Mercure Stafford South Hatherton House

We left the hotel and asked for a refund because the room smelled bad and was so dirty. It was dusty throughout, looked as though it hadn’t been vacuumed in years, and spiders were hanging everywhere. The bed sagged in the middle and the bathroom was dirty. There were no facilities available, and the outside looked derelict. The website photos bore no resemblance to the actual hotel. I can’t believe how bad the whole place was.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and the bed was comfy. For the price, it was a decent two-night stay in a nice location, though the place is dated and could do with refurbishment. If you can, ask for a ground-floor room. The upper floors get hot and stuffy, though it was exceptionally hot during our visit. We stayed again later and everything was fine, apart from the girl at night reception. She needs a crash course in front-of-house customer service.

The room was spacious, the bedding clean, and it looked like it had recently been decorated. The bath and shower worked well and had plenty of hot water. The radiator valve was broken, though, so I couldn’t switch the heating off. The room and bathroom still felt dated, and the view in the morning could have been better. The staff were friendly and helpful, but the hotel seemed deserted on a dark, wet, misty night. It served its purpose for one night at £39, with no food available and the bar closed. Maybe Covid has hurt this hotel, as it has so many others. It was probably lovely in its day. A shame.

We paid extra for breakfast, but the food wasn’t cooked well or tasty, and they’d run out of hash browns without telling us until the meal arrived. I’d stay here again only if there were no other options. Given the choice, I’d go elsewhere. The photos my partner sent made the hotel look nicer than it was. Once we got there, we found there was no air conditioning, and both taps ran hot. Reception said that shouldn’t happen and gave us a jug of cold water. The toilet roll hadn’t been restocked, and the shower wouldn’t hold its temperature. A staff member confirmed checkout was at 11 a.m., but when we were leaving, we were told it was actually noon.