The Merchant Hotel

The location in the cathedral district was fantastic, close to everything, and the receptionist and bellhop made check-in easy. We were upgraded to a very nice, comfortable suite. Housekeeping and the turndown service were excellent too. The bathroom was the one problem. The fan didn’t work properly, there was a lingering bad smell, the toilet was very old, and the shower stall felt extremely cramped.

We’ll definitely stay again. There’s loads within a few minutes’ walk, including coffee shops, restaurants and pubs, and the car park is right across the street. The hotel also has its own bar, restaurant and lounge, though you’ll want to reserve ahead. Our room was clean and spacious, with a comfortable bed and a very clean bathroom. The hotel is beautiful, the location is ideal, and the staff were friendly and helpful.

The sink drain in the bathroom was closed when we arrived at 11 pm. We were leaving the next day, so there wasn’t time to get it fixed. At the front desk, the woman argued that it worked if you pulled the lever up at a 45-degree angle in a particular direction. She said several times that we must be doing it wrong, and that they get asked about it all the time. If it comes up that often, maybe the sinks are the problem. I shouldn’t have to ask how to use one in a 5-star hotel. We’d paid for a deluxe Victorian room but were given something else. It was fine, but why let guests choose if you won’t provide what they paid for? The “Deluxe Room” also essentially had no usable window. There was a window behind a shade and a large TV covering more than half of it. The wall switch only lifted the shade about two inches from the bottom, so it was either broken or that room wasn’t meant to have window access. I’ve never stayed in a 5-star hotel with no window. Parking is across the street, in an area that felt like 2-star hotel quality. Drunk people were hanging around the garage, and one faceplanted on the concrete as we walked out. We could have used valet, but it was a rental car and we didn’t want anyone else driving it, even to park. We didn’t even get the room we’d paid for to begin with, and the staff were argumentative about the issues.

The way reception brushed off our concerns at checkout was especially disappointing. There was little acknowledgment, no meaningful apology and no attempt to put things right. For such an expensive hotel, the number of basic problems was unacceptable. This felt closer to a four-star, or even three-star, experience than five-star. I’d booked a stay at The Merchant for a special occasion for my wife, who has recently been ill, but the visit was a letdown. Our upgraded room was extremely cold when we arrived around 5:30 pm, and we sat in our coats for about 90 minutes before it warmed up. The sauna, jacuzzi and steam room were only lukewarm, which was underwhelming for a five-star hotel. Room service brought the wrong order, then charged us for the replacement at checkout despite telling us it would be complimentary. Drinks came late at dinner, and the Great Room was cold enough that we kept our coats on for the whole meal. At breakfast, my wife’s glass of fizz never arrived, even after we asked twice. Breakfast itself was very average and didn’t match the price or the hotel’s supposed standard. We raised all of this when checking out.