Mercure Exeter Southgate Hotel

STAFF - everyone was friendly and helpful - from the front desk, the cleaners, waiting staff, and the pool staff. Special mention to Alex who was serving us for dinner one evening and managed to keep a cool, professional head and everything together despite being hugely short on waiting staff and chefs in the kitchen meaning he was running around doing a million things at once and our orders took forever but his sunny and polite disposition under pressure helped to smooth it over. LOCATION is top notch and has its own car park (although you pay per day and it is first come first served) which, given the central location, it is perfect. All of historic Exeter is within walking distance and you are 5 mins walk from the cathedral. Also ideal if you are exploring the area in general as you are within 20-60 mins drive of some great coastal spots and sites. The POOL was a very welcome facility! Perfect for keeping the kids entertained on one of the many rainy days during our visit and it has a consistent shallowish depth along the ample length - shallow enough for an 8 year old to stand up in but deep enough for a 6"5 person to get a decent swim in! We didn't use the other facilities. BREAKFAST buffet was great. Plenty of hot and cold choices, fresh fruit etc. Food in the restaurant and room service also of decent standard. ROOMS were a reasonable size, with a small table and armchair and were clean and comfortable. Fabulous luxury shower with additional rainfall head.

The pillows and duvets in both our rooms were a little hotchpotch in quality and the mattresses were sagging in the middle - both were adequate but are probably nearing the end of their serviceable life. These were minor things in the grand scheme of the overall stay and only mentioning if I have to really pick at something.

We have stayed here many times but not since Lockdown. It didn’t feel at the top of its game but was good. The staff were great and more integrated with the guests than previously. It made for a welcome feel. The breakfast selection was good. The location was as before and is ideal for us, right in the centre of Exeter. We will stay again

It’s difficult to say what was missing but it seemed the hotel had slipped a notch. When we arrived our tv was not working. Apparently terminally ill. a very nice young man arranged to have it replaced and this was done within an hour or two. We came back to find it done. Breakfast was overcrowded. This was a problem due to the DIY buffet style service. A more efficient toaster and two Coffee machines instead of one would have been an improvement. Where were the vegetarian sausages? In this regard the hotel is in danger of missing the boat.

The swimming pool was fantastic! My four year old absolutely loved it. Breakfast was also really good and was good value The hotel also provided a cot, which I didn't actually need as my son shared my bed, but it was thoughtful that they'd provided it. It's a short walk to the Cathedral and main city centre.

I ordered room service in the evening and the food was not very nice. It came reasonably quickly though. My only negative point was the evening meal. The breakfast in the restaurant was very good. We were also given free welcome drinks on arrival as we had a (short) wait for our room to be ready.

Breakfast was £32.00. Very disappointing The eggs were not good, the scrambled eggs were very unappetising, and had baked bean mixed in with them, as the same spoon had been used, fried eggs were over cooked and dried out. No crossisant, or marmalade, and the bread had run out. Only option was nuttella. The chef should have replenished, I want to get my money back for breakfast, as this took the shine of a comfortable stay.

Breakfast was the main issue, I paid at the entrance to the dining room, I wish I had taken a look at the breakfast options, as we certainly would not have paid. We came down to breakfast at 09:15, so it was not last minute. I would like to be refunded for breakfast.

easy to find off main ring road and car parking out front. 5 min walk to cathedral and 10 mins to shopping. staff lovely and welcoming. spa facilities good but need to modernise the lighting it’s like a local authority pool. water a bit chilly.

bathrooms good and decor fairly modern but rooms tired and need repainting- chipped paint in doors stains on walls. no mini fridge for cold drinks although you can buy from reception. windows need replacing singled sash in a modern building? not great for energy or noise. parking an additional cost. tv controller didn’t work and no one responded to my what’s app message. not many sockets and one didn’t work

The room was very nice. Location excellent.

The food was mediocre. More care has to be taken when printing menus etc as I am a coeliac and your main menu had very little in the way that I could eat in the evening (and the chef advised that most things could not be tailored for me) and also had one thing that had been marked as gluten free i.e.the chicken wings which I was told were not in fact GF. This could be dangerous for other people who may order and not make sure that your allergen menu was correct. Breakfast not too bad but not very warm and had been stood a while so fried eggs were like rubber and scrambled egg was luke warm. I also do not like having to get your own drinks and toast as you had to queue up for these. So either your breakfast or toast were cold.

This hotel is perfectly located for visiting Exeter. We were really happy with how close it is to the cathedral and all the other parts of the city that we wanted to go to. The room was comfortable and well sized for two.

We weren't told that the hallway was being decorated and there was a constant smell of paint during our stay. The room was ready for us but we had to wait for housekeeping to come and separate the beds as we had requested the twin option and this was not prepared. We were also not told that we were given the accessible room which meant that the whole bathroom was a wet room with lower sinks and raised toilet. Our room was also on the ground floor and the windows lead out into the carpark making it quite noisy at nighttime and early morning as people were arriving and leaving.

The central location was excellent being less than five minutes to the Cathedral. The facilities were good and the spa/gym was also very good. The hotel has enough parking (£15 per 24hrs). Staff were helpful and professional. The check in and check out were quick and efficient.

The only negative was paying £16 for a steak and ale pie in the restaurant which was a frozen supermarket pie with instant gravy. No crumbling short pastry, no unctuous rich filling full of ale flavour and beef, instead a 35 min wait for a meal I would prepare for the kids if I was too tired to make something nice instead.

The twin beds are a bit small but confortable. The room has a good size and the hotel is in general quiet even when full. The swimming pool, spa, sauna and gym are totally professional and not too busy. With profesional changing rooms, dedicated staff. Like a regular good gym. A fantastic addition to your trip. Check out time is late (12:00) and check in early (14:00) you could ask for an addition. Great bar and terrace. Location is perfect.

Small beds. Expensive breakfast (did not try it). But clean and confortable. Good bathroom.

The only meal we had was breakfast and that was fine. The location was very central, we walked everywhere and did not use our car at all. The room, number 186, was mostly good, apart from some minor points(see below)

There were no hangers, apart from the two that the bath robes were on. There was plenty of space for a couple of hooks for outdoor coats (often too wet to put in the wardrobe) but there weren't any. There was also plenty of space for a much bigger towel rail. The small one provided was over the shelf that you put toiletries and make up on etc.