Mercure Thurrock Stifford Hall

The evening meal and breakfast were great, especially the freshly made items included in the buffet price. Staff were superb, with Monica welcoming us warmly and being lovely throughout. When the air conditioning failed, she sorted out a room change within minutes. We stayed one night. The room was average, and the bathroom could use an upgrade: it had only an overhead shower, with very weak pressure.

After a gruelling six-hour drive, I found the room keys didn't work. Getting to the room meant walking outside in the rain, and our shoes brought muck onto the carpet. I went to the bar for dinner, but although the menu had a large choice of steaks and burgers, neither was available, so I ended up with a dry chicken dish. The next day the keys failed again. I was told they'd been wiped because they were in my bag with my mobile phone. We left for a funeral and there was only half a toilet roll in the bathroom. The beds had been done when we got back, but the roll hadn't been replaced, so I had to call. Room lighting was appalling. I'm not a seasoned hotel guest, but I won't stay here again.

So glad I met Nicoleta and Joseph at reception. They were lovely and welcoming. I had loads of questions, and they answered everything with a smile and real enthusiasm. Thanks, guys 🫶

We had a fairly big group arriving and leaving at all sorts of hours for an event, with some very specific needs. The hotel team was amazing from start to finish and went above and beyond. Service was brilliant, and the rooms had excellent air conditioning during a hot weekend. I'd absolutely recommend staying here if you're in the area.