The Chester Grosvenor – Chester, Cheshire
It could be the setting for a film, an upstairs-downstairs saga about a glossy, old-school hotel that’s set in a provincial city but aims ‘to match anything you might find on the Champs-Elysées’. And it certainly does. The pleasant sense of fantasy begins, for many, in the taxi; only accredited hotel guests can be driven to its door in Chester’s pedestrian quarter. Then there’s the larger-than-life doorman, swathed in liveried coat, to greet and usher you into the lobby with its vast staircase and glittering 28,000-piece chandelier that once hung in London’s Junior Carlton. You’ll find a perfect example of a grande dame European hotel, glossy and plump. The bedrooms live up; the food at Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor is Michelin starred, and the shopping outside is to die for. The hotel’s newly refurbished restaurant, La Brasserie, also houses the city’s first Champagne bar. Paris? You can keep it.
Doubles from £170
+44(0)1244 324024; chestergrosvenor.com
tip
SEE
For a historical treat – the city’s Roman walls (the most complete in Britain) alongside the stunning architecture of Chester Cathedral are a must. Chester Zoo, the UK’s most visited tourist attraction outside of London, is just a 15-minute drive from the hotel and offers the perfect day out for couples and families alike.
EAT
Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor is a must-try for any visitor to Chester. Named after the hands-on Executive Chef, Simon Radley, this much-acclaimed restaurant has held its Michelin star since 1990 and is now in good company beside 4 AA Rosettes.
BUY
Scents from Penhaligon’s – a luxury British perfume house on Eastgate Row adjacent to The Chester Grosvenor. The brand is a holder of two royal warrants and offers a wide range of luxury fragrances for women and men, as well as gifts, scented candles and grooming products.
CLAIM TO FAME
Much of the interior artwork has come from Chatsworth House’s Devonshire Collection, one of the finest private art collections in Europe.
Want to find out more? Visit the hotel's website.
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