it up, but nothing came after 30 minutes. I called that line four times over 15 minutes with no answer, then tried Reception twice and got no response either. Around midnight, I called again. Someone finally picked up on the third attempt and told me I’d have to collect the toothbrush downstairs, though he said he’d arrange to have it brought to my room. It arrived after another 30-minute wait. The phone doesn’t have speakerphone, so I had to hold the receiver to my ear through all those repeated calls.

We went to the bar on the 32 th floor for a cocktail and the view, but the windows were disappointing. They’re small, and a brown iron bar runs across the middle. The seating felt like a kind of nook, which narrowed the view even more. The bar itself wasn’t especially cozy or up to date, though the staff were kind. The lobby and reception looked more impressive, but there’s no outdoor view from there.

I’ve stayed at plenty of Radissons and usually come away positive. They’re never awful, and can be very good, but this was the most disappointing one for me. The room was small and clearly aimed at a solo business traveler. There was no in-room coffee machine, and there was only one of each kind of tea. Worse, when I was working in reception on 30 September, I was told none of the several coffee machines there were working. The restaurant only opens Tuesday-Saturday, which is the strangest setup I’ve come across in a hotel. It wasn’t awful: it was clean, the staff were nice, and the location is great for business and the station. It’s less handy for tourist sights, though still walkable. It just felt average, so I gave it three stars across the board. My service rating is more about the restaurant hours and lack of decent coffee than the people.