Two of us were visiting Lyon for a week working at a show and, as all the hotels were booked, we took a chance on this accommodation.
The pluses…
Very well located for Lyon city centre, with loads of bars and restaurants within easy walking distance (the Grand Liban is very nice) on either side of the river.
The apartment was very spacious, and would easily accommodate a family. There were 2 bathrooms, although only one separate toilet.
It was nice and clean and has great views of the river.
It is quite quirky and characterful.
Entry is via a secure lobby to the main apartment building, and the apartment has its own front door, so it is very secure.
Communication from the host was excellent, with lots of instructions.
You can park on the roads nearby for free between 7pm and 9am, but need to pay in the day. Parking can be difficult to find after 7pm though.
The kitchen was well appointed with pretty much everything you need, except a washing machine.
The minuses…
It is located on a fairly busy road, on the 1st floor, so there is quite a bit of noise from traffic and people passing, throughout the night, despite the double glazing, especially at the front of the property. This was any issue for us, that was partially resolved with ear plugs.
There was a lack of curtains. Some windows had shutters, but not all. There were exterior Venetian blinds, but these are very old, difficult to operate and very dirty. They also don’t close completely.
The bed sheets were pretty tired, and there was a lack of hanging space available. There was one small rail in a hallway cupboard, but it only had a few hangers in it. Certainly not enough for 2 people with shirts and trousers.
You have to go to a local shop and pick up the key, with a code. We arrived late and unfortunately Satnav took us through the maze of narrow city centre roads, many of which were closed, which wasn’t helped by the fact we were in a long wheel base high top van! Parking at the apartment and walking is the easiest way! The code for the key pick up wasn’t supplied before we arrived, so we had to ask for it (after a lot confused conversations). Reply was quick though.
There was no hot water when we arrived, but we eventually worked out that the boiler was turned off. Whilst communication from the host was quick, they clearly didn’t know how to resolve the issue. Once the boiler was turned on there was plenty of hot water.
One tea towel tucked away in a bathroom drawer wasn’t ideal.
All in all the apartment was very pleasant, but the road noise was an issue for us.