The English hotel that once welcomed famous first class passengers – and has undergone a £5million revamp
Here's everything you need to know about the hotel, from how much rooms cost to what to eat at the restaurant.
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Where is the hotel?
Found opposite Chester Train Station, its original purpose being to serve first-class passengers, the hotel has a prominent history.
Just 10 minutes from the centre of Chester, and with easy access to and from the M53 and M56, this is the ideal base for a break in the city.
What is the hotel like?
The Queen at Chester Hotel has been welcoming weary rail passengers, including the author Charles Dickens, since its opening in 1860.
This magnificent brick and stucco Italianate building was said to be the first skyscraper of its time, and has recently undergone a £5million refurbishment, with all bedrooms and meeting rooms now upgraded, along with a new central bar in its lounge.
What are the rooms like?
There are 104 rooms spread over 7 floors, but with one slow lift for the building, you'll want the ground floor.
The actual bedroom was compact and cosy, with a comfortable king-size bed and ample wardrobe space. Meanwhile, the bathroom has a lovely big bath tub.
Each room with its own individual comfort and style, there is something for everyone. Room options range from a Standard Double room to Suite.
Rooms available starting from £71 per night on a standard double room basis. For more information, click here.
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What is there to eat and drink there?
With the hotel's prime location at the heart of Chester, there are plenty of restaurants on the doorstep, as well as Chester Market, serving every cuisine you could possibly imagine.
But the hotel's V&A restaurant includes a three-course dinner in some of its room rates, and the food is delicious.
All dishes cooked with fresh and seasonal ingredients, favourites range from the classic Queen's burger, all the way to the more sophisticated Grilled Seabass Fillets, there is something for everyone.
And a must is to finish off with the sticky toffee pudding.
For a more relaxed, casual atmosphere, head to the V&A Lounge Bar, serving nibbles and bites as well as some classic cocktails, and some with a twist.
The buffet style breakfast, served in the King's Grill was also great.
What else is there to do at the hotel?
The hotel is perfectly placed for exploring Chester's rich history.
Guests can visit the area's two-tier medieval shopping galleries, The Rows, tour the cathedral or see the ruins of Britain's largest Roman amphitheatre.
The hotel also offers seasonal packages, such as the Easter Holiday Special, the Christmas three/four night packages, and the New-Year two-three night packages.
Is the hotel family-friendly?
Yes, the hotel is family friendly, offering a Standard Family room to accommodate the extra space you may need for the utmost comfort during your stay.
There is also a children's menu available at the in-house restaurant, where kids eat free.
Pets are permitted on request only, at an additional charge.
Is there access for guests with disabilities?
Yes, accessible rooms are available upon request. It is recommended that you contact the hotel in advance to inquire.
Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here.
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Guests can stay at one of the estate's three properties: Sandridge Barton House, which sleeps up to 12, the 1850s Boathouse (sleeps four) and the newly renovated Lower Well Farmhouse for up to eight. Stays start from £1,000 for three nights at the Boathouse. Fancy a day trip? Check out wine tastings and tours at Sandridge Barton Or stay nearby in Torquay Once a dilapidated mansion, Lympstone Manor is now a Michelin-star hotel-restaurant and wine estate owned by the acclaimed chef Michael Caines. The vineyard is planted with pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay, which produce bottle-fermented sparkling wines and, when the weather is right, small quantities of white, rose, and red wines, too. All classically dry in style, the wines are designed to pair well with food, with structure and complexity coming from careful oak-ageing. A total of 17,500 vines sweep down towards the Exe estuary, overlooked by the white manor house. Inside are 21 rooms and suites, and outside are six luxury woodland shepherd's huts, priced from £450 a night B&B. With its glittering (heated) swimming pool, sun loungers, pool house and tennis court, you could be in California. Fancy a day trip? Check out wine tours at Lympstone Manor Estate Or stay nearby in Exmouth Wraxall leads its small-but-perfectly-formed range of wines with a sparkling rose, made from pinot noir grapes in the traditional method, but its still wines are delightfully quaffable, including the pale-hued, mouthwateringly fresh early pinot noir rose. It's all too easy to embrace the laid-back Somerset charm here, especially when guests who are staying are greeted with a welcome hamper that includes freshly made sourdough, local milk and butter, Somerset cheddar and, of course, a bottle of wine. Its three cottages (from £100 a night for a minimum of two nights) sleep two, four or eight people and all have views of the vines that can be enjoyed from your terrace, sundowner in hand. Fancy a day trip? Check out vineyard tours and tastings at Wraxall Vineyard Or stay nearby in Shepton Mallet Engin and Liz Mumcuoglu's vision was to make high-quality sparkling and still wine on their working arable farm in the north Cornish countryside (think swathes of wildflowers, fruit trees and perhaps a tractor trundling by). They have brought to life an impressive range: from the traditional, such as its Black Ewe white sparkling, to the wild … its electric-pink Pét-Nat sparkling wine, which tastes of sour cherries and vanilla. The vineyard has two one-bedroom lodges (one of which is dog-friendly) with wrap-around terraces, starting from £150 a night for a minimum of five nights in the summer and three nights in the winter season. If you fancy a break from the seclusion for an hour or two, you're only a short walk away from the winery bar and Barnaby's restaurant. Fancy a day trip? Check out wine tours and tastings with Trevibban Mill Or stay nearby in Padstow Three Choirs makes a tasty traditional-method sparkling (a very affordable one, too, at £20) from seyval blanc, phoenix and pinot noir grapes, but its bestseller is a still white blend called Coleridge Hill, which has notes of green apple, elderflower and freshly-cut grass. The vineyard has eight Vineyard View rooms next door to its brasserie, so you can handily roll into one after dinner. Or you can stay in one of the Vineyard Lodges, which are tucked into the valley, in the middle of the vines, with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides for full immersion – prices start from £149 (room-only). Fancy a day trip? Check out Three Choirs Vineyard's wine tasting packages Or stay nearby in Newent Jabajak makes a still white, a still red, a sparkling blush and a sparkling brut from the cool climate grape varieties seyval blanc and rondo. On the edge of the bluestone mountain range in west Wales, this family-run vineyard offers tours and tastings, where you can sample its naturally made wines. Dinner in the restaurant, the Smithy, is served Tuesday to Saturday from a locally sourced seasonal menu. With prices starting at £120 a night (with breakfast included), there are five bedrooms, which are ideal for an overnighter, but for something more spacious, the suites are beautifully decorated with a homely feel. Slipper baths and fluffy robes add a touch of class. Fancy a day trip? Check out wine tasting dates at Jabajak Or stay nearby in St Clears Sophia Longhi is an award-winning wine writer and international wine judge. She is of a good vintage and is now ageing in Brighton. Follow her on Instagram at @skinandpulp
