Fodor's Expert Review InterContinental Grand Hôtel-Dieu

This gargantuan hotel set in a majestic 17th-century building that once housed Lyon's maternity hospital (half the city's population was born here) benefits from soaring volume and gorgeous architectural details, though sometimes the contemporary decor feels dwarfed in comparison. Nevertheless, in typical InterContinental style, the hotel doesn't skimp on luxuries, including the lofty gastronomic restaurant Epona (also where breakfast is served) and the spectacular Le Dôme cocktail bar, the place in Lyon to see and be seen. There's also a Cinq Mondes spa, a 24-hour fitness room, and complimentary sauna and steam room. The hotel benefits from a prime placement on the city's western bank facing the Rhône River, as well as the upscale shopping and gastronomy all contained within the massive Hôtel Dieu complex.