Hilton HHonors - Hilton Lyon

Staying at the Lyon Hilton for a week on a GLON and would like any feedback on this property.

Stayed one night late last year - very nice hotel. Did not spend much time there except sleep, no experieince with their lounge/restaurants. I would definitely stay there again.

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Have passport, will travel...
CLD, LAX, LHR, CDG, et.al.

Stayed there Oct 2000 when hotel was brand new. Very nice then and we got a great suite ( for $50 no less) Hhonors members get key cards to operate elevators to the executive level and for entrance to the lounge.
Also has casino on property. Hotel itself is somewhat outside the city and bit of a walk to the nearest subway, the walk though if you have time is quite enjoyable along the ( Saone ?? river) Alternately there is bus stop just behind the property (# 42 I believe ) which will take to the city centre or better still the excellent subway system.
Enjoy Lyon, one of my favourite cities in France a reputed gastonomic centre and make sure to visit the Cathedral
(situated on the bluff overlooking the city
and visible from the Hilton) not only for panoramic view of city but the interior is one of the most spectacular in Europe.
Mike



[This message has been edited by MIKESILV (edited 01-21-2002).]

Very nice hotel.
Breakfast, open bar and snacks throughout the day at the Executive lounge from 12:00noon!!
Great view, etc...
Trolley stopping at the hotel exit, taking you to subway, buses, etc....
No car needed! Enjoy!

Thanks for the info looking forward to a bit of wine tasting...

The hotel's a bit out of the center of action.... Let us know what you thought of the stay, after you've stayed "out there" and played in the center of the city.

Long Overdue Trip Report.

Hilton Lyon is a little away from the downtown area (15 minute walk), but is right next to a bus stop. It is also across the street from the Park which made for great morning walks/runs.

The Staff was excellent, in particular the HHonors concierge desk was above and beyond. Extremely helpful and hardly laughed at my attempts to ruin the French language. It was my wife's birthday and they arranged for an amazing bouquet and champagne.

The lounge was also exceptional, great breakfast and afternoon had a great selection of edibles and the local Cote de Rhone.

I stayed there on a GLON and a week in this great city cost a whopping $74.00 in room charges.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Posted by YONEZY00:
Hilton Lyon is a little away from the downtown area (15 minute walk), but is right next to a bus stop. It is also across the street from the Park which made for great morning walks/runs.</font>
It's a great hotel, but to walk to the city must be 30 min. or more; I had a car and it took me 10+ minutes or so to drive.
We had a room facing the park with a balcony. The other side must be nice too; view over a river (Rhone or Saone, I forgot). BTW, next to the Hilton is the Interpol world headquarter.

Going to the Bocuse D'Or in LYS in January, the Hilton comes up with a rather good rate of 139 euro/night, b'fast incl. I'm HH Gold, any experiences regarding upgrade policies of the hotel? How's the exec. lounge? Location/facilities?

Thanks in advance.

It's a very nice, very modern hotel, next to the Interpol world headquarter.
Read here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum57/HTML/003390.html

Just stayed there a week ago. It's a very, very nice hotel, with about the best service I've ever gotten at a Hilton. Got upgraded to an "Executive" room, good sized and well furnished. The lounge is nice and fairly well stocked.

The only downsides are the gym (virtually nonexistant) and the distance to the old town - about a 45 minute walk.

I'm very jealous of the trip! Are you a participant?

[This message has been edited by JHunter (edited 11-11-2002).]

Sorry (Or luckily), I'm not a participant, but will be invited to the VIP sections of the contest, 4 years ago even got the chance to sample some of the winning dishes on the spot... I'll be enjoying the concomittant exhibition as well as some of the best restaurants France has to offer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

The distance from the old town center doesn't matter that much as I'll be using AVIS for transportation..
Trip report'll surely follow.

I lived in Lyon one summer to study...

Don't know anything about the Hilton there, but did want to comment on transportation.

The Metro in Lyon is one of the best anywhere. Unless you plan to go outside of the city a lot, you shouldn't need to rent a car. In fact, a car may be more time consuming than riding the Metro or bus, once you account for parking and traffic. For the occasional trips where a Metro/bus won't get you where you need to go, you can use a taxi rather reasonably and efficiently.

Tickets and passes for the Metro also work on the buses. They range from carnets (packs of multiple tickets) to day passes and more. It's worth taking a moment to study what is the most economical option for you.

From what I have read, the Hilton is near the Parc de la Tête d'or. You can get to the center of town in about 10-15 minutes by Metro.

My favorite restaurant is Leon de Lyon. I can't remember the name of the bouchon I liked so much. It's the bouchon for La Tour Rose, I believe. It is on the southwest corner of a square in Vieux Lyon that is lined with bouchons. Across the square from it is an excellent crêperie. I believe it's on La Rue du boeuf. It sounds like most of your meals will be taken care of, though...

