Mercure Maintenon

The food was the biggest highlight of our short break. Definitely try the chicken, it was super fresh ranch meat with a rich but refreshing sauce. The setting is beautiful too, right by the castle, and waking up to birdsong and golden sunlight coming through the trees felt magical, a kind of beauty you don't get in the city. A couple of things fell short. The bathtub and restrooms weren't very clean when we arrived, with hair in the tub and fingerprints on the buttons. Reception, bar, and restaurant staff seemed inexperienced and somewhat impolite, more like summer temps than trained hospitality professionals. For a 4-star hotel, the service was surprisingly disappointing.

Our suite was spacious, with plenty of room and two bathrooms, and dinner at the restaurant was enjoyable, with tasty dishes and attentive service. Breakfast had a good range of choices, and check-out was smooth and warm too. The hotel is easy to reach, with convenient outdoor and underground parking. Everything around it was clean and well looked after. Inside, the reception has lovely warm colors and materials, and check-in was quick and friendly. The outdoor spaces and event facilities also look very promising. We had a very enjoyable stay at Mercure Maintenon and hope to return to discover more of the property.

We made an honest mistake and booked the wrong date, then realised it straight away. We rebooked for the correct date and paid again, but the hotel still refused to refund the cancelled stay, so we ended up paying twice. Had we known there was no chance of a refund under any circumstances, we wouldn't have stayed there. There was no goodwill or understanding, and no customer-focused way to resolve a genuine mistake. For a hotel under the Mercure brand, this rigid and unfriendly policy is unacceptable. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone expecting fair treatment or basic customer service.

I had a great stay and was pleasantly surprised by the upgrade the staff kindly gave me. It was quiet, peaceful, and lovely in autumn. Breakfast was quite good, with hot and cold options, and they also have gluten-free choices. The service, staff, cleanliness, and quiet were excellent. I tried the spa too and had a great massage with Eva. I'd love to come back.