Mercure Gloucester Bowden Hall Hotel

For our wedding anniversary we hired a lakeside pod, which was such a beautiful experience, quaint and unique, and the food was amazing. We were also upgraded to the lovely privilege room when we arrived. Breakfast the next morning was delicious, with lots of choice. We’ll definitely stay again.

We had a relaxing, enjoyable three-night break at Bowden Hall Hotel, and I’d recommend it. Our standard garden-view room was large and bright, with plenty of natural light. Everything worked, although the shower in room 230 was a little tricky to turn off fully. The bed was reasonably firm and level, and we slept as well as we usually do in hotels. The restaurant was bright and spacious, with tables well spread out. The serving staff were pleasant and helpful, especially on our first night when they had a large party to serve. That didn’t slow service for the rest of us. The menu was fixed but had plenty of choice, and we picked different dishes on each of our three nights. We chose the hotel as a base for attractions around Gloucester and the Forest of Dean. It’s in Upton St Leonards, about three miles from the city centre, with plenty of free parking. Public transport is an option too: buses 2 and 2A from the city centre run every 15 minutes on weekdays, take about 25 minutes, and stop in the village, a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

The rooms were clean, airy and well equipped, though the shower had weak pressure and only lukewarm water. The hotel itself is lovely and superbly located, with free secure parking as a welcome bonus. I’m giving it 5 stars solely because of how excellently and professionally the Latvian receptionist handled a difficult restaurant experience the night before.

The staff were friendly and very accommodating, and the wedding reception went really well. Our daughter got a minor burn from the buffet hotplates, but the manager was attentive and checked that everything was okay. We were very pleased with our stay. We’d booked a family room for ourselves, our two children and our dog while attending a family wedding at the hotel. It was spacious, well appointed and very quiet, with a lovely view. As it’s an old building, the corridors can be a bit peculiar to navigate, but the signs were good and there was another exit at the far end where we stayed. There’s a lovely short walk through woodland behind the hotel to a hilltop lookout with amazing views. We stumbled on it by accident, and I think more could be made of it.