"Going that extra round when you don't think you can, makes all the difference in your life&quo...
"Going that extra round when you don't think you can, makes all the difference in your life" Rocky Balboa (Rocky IV)
Member since:07.07.2004
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I have lived near to Chester most of my life and yet never really appreciated what it had to offer until I moved away for a couple of years and got used to a slightly different way of life. Growing up in a smaller town the city experience always seemed like such a pain with everything much simpler and easier on my doorstep. After moving to live in the big smoke for a while I came to appreciate what Chester could offer.
As I only live a couple of miles down the road I have never actually stayed in a hotel in the city centre although I am aware of the major hotels and their locations. These are the well-known and branded hotels that can be found in and around the city.
The Grosvenor Hotel is location right in the heart of the city under the Eastgate clock and on the main shopping street. Built in 1865 the outside of the hotel fits in well with the vibe of the street while the interior offers five star luxury. This is probably the most expensive and most exclusive hotel in the city centre.
For anyone looking for something a little more down to earth there is Moat House hotel and a Holiday Inn Express close to the city centre on the racecourse side of town. The Moat House hotel is situated next to the bus station at the back of a small shopping precinct. It is built into a multi-story car park and looks a little grotty on the outside. The inside is still very nice and offers the comfort you would expect from this brand. The Holiday Inn Express is a brand new hotel that was completed last year sometime. It looks very nice from the outside because of the age of the building and I imagine the inside is very nice too.
Heading out of the city towards the train station there is the Queen’s hotel, which is part of the Feathers group and The Mill
which is a hotel that has been built from an old mill building. The Queen’s Hotel is situated directly opposite the train station while The Mill is about half way between the city centre and the train station and allows easy access to both.
In addition to those hotels in the city centre there is a Holiday Inn on the outskirts near the business park. This hotel is on a main bus route allowing easy access to the city centre. I’m sure there are numerous smaller hotels and B&B’s around the city centre but having never stayed in them I am not able to comment on them.
** Shopping **
The shopping in and around Chester is pretty good for a smaller city. There is a good choice of outlets offering just about everything you could want. There are two main shopping areas in the city.
Firstly and most obviously there is the city centre that offers a good selection of high street outlets. The main shopping street runs the length of the city centre from the racecourse right down towards the train station. The majority of the main retailers can be found on or around this street. There is also access from this street to the main shopping precinct in the city centre, which has another wide selection of shops. The retailers available in around this area include (among others) several music shops (HMV, Virgin), large clothes retailers (Marks and Spencer, BHS), smaller clothes retailers (Scotts, Tessutti, USC), jewellers (Beaverbrookes, Ernst Jones) as well as fast food outlets.
Secondly there is the Greyhound Retail Park, which is on the outskirts of the city and offers a good range of some of the larger retailers. This is where you will find the larger electrical stores, furniture stores and larger versions of the high street stores including JJB and Next.
The only thing I have found to be lacking from Chester in terms of shopping is a department store like John Lewis or House of Fraser. There is a Browns on the main shopping street, which is about as close as Chester gets to a good department store, but it doesn’t offer everything.
** Sightseeing & Things to do **
Chester is a city surrounded by history and no trip would be complete without taking in at least some of the sights on offer.
Probably the most prominent and obvious historical feature of the city is its walls. There are walls surrounding the city and I believe it is possible to walk all the way around them should you desire. The perimeter of the walls is fairly close to the city centre as it is now and offers a good tour of the city’s features, including the cathedral.
The Eastgate clock is another famous feature of Chester. Situated right at the heart of the shopping street it is a feature that most visitors will have seen. It is actually mounted on the city walls and is a grand sight.
My final tip for sites of historical interest is the Roman Amphitheatre. It is located between the main shopping streets and the river and is the subject of many of the city tours. It is not as grand as something you may find in Italy but is certainly worth checking out.
In terms of entertainment Chester has quite a lot to offer too. There is a racecourse within easy walking distance of the city centre that holds around six meetings a year between May and September. The tickets for the race meets cost between £6 and £30 depending on the ticket required and the race meet.
There is an Odeon cinema in the city centre, which has around 6 screens, showing the latest cinema releases. For people wanting something a little bit more energetic there is a small Laser Quest centre close to the main shopping centre.
