Hôtel Mercure Saint-Malo Front de Mer

Stayed one night, very convenient to the old town. Right on the water.

This hotel doesn’t deserve 4 stars. The entrance lobby consists of a leather sofa and a receptionist desk, it is everything but welcoming. The main disappointment remains the room and the ensuite bathroom. Absolutely awful decor and a ridiculously tiny bathroom! No 4 star amenities either in it… We booked this hotel because we only stay in Mercure hotels when we visit a new city/ region but also because the photos shown on the website were very appealing. Well this hotel has been recently renovated and the vibrant colours are gone and have been replaced by a very old fashioned 70s style wallpaper. They should have updated the website photographs but didn’t bother!

The location is great, right over the road from the beachfront, we had a partial sea view which was fine. The room was clean, a few maintenance issues which we notified reception about which weren't attended to during our stay so we left a note when we departed, no big issues though. Of interest was the bathroom which had a fabulous walk in shower, good water pressure and temperature, but the hand basin we had was simply enormous and stuck out from the vanity so you were far away from the mirror to shave and put on make up, it was very strange. The decor of the room was the old mission brown, not sure if it was old or refurbished but not the freshest of colours! Breakfast was excellent, as were the breakfast staff. However, staff at reception weren't the best, we were kept waiting for long periods while staff sat at the computer near the bar and only after 15 mins did they attend to us. A guest had left a bag on the reception couch which wasn't investigated until we told staff about it. We felt sorry for the only staff member we could see on the Friday night of our stay, she had to staff the reception area and attend to about 15 guests in the bar all by herself. The bathroom downstairs hadn't been cleaned by 0800 on the Saturday morning after the Friday evening guests. The hotel has so much more potential, staff need to be invested in, they are worth it!

Hotel is just minutes from the ferry port by taxi and the boardwalk along the beach is within walking distance. Waterfront view from the breakfast room is gorgeous. Breakfast was plentiful and delicious. Staff were helpful and pleasant. Property is undergoing renovation to make entry more wheelchair accessible, but side entry is quite navigable.

Unwelcoming, unhelpful and rude receptionist (female). Room was gloomy with dull decor and an uninspiring view. Disappointing one night stay (thank goodness it was only one night) at the start to our holiday. We have stayed at this hotel before but never again.