The Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel & Spa, Exclusive Hire

Rooms are a good size recently, which has been renovated, bath, and shower. Good WiFi TVs 55-inch all channels available. Very good conference facilities. Loads of parking. Good size bar and restaurant. Breakfast is good service and selection. Evening dinner menu could be improved poor selection. Front of house friendly and professional. Spar and pool added bonus.

We were booked here for an afternoon tea, spa, and massage, something to look forward to. We were seated with a drink, but 5 minutes later, we were told by the male waiter that there was going to be quite a wait and would we like to get changed first into robes. We said no because, as you would, dressed for the occasion. So we sat there longer, wondering why we had a wait when we was booked in, and 4 tables still available. After a while this couple who arrived after us was ask to come to a table, we were wound up at this point, I got up and went to the bar and ask why we were still waiting when we arrived before that couple. She didn't know what the problem was! she called over to the guy at the restaurant reception, 'What was the problem?' he just said that there was a delay. Anyway she sat us down at the already available table, she brought our coffee and afternoon tea, cakes and sandwiches straight away, these were the ones were preordered, because my wife does not eat beef, only to find they had been sitting there because they were dried out. We were very dissatisfied by the service here. It spoilt the day. The spa and the massage were good. This one man spoilt the feeling of the day completely. He works there every day and probably takes it for granted guest looking forward to their day out. This is the second time the dunkenhalgh has let us down when we came for a stay and spa and had to change rooms and the only thing available in the spa was the pool because that's when the spa was being done up, but they didn't inform us and no apologises were made. Lovely place, but the service is letting it down. At this moment, we will not be recommending this place.

Paid for an upgraded room with walk in shower and a desk space to work at. Original room given was a standard room which had mould covering the bathroom ceiling and above the bed. Bathroom extremely dated with broken tiles and the bedroom decor was also extremely poor. Complained to reception about the room and they denied that an upgrade was booked until I showed them a personalised email from the booking team confirming the upgrade had been paid for. Once the error had been proved they were very helpful in changing the room and the upgrade was certainly a massive improvement. Will go back but only with room upgrade as the location is perfect for good connections to all main roads in the north.