Mercure North Melbourne

The breakfast was good, and the staff were friendly and courteous and did their best. But the hotel is dated and past its time, with little sign of recent maintenance. The frayed carpet in the front reception area, nearly worn to bare thread, made a poor first impression. Rooms felt basic for a four-star place, and the group dinner was average for the price. There are much better and cheaper places to eat on Lygon St. The hotel needs work. I'd call it two stars at best and wouldn't bring my groups back unless it improves.

The bathroom was clean and tidy, and the bed was comfortable, but I won't stay here again. The hall carpet was threadbare, and the lift doors opened before the lift had fully reached floor level. We arrived late after travelling for hours, only to find that the 24/7 room service menu offered pizza, spaghetti or garlic bread. Reception didn't answer our repeated calls, and there was no aerial cable for the TV, so we had no television. The room was poorly lit, with one bedside light completely missing. We could hear everything our neighbour said on a phone call, as well as all the passing traffic. The staff were lovely, but the rest of the stay was frustrating.

The rooms were clean, and the location is excellent for hospitals. But the motel is outdated and badly needs a refurbishment. The bed was only just comfortable, the TV seemed ancient, and the room wasn't very soundproof. We could also hear noise from the floor above. The Wi-Fi wasn't worth connecting to.

The location worked perfectly for us, with some great restaurants and a supermarket about a 15-minute walk away. We had dinner and two breakfasts at the hotel, and the food was good and well priced. Parking on site was handy, and the room had enough space for the three of us to be comfortable. The property is showing its age a little.