Daydreams and fond memories

The outside of the Collège Hotel was given a makeover in 2009. Pablo Reinoso has converted the façade into an outdoor classroom where you can imagine the noise of schoolchildren rushing out into the playground the minute the bell rings. The artist has redesigned a classic children's chair made by French brand Fermob. The installation was extended in 2015 to cover the entire façade.

His tongue-in-cheek, yet poetic mural has become a well-know artistic landmark in the city.

The interior designers spent three years scouring antique shops to recreate this surprising ambiance combining old-school furnishings and modern amenities.

The walls on each floor are painted black reminiscent of classroom blackboards, featuring quotations to make you think. Opposite are rows of coat hooks like school cloakrooms and each room is identified by a number chalked on a slate.

An unusual partnership between the Collège Hotel and the ENSBA, Lyon's Fine Arts School resulted in a collaborative architecture project where the students redesigned the hotel stairwells to illustrate the theme of back to school.

This testifies to the hotel's deep attachment to its local roots and love of art everywhere - even in the most unexpected of places.

At night, the hotel façade offers another surprise.

As soon as night falls, the 130 windows of the hotel are illuminated in a magical display of light which showcases the magnificent art deco building overlooking place Saint-Paul.