Hôtel Terminus Lyon

The service was the highlight, with everyone exceptionally warm, friendly, and helpful. This is a cute little hotel in an unbeatable spot, across the street from the Gare de Lyon. The rooms were very clean and pretty much what you'd expect from a 3-star place. The breakfast was a lovely surprise: the best and cheapest hotel breakfast we had across our different hotels on this trip.

We got two serviced bedrooms for our family of 5, and they were pleasant considering this was one of the cheapest central Paris options. The little elevator was cute, and I loved the spiral staircase as a bit of a workout. There wasn't much room, though there was a small fridge in the rooms. You get what you pay for. My only real complaint may just be personal: the single bed was so narrow, I don't think I've ever slept in one that narrow in my life, lol.

We found the location especially handy for our planned side trip to Lyon. Gare de Lyon has intercity trains and three or four metro lines, so getting to the landmarks was easy. The staff were all very friendly, let us leave our luggage, and checked us in early. Our room was spotless, with a coffee station and fridge. The three-person room and bathroom felt a bit small, though that's not unusual at this price in a major European city. Breakfast was very good, and there are plenty of places nearby for a quick bite or a full meal at any time of day.

At 1:30 in the morning, the night manager did a great job finding us another room. We'd booked a family room for four without realizing it wouldn't work well for two adults and two 18-year-olds. There wasn't enough room for four full-sized people and a suitcase each.