At the Greyhound Retail park there is large cinema complex and bowling alley. The bowling alley has around 30 lanes and has other entertainment (such as pool and arcade games) available. The cost of the bowling is around £3.50 per person per game, although offers may be available at off-peak times. The cinema has around 9 screens showing the latest films and costs around £5.50 for adults.
Within around 10 miles of the city there is also a Go-karting centre for people wanting to try something a little more racy.
If peaceful surrounds and picturesque scenery are what you are looking for then Chester has something for you too. A walk along the river is very relaxing on a warm sunny day and there are several boat trips you can take along the river. Between the shopping centre and the river there is also a fairly large park offering plenty of greenery and flowers.
** Eating and Drinking **
When it comes to eating Chester has quite a few good restaurants on offer and a good variety too. My current favourite is Fiesta Havana, which is a Cuban restaurant that can be found towards the racecourse. There are also some very good Thai, Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants around the city centre as well as some of the chain restaurants such as La Tasca and Est Est Est. Most of the restaurants can be found within easy walking distance of the city centre and tend to be grouped together.
If it is a nice cold pint you are after then there is also a good selection of wine bars around the city. Most of the wine bars can be found towards the racecourse end of town and there are a lot of them that fit in with the theme of the city. There is a nice mix of modern wine bars and themed wine bars, although there can seem to be a lack of more traditional pubs unless you are prepared to venture further from the city centre.
** Nightlife **
It is probably fair to say that the nightlife in Chester is not the best available but it does have its strong points. As I mentioned previously there are a lot of nice wine bars around Chester and a fair number of these have extended licences to stay open beyond the normal 11pm closing time. Some of these, such as Loaf, also have a dance floor offering something between a wine bar and a nightclub.
If it is clubbing that you want then you have a couple of options. There is RB’s (part of the Six Continents group) at one end of town, which tends to be full of the younger generation, and Branagans at the other end of town, which tends to be filled with the more mature generation. Obviously this is something of a generalisation but should give you an idea of where you are more likely to fit in. Personally I am not a big fan of either place as they are far from the best clubs I have been to, but if cheesy pop is your thing then you won’t be disappointed.
There are a couple of other clubs around the city but I have never been to them and so am not really in a position to comment on them.
Chester is located close to the welsh border and is fairly easily accessible by a number of means. Within easy travelling distance of the North Wales coast and major cities such as Manchester and Liverpool it offers a good base for people wanting the best of both worlds.
If arriving by car it can be found sandwiched between the M53 and M56 with easy access to both motorways. There are numerous Park and Ride facilities located around the city so there is no need to take your car into the city centre if it is the short visit you are making.
As touched on previously there is a train station close to the city centre offering rail links to Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Crewe and the North Wales coast. There are also two bus stations close to the city centre, one offering local services and the other offering national services. Both of these bus stations are within easy walking distance of the city centre.
** My Opinion **
As I mentioned before I have grown to appreciate Chester in recent years and really do like it. It has most things that you want from a major city without being too big. It has managed to maintain quite a small feeling, probably by the city walls, but is packed with things to do. If it is a wild night on the town you are looking for this then is probably not for you, but the nightlife is quite relaxed and it is an enjoyable night out. There are some really nice restaurants and a good selection of eating options making it a nice destination for a meal and a couple of drinks.
The shopping is some of the best available in the area and I like the mix and variety of shops available and the close proximity of the shops. There is a good selection of designer shops throughout the city offering a lot of clothes that can’t normally be found on the high street.
** Overall **
Well worth a visit.
Thanks for reading
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Love Chester. Got very lost there once after a visit to the zoo!
MAFARRIMOND 15.03.2006 19:18
A beautiful city - an interesting review of it. Maureen
FlameDruid 23.01.2006 11:30
My sister used to live there. I'd set off from Birmingham at a cautious 40mph to visit it at 3.30 am as a teenager. Got told off in the cathedral once for having 'Hey Jude' playing on the radio I was carrying in my crash-helmet. Lovely town.
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Advantages: Massive culture and historical importance, Beautiful sights, Growing all the time Disadvantages: Rising cost of living, The odd vagrant bothering people
mattydalton 24.01.2004 (24.01.2004)
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Review of Chester in General
Advantages: Massive culture and historical importance, Beautiful sights, Growing all the time Disadvantages: Rising cost of living, The odd vagrant bothering people
mattydalton 24.01.2004 (24.01.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Chester in General
Mar 23rd, 2005
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