Why it’s good for business

The Mercure Eastgate is tucked away on a side street off Oxford’s High Street, a short walk to the city’s colleges and centre. Many of the city’s key businesses are in the Oxford Business and Science Parks on the outskirts two to three miles away but given Oxford’s compact size, this isn’t a problem, particularly if you want to combine business with pleasure.

The hotel is a classic Mercure, Accor’s mid to upmarket non-standardised chain, and is one of 24 properties acquired from Macdonald Hotels and rebranded in 2007. A substantial refurbishment, led by interior designers Blacksheep, has seen the addition of a 90-seat brasserie and a complete reworking of the hotel’s common areas, with high-end wallpaper, striking timber floors, divider screens and a bookish design which echoes the educational establishments in the vicinity.

The hotel, first established in 1605, sits on the site of the East Gate of the city of Oxford. The current buildings date from the 19th century, when the area was rebuilt to make improvements to Magdalen College.

Earlier this week, AA inspectors upgraded the hotel to four stars from three.

The room

You never know quite what to expect from a room in a Mercure – that’s part of the thrill for regular business travellers fed up with the standardisation of some chains. At the Eastgate, you get a moderately sized, classically designed room with pale walls, beige soft furnishings and rich dark wooden furniture, including a small desk.

The bathrooms are functional – tiled in white with standard fittings; you will not find Philippe Starck taps and the like here.

I liked being able to open the windows for a bit of air, an in-room iron and ironing board but thought the television channels on offer were limited but in line with the reasonable rate you pay to stay here. I do like having a bigger desk mind you.

A place to meet

There’s one small meeting room – the Ruskin Suite - which can take up to 16 at a squeeze. The hotel’s lounge bar is the ideal place for a more informal head to head.

Technology credentials