Mercure Stratford Upon Avon Shakespeare Hotel

I had a fabulous ☕🫖🍰afternoon tea at this hotel many years ago (when it was the Shakespeare Hotel) with a colleague (we both were working at the local college there). Italian Luka was the Maitre d. The food was delicious. The hotel was beautifully refurbished at the time as you would expect for a historic Tudor building. Ideal location for people visiting the town as it's central to all the main tourist attractions plus close to the 🚆train station.

The staff were very pleasant and accommodating. The room was lovely we stayed in the old part of the hotel with lovely beams. we were surprised to find air conditioning which was great as it was very warm weather, also a fridge, iron & ironing board. Breakfast was nice though the eggs being kept under heated lamps dried up (would have preferred cooked to odder). we felt that the carparking was way to expensive at £15 for an overnight stay. however over all it was a lovely stay.

This place is awful. It sells itself on the old building and location but that's all it has going for - enter through the door and it is one huge disappointment after another. The place is dusty, shabby, and unclean (old rubbish under the bed, previous occupants hairs in the sink and shower, etc). As for the food, cheap doesn't do it justice. My vegan breakfast consisted of 1 sausage and a spoonful of beans (yes, literally); the shame on the staff member's face when they put it on my table was evident. All the food quality is the lowest of the low, even the (so called) orange juice was so cheap it was undrinkable. We skipped the breakfast even though it was included in the price. Shame on you Mercure - a four star hotel you are not!