The Chester Grosvenor

Dating back to 1865, the Chester Grosvenor is a luxuriously appointed hotel clad in muted but tasteful shades of ivory, champagne, and gold. It has a sophisticated and traditional feel that some may feel is too stuffy, though it hints at the hotel's history. Grand columns and a doorman greet guests outdoors, while inside, an atrium with patterned marble floors leads to a grand central staircase, which has a great crystal chandelier descending several stories down its middle. The property's flagship Michelin starred restaurant, Simon Radley, is an intimate space with flowery champagne wallpaper and a vast Persian rug, on top of which sit little round tables and heavily padded seats. The hotel’s other restaurant, La Brasserie, is outfitted like a French restaurant, with deep black-leather banquettes, lengths of brass railing, mirrors on the walls, and a huge skylight decorated with hand-painted glass. The Grosvenor tends to attract visitors -- mostly couples -- to Chester looking for a relaxed but opulent city break.  

It would be hard to beat the Chester Grosvenor’s location. The hotel is situated right in the middle of the city’s 18th-century Eastgate, a pretty cobbled street with a number of shops, bars, and restaurants, and a stone’s throw from the Eastgate Clock. From the hotel, it is a two-minute walk to the Chester Roman Amphitheater, the largest of its kind in Britain, and a five-minute walk from the ancient Cathedral. Chester Castle is a seven-minute walk away, over by the River Dee, while the racecourse is 10 minutes away on foot. Expect transfers to Liverpool John Lennon Airport to take 40 minutes, and it’s a similar journey to Manchester Airport.

The hotel’s 80 rooms are individually decorated, but all are decked out in elegant furnishings and similar shades of ivory and champagne. Despite having a smaller bed than the other rooms -- queen-sized instead of kings -- Classic Rooms can feel pretty cramped. They're outfitted with a desk and chair, two armchairs and a side table, and a flat-screen TV on a stand. Deluxe Rooms are a bit larger, with a marble entrance hall leading off to a bedroom with a king-size bed, while Executive Rooms are larger still, with space for a sofa or chaise lounge at the foot of the bed. All rooms have air-conditioning, a flat-screen TV with DVD player, safe, minibar, and Bose stereo system, and tea- and coffee-making facilities are available upon request. Pretty marble bathrooms have a shower/tub combo, bidet, high-end toiletries, bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer, and trouser press. Suites have a variety of luxe touches, in some cases including separate showers and tubs, dressing rooms, and multiple bathrooms. The Presidential Suite is the largest of these. 

The Chester Grosvenor has a quality list of amenities to justify its luxury billing. The hotel is home to Simon Radley, the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Cheshire, which serves an eight-course tasting menu, as well as an a la carte menu for dinner. A less-formal French restaurant, La Brasserie serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although breakfast comes at quite a steep cost. The Arkle Bar and Lounge serves drinks and cocktails, light meals, traditional afternoon tea, and “Gentleman’s” tea -- a heftier twist on the classic. Although a pool is absent here, a spa offers treatment rooms for massages and wellness therapies, a hydrotherapy circuit, and small gym. There are three plush meeting rooms, the largest of which can accommodate 350 people. Wedding services are available, and ceremonies are popular here. Free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout.