InterContinental Lyon - Hotel Dieu

The InterContinental Lyon - Hôtel Dieu trades heavily on its home city’s status as the culinary capital of France — no small distinction, given the regard with which French cooking is held internationally. But, as fine as they are, there’s much more to the Hotel Dieu than its restaurants and bars — to which we will return shortly. This imposing edifice, along the banks of the Rhône, is made from a pair of heritage buildings, one dating to the 18th century and another to the 19th, which operated as a maternity hospital until 2000. In a fruitful contrast with the architecture, its interiors are pure contemporary-luxe, thanks to the work of the Parisian designer Jean-Philippe Nuel.

Its rooms and suites are as well-equipped as any luxury hotel, and with twice the personality, thanks to the antique architecture as well as Mr. Nuel’s keen eye. For all their style, though, they’re rather subtle compared to the public spaces, where contemporary design and classic ornament come together in spectacularly synergistic ways. In the lounge located beneath the building's majestic dome, a large floral arrangement marks the historic site of an altar, while the great windows and large, low-slung furniture make it an inviting destination to relax. The flagship restaurant, Epona, showcases the cooking of chef Mathieu Charrois in a warm, elegant, and intimately scaled dining room.