The Chester Grosvenor and Spa

The Grosvenor is superbly situated in the centre of Chester, and to me, this hotel is really mainly about 'location, location, location'. The Grosvenor has the image - and prices - of a top hotel, but in my very humble opinion, although it is a very good hotel, it does not deserve to be a 5 star hotel.
The rooms are pleasantly and individually decorated, but some of the 'Classic rooms' are very small, even though they are identically priced to much larger 'classic rooms'. Make sure you get one of the larger ones for the same price!
When you read through my review, it might sound a bit 'nit picking', but we are talking about a 5 star hotel with prices to match. For example, the hotel makes a great fuss about the Molton Brown toiletries it supplies, but really a 5 star hotel could have done better than give us 2 tiny bottles for the whole of a weekend stay.
This is not meant to sound 'naive', but I really do not think that, having paid '5 star prices' for the hotel, it is right for the Grosvenor to charge on extra £35 per person on top of the room rates for using the spa steam room & gym. [There is no pool, which of course is due in part to the age and location of the hotel - fair enough, but is it really right to charge guests extra for 'very basic health club facilities' that are both better and free of charge at other Cheshire 3 and 4 * hotels?]
Again, this might sound naive, but unlike many other 3 and 4 star hotels in Cheshire, at the Grosvenor you have to pay extra for every little thing. For example, the newspaper that is delivered appears on the bill. A 'virtually compulsory' service charge appears automatically on the bill.
We had two meals in the brasserie and dinner in the newly renamed restaurant -
The Simon Radley [previously 'The Arkle'. Again, every little thing has to be paid for - the 'main course' our 'all inclusive' meals in the brasserie were in fact the 'meat' and 'chicken' only - despite being 'all inclusive', vegetables were extra.
There is no in-room tea and coffee, but the hotel will bring you a hospitality tray.
Considering we are talking about '5 star luxury', I think that the Ladies' loos really should have a separate area for you to comb your hair and retouch your make-up; my pet hate is a hotel where you have to do all this 'over the basins'.
The staff are very charming from the moment that you check in - the doorman welcoming, the reception staff pleasant and efficient and the concierge is a mine of information.
I would hate to leave the impression that this is a 'bad' hotel - it is not so. But what it is, I think, is a hotel that does not really deserve its 5 star rating, with the aforementioned 'niggles' actually detracting from its 'luxurious' ambience.

This is a fabulous hotel with everything you would expect from a 5 star establishment. The customer service is outstanding and although we only ate there twice it was absolutely delicious on both occasions. Of course all the above comes at a price, but you have to treat yourself occasionally.

We enjoyed a wonderful stay here whilst visiting the races. The location is unbeatable and the building is absolutely wonderful. We could not fault the room or the staff in any way and would be delighted to come back here again. The food was particularly good.

A great experience and worth every penny if you get the discount rate.

I guess this is the finest hotel in Chester and it shows, but there is no escaping the fact that it is a bit of a treat to stay here. Everything was of the highest quality and the food was particularly good. Chester is also brilliant. Can't wait to go back.

Most people probably stay here for a special occasion and we were no exception. The place totally lived up to expectations and was worth every penny in my opinion. The room was luxuriously appointed, service was excellent and the location was unbeatable.

We had a short romantic break here recently and it's the best hotel either of us have stayed in. Total class from A to Z. The staff were wonderful and the room was totally luxurious.

If you really want treat yourself this is the place to go. It already has a string of awards and its location is perfect for just about any activity. Clearly not the cheapest hotel in town, but probably the best.

Jan 08 - City centre restaurants in Manchester and Liverpool have failed to gain a coveted Michelin Star in the latest edition of the Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland published yesterday. The North West restaurants retaining their single star were Juniper in Altrincham, Northcote Manor in the Ribble Valley, the Arkle at the Chester Grosvenor, L’Enclume in Cartmel, and Sharrow Bay on Ullswater.

Had a great stay here. Worth every penny.

The Chester Grosvenor won the award for Large Hotel of the Year at the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2007.

Had a great stay here and couldn't really fault the place. The room was a decent size, breakfast was great and bathroom stocked with quality products. We also had a great view of Eastgate from our room.

Great hotel and food. Good location. Prices are quite steep though. I would recommend this hotel for a special weekend with your other half.