Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel

The staff were all super friendly and welcoming, and our room was lovely, clean and big enough for our family. We visited during a heatwave and it was very, very hot, so air conditioning in the rooms would be the main improvement. There’s a good range of facilities on site. The decor could do with an upgrade, but I’d happily stay again.

The food was lovely, though it arrived cold. We came for an event on Saturday and were pleasantly surprised by how nice the room was. There was no air con, but they provided a fan, and reception staff were fantastic. The bar staff were amazing too. One manager with glasses at the wine desk, whose name I didn’t catch, overcharged us and gave us the wrong wine. We had to ask one of the main bar staff to sort it out. The bald man and the young lady were great at helping us find our table, as there was no seating plan on display. Everyone else we came across was nice too.

Poppy at reception made us feel at ease as soon as we arrived, checking us in quickly and kindly. I was planning a surprise for my partner and asked if there might be a room with a nicer design and view. Poppy upgraded us on the spot at no extra charge, and the lovely design and much better view made the stay special. The room was spotless and the hotel was clean throughout. Breakfast was very good, with a nice range and good quality. The pool area is a little old, but we still really enjoyed it. The jacuzzi, swimming pool and steam sauna were all working perfectly and made for a relaxing break. For the price, I think it’s absolutely worth it. The calm, dreamy atmosphere was perfect for a peaceful getaway, and I’d definitely come back.

The restaurant meals were lovely at both dinner and breakfast, though the fish portion was tiny, about the size of Nemo, and I expected more for the price. Restaurant service was poor. It was quiet, with probably only three or four tables, but we often had to try to get someone’s attention. The location is very good for visiting Leeds castle. Our room was nice, but very outdated and not very practical, with no plug sockets by the bed. The front desk service was good when we arrived, but there were several issues afterwards. We got a call about payment even though it had already been made. That wasn’t a problem in itself, but it came across as disorganised. The morning after our one-night stay, while we were getting ready to leave, an employee let themselves into the room, saying they thought we’d already checked out. That felt like poor organisation and wasn’t great for privacy. There was a general lack of attention to detail and guests, along with a lot of “sorry for the inconvenience.” We stayed during the week, so the experience may be different at other times.