Definitely go see the Cathedral and Bascilica (sp) while there. In the Cathedral, there's a 12th or 13th century clock that chimes at noon and 1. Very cool! Since you're so close to the Parc de la Tête d'or, go see it! It's lovely. Also check out the Roman theatres. there's three in the city. Another interesting site is the Musée de la Résistance. It's a museum that tells all about the French Resisitance and deportation of French Jews during WWII.

I could go on, but I better stop here. In my opinion, Lyon is a much more pleasant city to visit than Paris. It actually reminds me a lot of Austin: laid back, friendly, smallish (for a city), with a fondness for food. yum!

Have a wonderful time!

My wife and I spent four days at the Lyon Hilton and we loved it. I'm Hilton Diamond, we used Hhonors points for the stay, got the executive room with balcony and view over the city. After we checked in they kept sending things up every five minutes, terry robes, flowers, champagne. My wife said "do you always get treated like this?" (no). We really enjoyed it, especially the nice buffet breakfast.

It is far from downtown, we took the bus. It's right next to the park which had a zoo. We at at Bocus' Sud, which was excellent. The risotto was outstanding.

Have a nice trip!

Thanks for the great trip report Albert. I'll be staying there in April for the first time and I appreciate all the info from you and the rest of the FT posters. Thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by The Viking:
Going to the Bocuse D'Or in LYS in January, the Hilton comes up with a rather good rate of 139 euro/night, b'fast incl. I'm HH Gold, any experiences regarding upgrade policies of the hotel? How's the exec. lounge? Location/facilities?

Thanks in advance.</font>

In case you're willing to consider other hotels, you might want to look at the Cour de Loges (http://www.courdesloges.com/cdlacceng.htm) on the Rue du Boeuf. Nicolas Le Bec offers great dining in the hotel restaurant.

You might also want to look at Villa Florentine.

Currently is there a lounge at Lyon H? Executive Floor? What is upgrade policy?

Stayed 2 years ago when brand new.
Upgraded to large suite on excective floor and got lounge access for breakfast and drinks. ( Key which operates elevator will give you access to lounge) all for a 45EU rate.
All in all one of best Hiltons in Europe.
Location is outside the city central next to Interpol HQ across the river, is a bit of a walk to the subway but busses stop just behind the hotel.
Dont spend all you money in the casino on the ground floor.
Mike

Staying in Lyon in April for first time...any comments on the Hilton there.....Diamond benefits?

Great hotel, modern looking, with a great view of the river. As a diamond, I was upgraded without asking to a jr. suite. Our room was huge, had a very big flat screen tv (plasma I think) on the wall. Bathroom was enormous and had oversized tub as well as a separate shower stall.

The exec. lounge is quite good, has great breakfast and snacks and drinks during the rest of the day. When I was there in May, 2003, they did not have a computer in the lounge, that may have changed, I don't know.

The hotel is not in the most convenient location, but there is a bus that stops just near the hotel that you can catch into the center of town. The hotel is in a quiet and tranquil area near the river.

Lyon is amazing, very beautiful and charming. The cuisine is among the best in the world, be sure to eat out often. Enjoy your trip.

I agree with what hhonorman posted. It is a very modern and nice hotel. They had Bulgari bathroom stuff in the executive rooms which was quite nice.

Didn't stay at the Hilton, but Lyon is a wonderful city. Great public transportation, the best food at resonable prices and a very pretty city as well. Hope you are able to do some exploring in the "Old City"

I lived in Lyon one summer to study at a university there. Can't comment on the Hilton, but here are a few of my favorite don't misses...

- Leon de Lyon: My favorite restaurant. At the time I went there, it was the most expensive meal I had ever eaten, and I was extremely hesitant after I made the reservation. After the meal, no hesitations. I would go back in a second.

- Cathedral St Jean: The most powerful catholic in France resides here (not Notre Dame, believe it or not). There's a really cool 12th? 13th? 14th? (one of those) century astronomical clock inside. It chimes at noon and 1 I think. You can watch the immaculate conception take place as it chimes. Very cool! One of the Medicis married here. Parts of the church date back to Roman times.

- Basilisque Fourviere: A newer church, when I think "cathedral," this is what I picture. Go in on a Sunday when the organ is playing. Spectacular. The view of the city is great from there.

- Theatre St Jean: Ancient Roman theatre, still in use every summer for outdoor concerts

- Maison des Canuts: The Silk Museum. These looms are some of the first computers, complete with punch cards. They're all still in use today. See the evolution of the silk trade in Lyon and how it shaped the city. There is a film they regularly show. I believe it is in French. Still worth a visit though.

