Mercure Ballarat - Hotel & Convention Centre 4 stars

See my photos and check other reviews both recent and much older. It indicates that these issues are acknowledged by management with apologies etc but the same issues continue. We did not have any problems with staff. Interesting though, on checkout no feedback was asked for. My wife and I don’t recommend this expensive venue. We stayed n an adjoined apartment with a covered carport. The car space was still minimal and could easily be struck by a car door from the other carport. All outside car parks showed minimal space between cars. Our entrance door mat had tooth floss on it and leaves and dirt imbedded that had not been cleaned in a very long time if ever. The inside entrance was all a hard floor with a small lip to trip over going into the bathroom area immediately to your right. The decor was in need of an upgrade as it looked and felt like it was out of the 70’s. The main room light was the same design as a house I owned in that era. The two hardwood ornate carved chairs would have looked and felt more comfortable if they had been reupholstered. There was very little cushion within the leather covering due to its age. The small stone/marble coffee table had cup stains that obviously had not been wiped clean. The king size bed was very springy with the weight of only 75kg. The small fridge had ice built up in the small freezer area and had one complimentary small uht milk carton. The main area that concerned us both was the bathroom. Fortunately, the toilet itself was clean and dual flush. The outside windows luckily had fly screens which had a great number of spider webs built up. The look was not comfortable. Much of the tile grout (floor,walls, shower recess) needed a very good clean especially in areas that would get more moisture build up. The corroded old metal shower recess plug hole had a broken sharp section. Not good if you dropped your wedding ring or it caught your toe. There were spider webs under the basin area and the door stop which should have been white was filthy. Glad we stayed only the one night for such an exclusive and expensive Mercure. I also had a cursory look at the buffet breakfast on offer at high cost. The range of selection that we’ve experienced at other similar venues are much more generous. Overall not impressed. Obviously, a lot of money needs to be spent on upgrading the venue and apart from what my wife and I experienced there are many reviews that indicate upgrades are not happening. How 4.5 star ratings apply to this venue is very surprising.

What a beautiful property this is. We were in Ballarat to attend a wedding. Staff were awesome, service very friendly. Our room was well appointed, excellent water pressure, large bathroom and a very comfortable bed. Close to restaurants and an easy drive to visit local attractions. Would recommend it and if I was ever back in Ballarat I would only stay here. The inhouse restaurant had a nice menu also and breakfast choices were ample. All in all nothing but compliments for the Management and their Team.

I say quirky because it has a rustic feel with the complex but a very comfortable and welcoming feel. The staff were all great, with John in the restaurant just adding that little something extra / special. Overall we would stay again if we were to go to Ballarat again.

This place used to have a good reputation. I stayed two nights. I could probably have asked for another room but chose not to because of inconvenience of repacking. I left notes with the receptionist when I checked out. Compliments to the housekeeping staff! The room was perfectly clean as far as their responsibility extended. The security catch had been pulled away from the door frame and was dangling from the door - so useless and untidy. A QR code sticker was half pulled off the bedside table, looking really scruffy. A puncture mark in the bedroom side of the bathroom door and paint peeling off the back of the bathroom door. The bath base had lost some of its coating. The bathroom floor tile grout ranged in colour from original cream to very grimy looking grey. The room was COLD. Heating on 30 and boost when I was there and I turned it down to 25 when I went out. At no point over the two days did I feel warm, even wearing two woolen tops - refused to wear my raincoat or hat inside. I had the spare blanket over my knees to read sitting in a chair. I was grateful I'd brought a hot water bottle. I wouldn't stay at this hotel in cold weather again. I was advised that a "Superior" room in a different area of the hotel might be warmer. Heating costs and energy use must be huge! ALL / Accor Live Limitless member. More

Used to love this place, friendly staff, great food, clean rooms, comfy beds, good facilities. Now it feels like they couldn’t care less & just want your money. Some seriously miserable staff that don’t even say hello let alone smile. Reception mgr & staff look the other way when you pass them. Restaurant menu is a grubby, sticky plastic thing that’s boring, overpriced, under delivers & doesn’t have a soup available in the middle of winter? Evening meal took 48 minutes with only 15 customers to bring 2 burgers & a pork chop, they forgot to put truffle oil in the mash? Breakfast variety has been reduced but not the price. Tables are so close you can engage in each others conversations & stir each others coffee, speaking of which if you want a half decent coffee & not what’s on offer from a filthy machine, then you have to pay extra? We booked our usual room (5) & was confirmed all ours, checked in & given keys to room 10? Told them we’re in 5, they told us someone just checked in to that room. They gave us keys to room 15 before offering us a double story cottage at an extra $230. Wanted me to pay for their mess. Because I was having surgery I booked a next door room for an overnight nurse. Said they had no booking for room 3 after it was confirmed. Said can have room 16 next to the room we took, when the nurse arrived they gave her keys to room 18. The incompetence was astounding. They were also advised that the hospital would be paying for the nurses room but they charged my card anyway. The night before surgery I asked reception to book me a taxi for 9:30am, at 9am thought I would check, told there was no booking? Under the beds were filthy & the skirting boards had thick visible dirt/dust that’s not been cleaned for months. The fridge was a camp fridge. I needed ice packs after surgery & needed to keep going to reception to get the packs frozen, they wouldn’t even bring them to the room for us. In the end we got ice from a waitress in the restaurant who put the ice inside disposable gloves because they didn’t have anything else? The internal doors make such a racket when opening/closing they wake you from sleep if the lumpy mattress hasn’t already stopped you from sleeping. Seriously the whole pathetic saga reminded me of faulty towers. I would go as far to say it will not change until management down get some serious training & Accor lift their game or drop their prices. I’m in town next week but NOT staying there, it’s a joke.