Lille France: I stayed in a hotel that used to be an iconic bank and boasts its own spa - the perfect base for an alternative city break
I stayed at a hotel in a hidden gem city that is often overlooked due to its close proximity to Paris.
Lille is only an hour train from Paris and is near the border with Belgium. The city has less tourists, and crowds, due to the popular French capital Paris being close-by. However, Lille has so much to offer and I stayed in a hotel that made the stay even more delightful.
I stayed at the Hotel & Spa Oceania Lille Les Augustins which has only been open less than a year and used to be a bank. It is a spa hotel in the heart of the city, meaning there is luxury and also you are perfectly placed to explore.
The building is actually an iconic part of Lille's heritage. It was designed in the early 1930s to house the former head office of the Scalbert-Dupont bank.
Located on Rue du Molinel, it was designed by local architect Jean Delrue and was a cornerstone of financial history in Northern France before being absorbed by the CIC network in the 1980s The Scalbert bank was founded in 1838 and was one of the major regional financial institutions in the Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing area.
The hotel features 87 rooms, a bar-restaurant located under the original oval glass roof, and a wellness area with an indoor pool located directly within the building's former safe deposit vault. You can actually swim in the middle of the vault room - it is pretty cool.
Not only is the hotel full of history and an iconic building, but it is also just a short stroll from Lille Flandres and Lille Europe train stations and within walking distance of major sights like the Grand Place, Belfry, Opera, shops, cafés and museums — perfect for exploring the city on foot. If you are coming to Lille on the Eurostar, this means that the hotel is only a short walk away.
If you want to catch the train to the likes of Paris or Brussels you can easily do this too. The Les Augustins restaurant and bar serves French cuisine and drinks in a warm, stylish setting — a great place for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a relaxed evening drink without stepping outside.
And the rooms are elegant and comfortable with free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, espresso coffee machines, and thoughtful design touches. It’s the perfect stay to explore an alternative city break destination. Move over Paris!