- Vieux Lyon: The Old City, the west bank of the Saone. Stroll the streets, stop at a bouchon for a bite. I prefer the Bouchon affiliated with La Tour Rose... I forget its name. I think it's on the Rue de Boeuf. Get the madelines with honey ice cream. divine.

Go to the Marche (market) on the bank of the Saone. I think it's there on Tuesdays, until about 11 AM or noon.

If you're into WW II, go to the Museé de la Resistance. The cynic in me can't help but think that it propagates a bit of a political agenda, but it's interesting nonetheless.

-Le Parc de la Tête d'Or: I believe this may be not too far from the Hilton. A beautiful park. Definitely worth a stroll. My favorite part is the little pasture of deer.

- Shopping: Hermes is based here. Lise Charmel also. There are some wonderful stores, including Zara, Baiser Sauvage, Printemps, Fnac, Mephisto, etc. The best shopping is on the streets all around the Place Belcour. Of course, shopping won't be like it was for me, when you could get 7 francs to the USD. Those were the days.

It doesn't sound like you'll be there long, so this is probably more than you'll have time to do/see. Have a wonderful time, whether you're there for business or pleasure!

[This message has been edited by swise (edited Jan 05, 2004).]

I remembered the name of my favorite bouchon: Le Compté du boeuf. It's the casual dining option associated with La Tour Rose (The Pink Tower), which is a famous hotel with restaurant in the Vieux Lyon.

There's a whole row of bouchons there where Compté du Boeuf is, but it stands out. The others are a bit touristy. Directly across the street is a good crêperie though. They're open later than the other places and serve more than just dessert crêpes.

Good stuff!

By the way, forgive the horrible French spelling. English, too. I haven't been speaking/reading/writing regularly, and it's fading fast!

Thanks to everyone....Lyon should be a great experience......

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by beach4444:
Thanks to everyone....Lyon should be a great experience......</font>

Driving at night in Lyon to see the illuminated sites is one of the most beautiful things to do (if you like driving in foreign lands). We drove in one late night into Lyon (on our way back from the Riviera) and after going downtown to look for a restaurant we stumbled upon the beauty that is Lyon at night.

The Lyon Hilton is lovely.

As a humble (but proper) Gold, I was upgraded to an enormous corner room, given water and a fruit plate and allowed access to the lounge. The lounge has a very good breakfast and drinks and snacks in the evenings. The wines are of a very high standard for lounge wine.

The hotel is placed in the middle of the park but is easily accessible by bus, I imagine it is a nice walk in the summer as well.

I certainly will return to this hotel like a shot.

I stayed there when it just opened and was treated very well and found all the facilities and amenities to be among the best I have experienced at a Hilton [on par with CPH Hilton]. While it is located away from the main part of the city, it is very close to a major tram line and a wonderful park for taking long summer walks or early morning jogs in. And of course, INTERPOL is just down the street!

Is the term INTERPOL a type of transportation?

Interpol is the International Police.

Thanks Flyertalk! I not only enjoyed this Hilton, I took Mr Swise's advise and tried Leon de Lyon. It was a pretty amazing dining experience. Best pigeon I ever had! Clinton, Chirac, Prodi, etc. eat there. My boss told me to take the GF out for a nice French meal on the company. Wait til he sees the bill! ;)

At the Hilton, I was just driving by and I was tired and said "what the heck, use points and spend a night in Lyon". So I went to the front desk and asked if they had any rooms. They said it was quite busy, but yes they had rooms. Then I said I wanted to use points. So they put me on the phone with UK reservations and they said the hotel was full. I said I'm standing at the front desk and they say they have a room for me. The bureaucracy between Hilton reservations and the hotel took nearly an hour to clear up, but I finally got room 801 just outside the very fine Executive Club.

Lyon has two train stations. Which is the closest one to the hotel?

Part-Dieu which is where most ( but not all) of TGVs stop at ( the distance from Gare de Peracche is at least double that or more)
It seems the taxi took no more than 10 mins to the hotel.

Enjoy Lyon, city also has one of the better subways in Europe but its a bit of a walk from the nearest subway station but its quite a nice one along the banks of the Rhone.

mike

Thanks, Mike. That's very helpful.

OT: I wish that Hilton would understand that many guests arrive by train or subway at their hotels. Every hotel gives directions assuming you'll arrive by car - and I doubt very much that's the case in NYC, London, or many of the European properties.

I know this hotel (having stayed there twice for an international convention) and I'll be staying there next week again.

If you get to Lyon by train, stop at Part-Dieu station and take a cab (5/10 mn drive).

Rooms are rather nice, buffet breakfast is excellent.
I know they have a great Thai restaurant but I never tried it.

Only drawback : a bit far away from the city center but next to the convention center "Palais des Congrès".

If someone requires some info about restaurants in Lyon, don't hesitate. I know this town!

