Mercure Banbury Whately Hall Hotel

The room doors spring shut with a loud bang, and you can hear both the hallway and neighboring rooms through the walls. It was especially noticeable late at night and really affected my sleep. The staff were polite, and the hotel has been renovated beautifully, but the poor sound insulation takes away from what could otherwise be a very nice stay.

The recently refurbished rooms are a good choice if you want a comfortable stay. We spent six nights at the Whately, and the staff made it a much easier visit, especially with our mobility issues. A lovely chap on reception on 1-10-25 and 6-10-25 found us a room that suited us better, and we really appreciated it. Everyone was willing to help, from the man who checked us in after midnight and carried our cases upstairs to the friendly housekeeping team and the ladies serving breakfast. Nothing seemed like too much trouble. I’d recommend staying here.

We were given an afternoon tea voucher for Whatley Hall, and the tea was honestly the best. They took care of all our dietary needs and checked everything with us before serving the food. The only letdown was the lack of atmosphere. A bit of gentle Christmas music would have helped. I’d still definitely recommend it.

I’d wanted to stay at the Whately hall hotel ever since moving to Banbury just over a year ago. I spotted a free night before Christmas and booked a suite for my partner and me because the website photos made it look perfect. We eventually got checked in after someone came to staff reception, then headed upstairs with our room number and key. What we found was a room, not a suite. There was a sofa just inside the door, but putting a sofa bed in a hallway doesn’t make it a living room. The bed and pillows were a disappointment too. The mattress was uncomfortable and the pillows were too small. The larger TV was mounted in the hallway, so we ended up squinting at the smaller one in the bedroom area. I’ve stayed in plenty of hotels, and getting the mattress and pillows right matters. I’d read a number of reviews beforehand. The creaky floors and dated look didn’t worry me much, but the accommodation we were given didn’t match the pictures on the website. At the very least, that feels like misrepresentation and needs correcting. What should’ve been a memorable stay for the right reasons turned into one for all the wrong ones.