Mercure Chester North Woodhey House Hotel

I was just using the car park to sit on a bench. The place looked rundown, with broken signs, and seemed closed. But there were cars outside and lights on inside, so maybe someone was still in there.

We were made to feel very welcome and thought the stay was great value. The staff were all helpful, the room was clean, and the bed was nice and big. We came with another family and the kids loved the well-kept pool and its good water temperature. The restaurant impressed us at dinner and with its very comprehensive breakfast, and there's a nice bar for the evening too. The village is within walking distance if you're after a real ale; we tried The Old Red Lion and it was well worth it. We were here to visit Chester zoo and had a lovely stay.

The gym was well equipped, and the pool was okay, though it wasn't the cleanest. Our room had lots of plugs and storage, and the beds were comfortable, but it was very stuffy and really needed air conditioning. The window only opened a little, and the restaurant had the same lack of air conditioning. There was no extractor fan in our bathroom, which was extremely uncomfortable. I reported it as soon as we arrived, but nothing was done during our 2 day stay. Not the worst hotel I've stayed in, but far from the best.

I know roughly what to expect as a Mercure hotel loyalty member, but my first stay here hasn't lived up to it so far. The receptionist was efficient, though not friendly. When I went to take the lift to the 2nd floor, the button wasn't where it should be, as shown in the image. The room looked dated, and half the wall lights weren't working. The bed was so worn that it had no support and felt as soft as a bouncy castle. Very poor.