Mercure Newcastle George Washington Hotel Golf and Spa

We booked this room for our anniversary and have been really pleased so far. The evening meal was lovely, and the room is stunning with an amazing bathroom. I struggled with the noise because of my autism, but the staff couldn't have been more accommodating. Thank you, Kim, Gabby, Lili and Matty. I'm looking forward to trying the bed, pool and breakfast.

The food at our event was outstanding, and the preparations beforehand went well. The events planner was very helpful. Still, the day itself was disappointing for our family's 90th birthday celebration, and the problems added to an already disappointing family visit. There was nobody available as a point of contact when issues came up. The room was cold at the start, and the welcome drinks only appeared on the table after most guests had arrived. We were told the music couldn't begin until 3 p.m., the official start time, even though guests were already there and we needed some atmosphere. We were also given a butter knife to cut the cake. During the stay, several staff members came across as unfriendly and unhelpful, and they couldn't give clear basic information such as the spa's opening hours. The spa and pool area fell short too: the pool surround was dirty, the sauna wasn't working, and the Jacuzzi was not very clean and had missing tiles, which raised hygiene and safety concerns. Our room was clean, but the towel hanger was broken and hanging off the wall, and a wall sconce was loose. Breakfast was disorganised: many hot buffet items were missing, refills took a long time, and there was only one working coffee machine, so queues built up. Given how important the occasion was and the hotel's reputation, this was extremely disheartening.

We had a very good family lunch on Boxing Day, from beginning to end. Jasmine and Molly were attentive and professional, and nothing seemed too much trouble. The food was tasty, nicely presented and good value for a festive meal, with generous portions. My family has dined here at various events before, and this visit gives us every reason to return. Thank you.

Mimi made dinner a pleasure with her lovely hospitality and customer service. No matter how difficult or physical my workday had been, she helped make the evening easy, relaxed and smooth. She was always busy, but still had time for a laugh. Thanks so much, Mimi. You might even be better than Patrick ;)