Hôtel Aurore Paris Gare de Lyon

September 2025 4* The staff were lovely and very friendly, and the location is a big plus: just 200 meters from Gare de Lyon, close to the river and train station. Housekeeping was good. It’s a small hotel, though still around EUR 220 per night, plus city tax. Rooms are nice but small and need upgrades and repairs. The exterior is being renovated, so it doesn’t look great right now. The washrooms seem to have been upgraded recently. There’s an elevator, though it’s a little slow. I didn’t try breakfast.

The area was very noisy, and it was hard to sleep in the evening. The rooms are tiny, and water leaks from the ceiling. Staff also wouldn’t let me leave the hotel at 11pm, even though the information says guests can come and go whenever they want.

The best part was the staff. They all spoke English well, and several went out of their way to help. One staff member called hair salons to find me an appointment, the night clerk kept us posted about the renovation, and Adam helped us rearrange our room midway through the stay. I’m so grateful, they really made our Paris visit. The room had comfortable beds and pillows, a great shower, and soundproofing. The location is fantastic, across from Gare de Lyon and near several patisseries and restaurants.

We checked out and went to Novotel, which was amazing and actually cost less. This place wasn’t as advertised or pictured, and the room was dirty, with blood on the curtain. The bed had a dirty box spring sitting on the floor, like a college apartment. Cots and extra beds were left on the lobby floor beside an open bathroom, where there was poop on the toilet seat and wall. If you’re young and don’t care about hygiene, maybe it could work for cheap travel in a convenient location. If you want anything even somewhat clean, don’t stay here. Wish we’d been warned better. Good luck!