Fourvière Hôtel

Fourvière refers, first of all, to an upscale neighborhood on a hilltop to the west of Lyon’s old town. And the hotel of the same name was a 19th-century convent before taking orders as a 21st-century boutique hotel. The building’s architecture is beautifully preserved, with historical elements lending gravity to the reception, housed in the old chapel, and the cloister, which is now the hotel’s bistro-style restaurant.

Inside, the rooms have gone in a decidedly modern direction; sparse décor, colorful modernist furnishings, and the black-and-white portraits of local historical figures that cover the doors are the sum of the ornamentation. The “cellule” rooms retain the smallish size of the original cells, while others spread out to contemporary luxury-hotel proportions, especially the junior suites, the Signature Suite, and the Loft.

There’s an extensive wellness area featuring a 25-meter heated lap pool, and two restaurants serve guests and locals alike: Les Téléphones is the more upscale of the two, while Le Bouchon is a love letter to the classic Lyonnais bistro tradition. And while the location is a touch cloistered by city-center standards, you’re a shortish walk from the Basilica and the ancient Roman theatre.