Mercure Caen Cote de Nacre Herouville Saint Clair

Tremendous hotel, used as a stop off en route to Brittany. The team at the hotel were fabulous, so welcoming and tolerant of my poor French. Lovely evening meal and breakfast. Very good value considering the quality of the room, food and the team. A booking made due to location, but one I would 110% use again due to the experience!

Located on the north edge of the city, it was accessible from the N13 in a jiffy. Doesn't look great on the outside, two story bunker like architecture, maybe appropriate for Normandy?, but inside was lovely, spacious open plan bar, restaurant and reception. Rooms really well fitted out with clean sharp modern furnishings. Big walk in shower in the bathroom. Only a fridge was needed to make this home from home, but it was a one night stopover on the ferry route. Tram right outside the door, as is McDonald's and Carrefour, so that's good, isn't it? €1.80 1hour tram pass had us to the city centre in 20 minutes in comfort. Stayed much longer than our tram pass, it was so nice to walkabout. Back in the hotel after some street culture and a few happy hour pints, dinner was the best value I've had all week, and of the highest quality. Two delicious and original courses for €25, three glasses of wine between us, total of €70. I'd have stayed there and toured the Normandy coastline if I'd had a few more days. Left for the ferry next day and was on the main highway within a minute, at Utah beach Museum in no time. Great finish to my first holiday in France since 1982.

The restaurant was closed "because it is the weekend ". This is not mentioned on the website. After a long day's drive, I would not have booked this hotel if I had known this. The bar was supposedly open. The barman showed no interest in serving me and was unapologetic that drinks on the bar menu were unavailable.