Mercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hall

Whilst the grounds are beautiful the hotel itself felt tired. Our room was lovely and big but no wardrobe doors on the wardrobe so looking at the ironing board wasn't great. We were in room 1 which I am assuming was above the kitchens or similar as it was so noisy for well into the early hours of the morning which unfortunately led to little sleep which was not ideal. We went down to breakfast 40 minutes before ended and were disappointed that wasn't been replenished. We did ask for more bread and cheeses but nothing came out and the cooked looked like sat for too long and wasn't topped up with fresh. The coffee machine was very grubby as well which was rather off putting.

On arrival we had to queue to register, there was only one young man on and he was doing other things as well. Our group of 6 had travelled from Wales, Yorkshire and Worcestershire and were looking forward to a first night meal together. My partner went back to the reception to book a table within 10 minutes of registering and was told no tables available for 6.30. We wanted an early meal as one of our party is diabetic. We were left then with bar meals which were very uninspiring (mainly burgers, pizza or sandwiches) and, for bar meals, very expensive. We ordered a variety of different dishes. Our diabetic friend was given something she didn't order, sent it back. When it reappeared she tried to cut into the fondant potato, it was rock hard. She then ordered the Caesar Salad and some chips when that came the chicken was inedible so she sent that back and just ate chips: not ideal for a diabetic. The following morning I went for a swim. The pool was so murky you could not see the bottom or the sides, I was very apprehensive about the health implications so got out within 5 minutes. Finally the quality of cleaning is fairly lax. We were in the School Master's House on the first floor, the finial half way up the staircase was gross, black and sticky. I really didn't want. to look in great detail at the rest I may have walked out.

The hotel sits in well maintained and beautiful gardens, and looks out onto lawns which run down to a large pond. Inside, the hotel provides the visitor with a feeling of a modern stately home. The reception staff are always welcoming, and keen to assist you with any queries you may have. The bar area is very comfortable, and leads onto a seating area at the front of the house. On a sunny day it is a very relaxing place to sit and unwind. The 'Oak Room ' restaurant has maintained that grand stately home feel, it is a very cosy place to eat, and an ideal anniversary present for the one you love. The new chef has reinvigorated the menu, the food is beautifully presented, and tastes divine. If you want to eat in the bar they also serve food which is delicious. All the rooms are presented to a high standard, they are clean, comfortable and importantly, quiet. Your breath will be taken away by the spaciousness of the 'Privilege ' and 'Superior Rooms ', quite simply some of the largest rooms I 've ever stayed in. Finally, the gym and spa areas are well equipped and offer the opportunity to workout or just relax. So, if you are wondering where to stay in Shrewsbury. do yourself a favour, book into the Albrighton Hall Spa, I guarantee you won 't be disappointed.

We used a wowcher deal for our anniversary. The room was immaculate (though in all honesty, I've stayed in Premier Inns with nicer rooms and the hotel itself was very clean. We had a little issue with our room key (not scanning and had to go back to the desk 3 times to get it sorted. Since we had just arrived, with our luggage, it might have been nice for the person on reception to actually come and sort the problem (it's not a short walk to the rooms . The spa facilities were lovely and we managed to access everything. We had a voucher for food but opted to eat out elsewhere due to comments in other reviews. We ate at the Red Lion Sizzler close by and it was amazing. We did, however, use the voucher for lunch before leaving the next day. Had we have had to pay for this meal, I would've been extremely disappointed- it was £16.95 for a chicken salad and it was clear that the chicken was not cooked fresh for this (very dry and bland meal . We did have breakfast included which was delicious (full English and continental and help-yourself-buffet-style . Therefore, it's possible that different chefs cook different sittings. The grounds are beautiful and make for a lovely walk on an evening. Someone mentioned a £25 deposit (we did have to pay this on arrival but we got it straight back when we checked out . Overall, we enjoyed our stay but I would not say this is a 4 star hotel, definitely a 3 star.

From the friendly reception staff to the restaurant staff including the bar staff and even housekeeping every bit of our stay was made special. Heated pool and leisure facilities were all fabulous meals were amazing from both the bar and the restaurant afternoon tea was great, good choice of sandwiches and cakes and large pot of tea. Privilege room was brilliant with fantastic views this was our second stay and third has already been booked.