Mardi Gras Hotel

The Sunday roast impressed me the first time: kind service, good food and great value. But my partner ordered tea with his meal and the server sent him to the bar. When he asked there, someone loudly said they’d never served tea in ten years and weren’t about to start. The barflies laughed, which felt pretty unpleasant. It was awkward, but the restaurant lady changed her mind and did get me that tea. On our second visit, at 1:30 p.m., we were told they were only serving pork because the chicken had sold out. We were told Sunday dinner starts at 12:30, but I can’t eat pork, so we left. The third visit was the worst. I’d spent weeks asking my partner to give the place another chance, and he finally agreed. I even got there at 12:30 to avoid them running out. We were the first people in. The bartender said the woman who usually makes the roast was feeling poorly, and someone else would be there at 1:30. We ordered a couple of drinks and waited. She arrived at 1:30, seemed rushed and didn’t acknowledge us. Four other couples arrived after us. I asked the woman in the kitchen whether they had a non-pork option. She told me, “Oh just let me cook the food and don't bother me.” We waited while she put napkins on the other tables and ignored us. At 2:20, she served a roast dinner to someone else. Congratulations Mardi Gras, you’ve mastered awful treatment of someone who was trying hard to become a regular. We went to the Duke instead. It cost a couple of pounds more, but they served my meal in the time it took to write this review. My partner is livid about how we were treated at Mardi Gras. I’ve seen this business dismiss negative reviews, so, no, this isn’t a “fake review.” Bragging about success when someone gives real criticism says a lot about the person running the business. The bartender watched us leave and I’m sure he knows why. The “lady” cook might deny our conversation, but yes, that’s what she said to me. Awful, awful service.

This was our second stay at the Mardi Gras because we enjoyed the first one so much. We find it clean and comfortable, even though parts could use an upgrade. Budget hotels in Blackpool are known for stained floors and cleanliness that can be below standard, and the Mardi Gras decor is fabulous, with a lot of individuality. The location is close to everything in Blackpool. There’s free on-street parking from mid-November to Good Friday, and car parks within walking distance at competitive prices. Staff are super friendly, with banter that’s entertaining in itself, and we found the other guests friendly too. We spent hours chatting with locals. The hotel, bar and food are well priced. It’s lively, especially on weekends, so it’s not for a quiet, chilled stay. We loved the music and entertainment, and it didn’t bother us since we’re not early to bed. Special mention to Steve and Mandy, who made sure we had a lovely cooked breakfast each morning. They catered to my veggie needs and made the things we’d discussed, including my special breakfast potatoes with scrambled eggs. One morning they even sent breakfast to my partner in bed while he slept in, and they gave us a little packed lunch for the journey back to Scotland. Bar staff Dave, Andy, Alan and Michelle were phenomenal, with great service and banter. We barely left the bar in the evenings, lol. And the owner John is a great guy if you like cheeky banter. Go see for yourself, it’s worth it.

I only stopped in for a beer after seeing that there was a big focus on the bar. Some guest houses feel like someone’s front room, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much this felt like a proper bar, and a good-sized one too. Drinks were reasonably priced and the atmosphere was great. Clearly a lot of work and effort has gone into it. Well done.

After an hour at the bar, my partner and I both needed the toilet. I have prostate cancer, so sometimes I need to go with very little warning, and I carry a Macmillan card explaining that I may need urgent toilet access. We used the same cubicle so my partner could go straight after me. We weren’t doing anything inappropriate, but the bouncer banged on the door and told us only one person could be inside. My partner jokingly said “yes sir” because of the way she was acting, and she went to the bar staff to have us removed despite us explaining what happened. I felt hurt and embarrassed by how we were treated. It seemed heartless towards someone with a disability, and I’d tell people to avoid this bar and go somewhere like Trades, where customers are treated fairly and with dignity. If the bouncer can’t take a joke, perhaps the job isn’t for her. I also question why a female staff member was going into the gents.