We stayed at this hotel on two previous trips when it was a Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza. We liked it well enough to return. Mercure bought it within the past year and, from what we could see, have done nothing other than change the name. The decor is getting a little tired and the beds are not as firm as they once were. Nevertheless, for about $130 for an "executive" room, it was a good deal. For some reason, hotel rooms in the $85-140 price range were extremely scarce when we were there. The rooms here have king-size beds and are large by European standards. The bathrooms are also large, and even have a bidet. There is a hair dryer in the bathroom, but it is not a very good one. Towels are standard bath-size but thin.
The hotel is a short walk from the metro station. It is not far from Part Dieu train station, but not walking distance. I believe the hotel has a free shuttle service from the train station, but we preferred not to wait and took the metro. Being close to the metro gives you access to all of Lyon. If you are looking for a predictable, clean, hotel with a comfortable bed, this is a good choice. In our experience, the front desk staff always included someone who speaks English.