Mercure Hotel Plaza Essen
The hotel with its own indoor pool and sauna
About this hotel
Mercure Hotel Plaza Essen is the one hotel on this list that supplies its own swim option, an indoor pool and sauna available as standard amenities rather than a paid spa package, useful on the days Oase's open-air pool is closed for the season or the weather turns. Two minutes from Museum Folkwang and seven minutes from the Essen Philharmonie, it sits in the cultural end of central Essen rather than the transit-hub cluster near the station, giving families an easy pairing of a museum afternoon or an evening concert with the pool routine. The four-star rating shows in the fitness centre, business centre and full-service laundry, while free parking and pet-friendly rooms mean a family driving in with a dog does not have to compromise on amenities. Kid-friendly throughout and smoke-free, it closes the trip with a hotel that can genuinely stand on its own rather than existing purely as a base for Oase.
- Indoor pool and sauna
- 4-star hotel
- Near Museum Folkwang
- Free parking
Our take
This suits a family who wants a real on-site pool and sauna as a backup or complement to Oase, plus proximity to Museum Folkwang for a cultural afternoon. It is the most complete hotel on this whole page. Families on a tight budget or wanting the absolute cheapest option should look toward Wohnzimmer-Essen or B&B Hotel Essen-City instead.
- ✓Book the sauna time slot ahead during busy periods, since hotel wellness facilities at this scale can have limited capacity.
- ✓Use the indoor pool as your backup plan for the day Oase's opening hours or the weather do not cooperate.
- ✓Check the Essen Philharmonie's schedule if you want to pair an evening concert with the wellness stay.
Why we love it
- Indoor pool and sauna included
- Two minutes from Museum Folkwang
- Free parking and pet-friendly rooms
- Fitness and business centre on site
Why guests love itWe split our mornings here: one parent using the indoor pool and sauna while the other took the kids to Oase, meeting back for lunch a two-minute walk from Museum Folkwang. Having a genuine second pool on site meant the trip did not hinge entirely on Oase's open-air hours, and the fitness centre kept our own routine going despite being away from home.