Hôtel Mercure Rouen Centre Champ-de-Mars

We had a good night here, and the staff were excellent. Breakfast was excellent too. The evening meal in the restaurant, though, was disappointing: the meat tasted burnt, and the garlic mash was cold and didn’t taste of garlic.

The restaurant on site served delicious food, and the reception team were so friendly and welcoming. Our family-sized room was spacious and had everything we needed. It was also easy to walk into town and explore from this convenient location. A wonderful stay for our family.

We’d been led to expect a four-star hotel, but our experience didn’t match that. The reception and dining areas were clean and tidy, though visually unremarkable and three-star at best. The staff worked hard, but could have used more colleagues on duty. The lifts were a real concern. Both sets of doors closed extremely fast and didn’t stop when they met someone’s arm, leg, or luggage, even if the beam should have kept them open. You had to get out in a split second or get hit. I came away with bruises. The safety announcement inside was only in French. The bedroom felt two-star at best, and we were very disappointed. It was hard to find the entrance light, and without a torch there was little chance of spotting where the plastic key card needed to go to turn on the electricity. After going back to reception twice in the dreaded lift, once with the man from the adjoining room, we finally figured out it had to sit behind a light switch, in a gap so tiny it was nearly impossible to see. The bathroom was basic but clean, with the usual wall-mounted hand wash/shower gel and shampoo, fluffy white towels, and plenty of toilet roll. In the wardrobe there were only four hangers, an extra pillow, a small safe, a mini fridge that didn’t get cool, and a really good hairdryer. The bed had no mattress protector, just a cotton sheet that wasn’t properly tucked in, and no top sheet, only a duvet. The mattress was very firm, which some people may prefer. There wasn’t much furniture, and what was there looked old and cheap: a tiny round bedside table, a bench-like table under the wall-mounted TV with tea and coffee supplies and fruity tea bags, and an old, grubby-looking easy chair. There was sugar but no milk. Our small, grubby window looked onto a little park for local residents. The room’s lighting was genuinely good, with lots of bright lights, which helped with my poor eyesight. Outside there’s parking for a few coaches and cars. The Seine flows across the road, and a ten-minute walk takes you into the city centre and the beautiful old part of Rouen.

The hotel looks like a rather soulless 70s block at first, like other buildings along the Seine, but there were pleasant surprises. Its size means roomy interiors, including the bedrooms, halls, and restaurant. The location beside Champ de Mars is handy, and a balcony overlooking the park on the side away from the river helps avoid the traffic noise out front. There’s also a decent-sized gym and a sauna that isn’t overly hot. Reception, the lobby, and restaurant all felt warm and welcoming. The huge cheese cloche and its aroma were a fun surprise, as was the raclette and fondue menu. Breakfast had a good continental spread, although eggs were only available scrambled.