Mercure Lyon Est Villefontaine

The restaurant was fine, and breakfast had enough to get the day started, even if the choices weren't anything special. The building itself could use an update, but my room had been refurbished and was cozy, comfortable, and spacious.

For over €300 a night, €800 for three nights, I expected far better. The room was very poor, and the restaurant's service and menu fell short. The waiter couldn't make a cappuccino. I even had to walk between my room and the hotel in the rain. It felt ridiculously expensive for what was really a two-star hotel.

We were a family of five in one of the apartments, in a separate group of little buildings on the property. It was spacious and well equipped, and everyone had a bed. The location worked really well, beside the payage and village shopping centre, with lots of good tourism nearby. Mercure Lyon Est Villefontaine is clearly being renovated, and the style and refinement are lovely. The pool and fitness facilities are plentiful, though they feel a bit tired.

Our room was clean, but tiny. Reception staff need better training: as Allacore Gold members and frequent travellers, we didn't get a welcome amenity, and the desk staff didn't know about it. Since we arrived late and couldn't use our welcome drinks that evening, we asked to take them the next morning. They wouldn't allow it, although other Allacore Hotels we've stayed at over the years always did. The EV charger listed for the hotel isn't owned by Mercure, so it isn't free, which feels a bit like false advertising. We don't plan to return and would pick one of the other Allacore options in Lyon.