I will be staying at the Hilton Lyon for one night on my way from Cannes to Paris. I would appreciate a mid range restaurant recommendation (it will be just me and my Dad, who is not exactly a cullinary explorer). Also if anyone has any recommendations for wine tasting between Lyon and Dijon I would appreciate it.

The brasserie Le Nord is a good mid-range place.
Address : 18, rue Neuve, 69002 Lyon (downtown)
Tel : 04 72 10 69 69

Greetings - Wife & I are traveling through France in July & wanted to spend a few days in Lyon. If we stay at the Hilton - what should we expect? I scanned the prior threads and saw some mixed commentaries. As a Gold, if I booke a regular room Hilton King room - should I expect to be upgraded to an Executive Room and get access to the Executive Lounge? How about getting into the old town - is it best to walk along the Rhone or grab a cab or a bus.

Also, would this hotel make a good jumping off location for day trips around the region or should we focus on the city (while at the Hilton) & then venture out into the country side afterwards and get a new hotel to do the wine country?

Thanks for all your help! :)

It has been my experience that when staying at any Hilton property as a gold (and even as a diamond) not to expect any sort of upgrade or lounge privs (especially during the busy season). That way I am always pleasantly surprised when it does happen.


As for details on the Lyon property I can't be of much help, but I am hoping others will chime in. I staying there as a stop-over on a drive from Cannes to paris in early July. I am keen to spend a little time wine tasting in the burgandy reigon and would love to hear any suggestions. I am particularly interested if any one has a suggestion for a specific cellar.

If you've searched the Hilton forum, you've likely already read this informative thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131596).

Have you also found this excellent thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301061) in the Europe forum?

Hilton Lyon is a lovely hotel, new and modern, Club lounge is nice, and I was upgraded to Exec Floor / Club Lounge as a Gold. Although not that close to the town centre or the airport.

As I remember it's a nice (1 hour) walk to the town centre along the river bank. Taxi to hotel from the airport the most expensive I've ever paid. There's probably another way of getting there, but it's not obvious, although I'm sure it was mentioned on this forum as a response to my trip report.

Also, would this hotel make a good jumping off location for day trips around the region or should we focus on the city (while at the Hilton) & then venture out into the country side afterwards and get a new hotel to do the wine country?

If you are doing your wine country tour properly, you shouldn't be in shape to drive back to Lyon at the end of the day ;)

As traffic around Lyon is all but pleasant, it will be more enjoyable staying in smaller hotels in your area of interest, at the cost of the Hilton's amenities and credits.

Does anyone know the closest TGV station to the Hilton in Lyon? :)

You should get off at Lyon Part-Dieu, which is also the only TGV station in Lyon AFAIK.

Welcome to FT btw!!
But please do not cross-post (that is against the rules here on FT). I saw you posted the same question in TravelBuzz.
Also, this hasn't really got anything to do with Paris...

Exactly.. I was going to say - isn't there only one TGV station in the area? ;)

Exactly.. I was going to say - isn't there only one TGV station in the area? ;)

Thre is also a station at the airport, which is a 30 or 40 minute trip.

Thre is also a station at the airport, which is a 30 or 40 minute trip.
There is a station called Lyon-Perrache as well, but it's a small station and I don't think any of the TGV trains use it.

There is a station called Lyon-Perrache as well, but it's a small station and I don't think any of the TGV trains use it.


The TGV serves the main station and the airport. Paris/Lyon was the very first route served by the TGV in 1981.

The TGV serves the main station and the airport. Paris/Lyon was the very first route served by the TGV in 1981.
I just checked the SNCF webpage, and some TGV trains from Paris actually go to Lyon Perrache as well, so all three stations are served by TGV trains.

I think Lyon Perrache is only used by the trains that terminate in Lyon.
Lyon Part-Dieu is used by all trains that terminate in Lyon + the trains that continue to southern France (Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Grenoble).
The TGV station at Lyon St-Exupéry airport is only used by a few trains per day, usually trains bound for the Alpes.
If a train stops at St-Exupéry airport it will not pass central Lyon (technically impossible, different lines).

I think Part-Dieu is the largest station in Europe, or so I read...

I think Part-Dieu is the largest station in Europe, or so I read...


I used to go to Part-Dieu every week and it seemed like a normal size big-city station with the usual front and back entrance. It does connect to a very large centre commericiale through.

The TGV station at Lyon St-Exupéry airport is only used by a few trains per day, usually trains bound for the Alpes.

The airport station also has connections to Paris CDG, which is excellent. I actually try to avoid flying into France, if I can. I seem to have bad luck with strikes :( Geneva is very convenient to Lyon.

I'm going to move this to the Hilton forum, as it deals with the Lyon Hilton.

SanDiego1K
Senior Moderator

My appologies :) I am learning... thanks for the valuable info and warm welcome :)