Historic hotel is family-run
Huge range of
kid-friendly entertainment and activities
Outdoor swimming
pool and FlowRider artificial wave machine on-site
Water park features slides, waterfalls, and a lazy river
Within walking
distance of St. Helier town center
Many of the simple rooms and suites are well-suited to families, with free movies and bunk beds
Five restaurants
and three bars on-site
Plenty of evening
entertainment for adults
Only one hour of
free Wi-Fi per day
Parts of the
resort feel dated, include common spaces and the rooms (particularly the bathrooms)
Mediocre gym mostly has weight-training machines
No air-conditioning in
rooms
FlowRider often out of service
The family-owned and -operated 291-room Merton Hotel, opened almost a century ago, is a mid-range property that includes a leisure center, water park, and simple rooms. Holiday Inn Express Orange Beach provides everything you need for a great beach vacation with Gulf front and inland view guest rooms, a beachfront pool and tiki bar, free hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour business and fitness centers, and a meeting room for your convenience. Almost everything, from room amenities to entertainment, is geared towards families with kids, although it also attracts a fair share of older couples. Rooms have some dated decor along with flat-screen TVs and electric kettles. Although St. Helier town center is within walking distance, an array of on-site restaurant, bars, and evening entertainment means guests can spend their whole vacation without leaving the resort. Plus, there's an outdoor pool, indoor pool with waterslide, mediocre gym, game room, and large theater. Considering the range of amenities, rates are reasonable, but for those seeking a little more space, the Merton Suites (part of the same hotel but in a separate building) is a better option.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Huge family-owned and family-focused hotel juxtaposes a waterpark with century-old heritage
Originally built
by Jersey's prominent Seymour family close to a century ago, the Merton Hotel
steadily expanded to become the island's largest hotel and still remains part
of the Seymour chain. Elements of the property's original early 20th-century
charm have been maintained, though most of the property is comprised of modern
add-ons and extensions that include the hotel's main attraction -- the Merton
Leisure Club and Aquadome. While interiors have been modernized, they're far
from contemporary -- early-nineties decor feels dated in parts and
some buildings are charmlessly old-fashioned. However, the hotel remains
popular with fun-loving families and older guests who seek a self-contained
leisure resort.
Location
Set on quiet street around a mile from St. Helier's town center
The hotel is
located on a quiet street in the southern part of the St. Saviour parish of
Jersey just outside St. Helier. St. Helier town center, with its bars, restaurants,
and shopping, is about 15 minutes away on foot, or a five-minute drive, while
the seafront is just a 10 minutes' walk away. La Route du Port Elizabeth -- with ferry
connections to France, Guernsey, and mainland Britain -- is also under 10 minutes
away by car and Jersey Airport is just 15 minutes away.
Rooms
Simply styled, dated rooms with family-focused amenities
The hotel has a
whopping 291 rooms in all, most of which follow simple chain-style decor with blond-wood furnishings, patterned fabrics, dark carpets, and neutral tones -- though
some decor is starting to look tired. In-room amenities are particularly family-focused, including baby-listening systems and flat-screen TVs with satellite channels
and free family movies around the clock -- though rooms lack air-conditioning, and
Wi-Fi is only free for the first hour per day. Some rooms have bunks to accommodate kids.Adjacent to the
hotel, the Merton Suites (part of the Merton Hotel) opened in 2011 and provides 28 slightly more modern apartments with fully-equipped kitchens (complete with Smeg fridge-freezers,
ovens, and cookware), dining areas, and comfy lounges -- some with log-effect
fires. All suites also open to south-facing balconies and provide nice touches such as duck-down duvets and White Company brand bath products.
Features
Vast array of child-friendly entertainment and activities -- and a few things for the adults
The resort
provides a vast array of entertainment and leisure facilities, mostly centered
around the Aquadome -- a sub-tropically heated water park complete with
waterslides, a lazy river, and waterfall fountains. There's also an outdoor pool
and the FlowRider, which allows visitors to surf on an artificial wave -- though
it is not free of charge and often out of service. Play areas, a supervised kids'
club, game room, and entertainment for children and teens of all ages also make the hotel especially kid-friendly.There are also five
different restaurants, of which The Belvedere is the main one where breakfast
and buffet dinners are served daily. There is also evening entertainment for
the grown-ups -- mostly live tribute acts -- as well as three bars and regular
themed events. Wi-Fi is only free for one hour each day.
