Mercure Dunkenhalgh Blackburn  

I stayed two weeks during the 2011 Xmas break. This was my 3rd stay at the hotel. Staff, as usual, were very friendly and helpful.

The hotel is very busy hosting parties at this time of year. For the residents this can be disturbing as the parties go on well after midnight. The final night was the worst with wedding guests banging ddors until the early hours, during which someone set off the fire alarm (false alarm). The hotel is not wheelchair friendly , some of the doors to the new wings should have automatic operation. Even able bodied people with luggage struggle through the doors to the new wing. The parking spaces are cramped and is pporly drained, when it rains large sections of the car park are off limits due to the standing water.

Food was excellent, staff were polite and helpful. Spa/gym was really nice and relaxing enviroment.

Mould around the bath/shower, reported to reception but was not rectified during our visit, extractor fan in bathroom did not work again was not rectified whilst we were there. A lillte noisy from the room above both nights.

We had a quick check in, room was nice but shower wasnt working properly. Mentioned it to staff and we were upgraded and moved and given a free drink in the bar. The food and service in the restaurant was brilliant. It was a lovely chilled out stay.

Had to swap rooms 5 times, as 4 were leaking through the windows, I booked a executive room through booking.com with "a walk in shower" and was given a room without this facility, luckily, as the rooms were leaking, they had no choice but to put me in a room that I had paid for! The food was terrible, £11.50 for fish and 7 thick cut chips!! The lager was disgusting! The pipes needed cleaning as the lager was tainted, and overpriced!

Staff were helpful, spa facilities were marvellous, standard room was clean and the bed was comfy, we upgraded to an exec because of a broken tile on the bathroom floor in room 67... new room was very nice with additional touches, ice bucket, bottled water more bits and bobs in the bathroom etc...

Always check your bill !!! We were charged for breakfast but had booked on a room only basis ! The error was cleared up immediately.

The room smelled of dust and damp, made us all cough all night. There was evidence of patchy paint on top of damp areas around window. It was Dec and there was a cobweb in the room. It took more than an hour to order and get food/ late breakfast at the bar. The staff were courteous but they seemed to be understaffed (there was a wedding). The food when it eventually arrived was good but way over priced.

Friendly staff, excellent food, clean and comfortable room, reasonably sized pool and good spa facilities

The hotel is excellently placed for Pennine Lancashire The food and service is good, but a little slow in the reception if you are looking for a quick getaway in a morning..

In my view the hotel is no longer competative nor represent value for money. I generally stay at the Worsley Park Marriott and pay less pn including breakfast, a little more at the Preston Marriott, they were both unavailable on the night of my stay but there is no comparison by way of the room standard/comfort or quality of experience. I could also have stayed at the Stanley Hotel in Mellor that night for just a few pounds more, or Northcoat Manor. My room was gloomy with dark and dated decor, the tiles in my shower area were also dressed in black slime with damage to the shower fixings- not nice. Many residents have to go outside from the reception to get to their bed room, the corridors felt damp. If you want some nibbles with your drink at the bar then you also need to go outside and across the courtyard to the leisure centre to buy them or pay an extra £3 or so for a few olives and nuts and wait for them from a bar menu. From my experience most decent hotels still provide a few nibbles free with a round of drinks. Everything you might need including a morning newspaper seems to be an extra at this hotel and overpriced?

Some aspects of the hotel were unnecessarily old. Their aged profile didn't add to the experience.

Only stayed one night.breakfast was excellent,bed comfy.

Did not like bathroom,grouting was black.cobwebs in room.and bed linen on floor outside thr room in the morning

Breakfast was good value for money and breakfast room staff service were excellent. good location The pool and spa are very good.

Long story short it took an hour and a half to get checked into a room! I would much rather have spent that valuable time relaxing by the pool or spa. I booked a twin room for a sister and me. I was given double. It was such a shame. My other sister also had issues with her booking. All very stressful after a long journey from Devon, travelling for a family christening. I booked a twin room months in advance. I was given an upgrade which was not fully set up for two and did not make up for lost time. I would like to be able to recommend this hotel but cannot as both my sister and I experienced problems with our bookings.

The hotel and the food were excellant.