Mercure Salisbury White Hart Hotel 4 stars

The White Hart is an old hotel that has been well modernised, although you may still get the odd creaky floorboard! Our room was in the newer wing at the rear which made it very quiet. Room was well appointed, as was the bathroom although it was a bit on the small side.

From the first time we went to reception until we left two days later, everyone was very helpful. The only downside was when a guest turned up just after 09:30, (when breakfast was closed) and had a go at the staff, despite eating as he walked over the buffet and using his hands, pig of a man.

The hotel is well-located, not far from the Cathedral. The staff were very friendly & helpful. The food was good but the restaurant - located in the bar area - lacked atmosphere (lighting too bright initially but was much better when turned down). We chose an “upgrade” to an Executive Room, which was a good size, with a comfortable 4-poster bed but … the room was not particularly clean (e.g. dirty net curtains) and the main shower head was very poor (many of the jets were blocked) and needed cleaning/descaling or replacement.

For a visit to Salisbury you couldn't have a more convenient location. We arrived after 4pm and registered and paid for parking at reception so able to leave car till the next afternoon for only £6. Old building but our room (137) had been modernised .

As we entered the restaurant, my wife and I were told we could not use the restaurant for dinner on the evening of 24th September. We had to sit at a table next to the main entrance and the reception desk. No one has told me why I was not contacted prior to my visit to explain that a large party were using the restaurant. I emailed the Manager that evening to explain I was not happy about the situation - no reply. I emailed a second time - no reply. I telephoned when I had returned home and asked the receptionist to ask the Manager to make contact with me - no reply. I have written to Head Office of Accor Hotels - no reply. Two other residents ate their meal at a table adjacent to ours and they were also very unhappy about eating where other people were constantly going to reception and moving to their rooms and up the stairs. Sadly it is the lack of any communication which is unacceptable.

All admin well organised. Excellent room with radiator and towel rail that worked and could be controlled; a rarity in hotels in the UK in our experience.

The hotel is very conveniently located. We had good nights' sleep and the breakfasts are good. The choice of evening meals is disappointingly limited, but understandable in present circumstances. The interior decor, furnishings etc. of the hotel are looking tired anwornaq nd substantial refurbishment should be high on oyur list of priorities

See above

Usual Mercure standards of service and cleanliness but the hotel could do with a refurb. Excellent meal with only one proviso: the tempura prawns were all batter and no prawn. Overall good value for money especially when the members discount, the welcome drinks and the points are taken into account.

The hotel overall feels tired even though it is being refurbished and apparently we were in a refurbished room having paid extra for a Privilege room. The good points, the bar was reasonably priced and the hotel room seemed relatively clean with nice tea and coffee facilities, although the cups looked a little grubby. The front of house staff at reception and in the bar were absolutely charming. As for everything else. The room had been painted in the new grey with a dark blue headboard which looked nice but the carpet was tired and shabby with a few unpleasant stains. The view from the privilege room 201 was of the car park! The bathroom is seriously well below standard. The shower was fine but the toilet felt cramped with the spare single and thin toilet roll balanced by the staff on top of the towel rail. The washbasin is tiny with nowhere to put personal items as the tiny shelf is loaded with the extras like a single shower gel, one shampoo, one body lotion and this is for a room booked for 2 days for 2 people. The 2 bath towels and 2 hand towels all had to fight for space on the single towel rail. The pillows on the bed were old, flat and hard but reception had them replaced for the second night. The bed is just 2 singles pushed together with a mattress topper that is too small so no matter where you lie you have uncomfortable ridges. The carpets throughout the hotel were tired and in places looked threadbare even in the refurbished area with some newly painted doors, like the last one leading to our wing already showing signs of scratching from housekeeping trollies, whilst the bullet hole in the last corridor window next to room 202 was concerning. The bar area had only enough space for 2 tables and 6 seats as the rest of the room was used for dining despite the hotel having two sizeable rooms which could easily be used for evening diners. The breakfast was generally very poor. The first morning we were sent to the wrong room which was actually being used for a corporate event. On the second day we headed down to the room used on the Tuesday morning and found it in darkness with no signs explaining why. We headed back up towards reception and saw people eating in the room used the previous day for the corporate event. Sorry but at the prices paid for the room and the supposed standard of the hotel I've never experienced shifting breakfast rooms and that is based on over 20 years of traveling privately and for work and staying at around 20+ hotels per annum. On the first day we were quickly shown to a table had some nice fruit juice and quickly given a choice of tea or coffee and were told it was a help yourself buffet. The fried eggs were like rubber, the scrambled eggs were revolting having been mixed with some herbs I couldn't recognise but they were in a solid block and tasted musty. Most of the bacon was overcooked and the sausages were very dark and look like they had been deep fried and were very cheap albeit pleasant! The fried bread was a nice surprise and well done. Whilst sat at the table we saw the menu offering and realised we could have actually ordered food not on the buffet. The second day was a disaster. Like many others we witnessed, we were left standing at the entrance as the main waitress seemed more interested in cleaning the odd table when most of the other tables were freshly laid. After learning of the fresh cooked offer the previous day my wife ordered 2 vegetarian sausages and I ordered 2 poached eggs on brown toast. I actually got 2 poached eggs swimming in water with four pieces of brown toast on the side. After mopping up the water with a napkin and putting one egg on a triangle of toast and putting the other 2 triangles aside we went up to the buffet for some beans and other bits. There were around 8 tables occupied at the time with few currently eating a cooked breakfast but when we got to the hot food buffet 4 pieces of bacon left which were very overdone, 3 sausages, some more of that awful looking scrambled eggs, 1 single half of fried bread, no fried eggs, a few tomatoes but plenty of beans. We selected what we wanted from the meagre selection and was about to walk back when what I believe was the cook came out. I asked about the fried bread "yes it's on order", the bacon "yes it's on order" and gave up. During the time we were sat down eating our breakfast which was within earshot of the buffet we heard a number of people ask about the lack of food and each got the same uninformative reply of "yes it's on order" no apology for no food, no timing of "sorry that will be out in a minute or 5 minutes", "never we've run out" or anything helpful. In a bizarre pricing I paid £138.60 for Monday 27/9/21 when the hotel seemed busier than I did for Tuesday 28/9/21 which cost me £150.30. That is a total bill of £288.90 before extras. I've stayed in 4 star hotels in central London and other major European cities outside of school holiday time for less and had a much better experience. I took out an Accor Live Limitless card as it promised a cheaper booking well based on our experience here it is one loyalty card that doesn't create any loyalty.

Good location, clean and comfy.

A hotel with character well located in the centre of the city. The room was comfortable and the staff were friendly, polite and helpful. Food was good if not particularly adventurous. Good to have some local products in the bar. Would happily stay in this hotel again.

We were driving to Salisbury to see a play. The hotel provided us with just what we wanted to be able to enjoy our visit. Easy car parking; friendly staff; good bathroom and excellent breakfast.

Excellent!! Very personalised, even though all the communications prior to our stay encouraged us to check in on line!!

The hotel is in an excellent position, with pubs and bars in the vicinity. The hotel does not have a lift so I emailed a special request for my room position, and the staff went out of their way to accommodate my requests, which I do appreciate, and I noticed we had been upgraded to a Privilege room, thank you. All the staff were very pleasant and all wore face masks. There is a lovely courtyard garden, which could have been given a good sweep, but I guess it was the time of year. The breakfast was very good, but the bacon could have been cooked a little longer, but that may be personal taste. The hotel could have had a bit more TLC, but I realise the hospitality industry has been hit hard recently. The hotel does have character, rather than being modern, and all staff were excellent.