The Most Romantic Hotels to Book in Chester

The Rowton Hall Hotel is one of the best spa hotels in Chester. It’s a historic Manor House rebuilt in 1779 atop the 14th-century original. It’s set in eight soothingly green acres of grounds and gardens with all bedrooms done up in country-house style – some with four-poster beds and rolling pea-green views beyond the Georgian windows. There’s a large garden-view indoor heated pool and mosaic-speckled spa for Elemis facials and massages.

You can gaze out over the River Dee from some of the romantic doubles at the Boathouse, a Chester luxury hotel housed in a half-timbered riverside house with newer boathouse-style rooms set just behind the main building. You’ll be relaxing in a fresh and light interior, with stripped wooden floors and rowing ephemera on the walls. Settle into a beach hut outside the bar for a drink – or get even closer to the river at the floating beer garden.

This is the oldest inn in Chester – it’s been on this site since way back in the 11th-century and licensed since 1533. The wood beams – recycled from ships centuries ago – and wood panelling only add to the romance. Rooms are smart with iron bedsteads and feature walls. The Premier Suite is especially romantic, with Jacobean panelling and an open fireplace – while other suites have four-poster beds and roll-top baths. Sip local drinks at the microbrewery and the sun-splashed beer terrace in warmer months.

There’s been an inn on the site of the Chester Grosvenor since the late 16th-century, so you’ll be far from the first couple to enjoy a romantic weekend here. This hotel has a reputation for understated elegance, sublime comfort and a relaxed ambience – and it delivers. Home to Michelin-starred restaurant Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor, the dining here is truly gourmet. There’s also a world-class spa with a crystal steam room and a salt grotto – plus a champagne bar in which you can slip into the night.

The hotel name screams quirky – and Oddfellows certainly delivers. Located in the Georgian Oddfellows Hall in the centre of Chester, the property was originally a society for creatives and misfits. The history of the building inspired the interiors, which are designed to be fun and sensual. Rooms have curious accessories, roll-top baths and glass-walled power showers – as well as exposed beams, views over the garden and Nespresso machines.

Chapel Chester is a collection of award-winning boutique holiday apartments in the heart of the city centre, set within a restored 1866 chapel. A refurbishment in 2017 updated the interiors but kept many of the original features including beautiful stained-glass windows and decorated beams. It now offers a hotel-like setting, but with the freedom and exclusivity of your own apartment. Expect designer furniture, tasteful decor, feather pillows, coffee machines and luxury toiletries.

If you want to be taken care of like you’re one of the family, but still enjoy privacy and comfort, the Mill hotel ticks all the boxes. During your stay, enjoy an indulgent treatment in the spa, get sweaty in the sauna and limber up in the gym. A gorgeous floating restaurant – which sits in the canal next to the hotel – is the place for pop-the-question dates, while there’s an on-site bar should a celebratory drink be needed.

Forget visiting the historic sites in the town centre – when you stay at the DoubleTree you’re already in an 18th-century landmark. This restored manor house is near attractions including Chester Zoo and the racecourse. But with 12 acres (5ha) of landscaped grounds to explore, you might not make it off-site. And there’s plenty to do here: get a massage in the spa, stroll around the walled gardens or enjoy afternoon tea with scones and jam at the Garden Room and Terrace restaurant.

Sitting in a 19th-century Italianate building, the Queen offers a regal stay for loved-up couples. Over 200 bedrooms come with romance-inducing amenities including four-poster beds and roll-top tubs here. The Victorian Lounge is the place to share drinks and a knowing look – while the grand four-storey staircase is the place for a couple’s photo. You might also be interested to know that the Grade II-listed building has hosted weddings for more than 150 years… You know, just in case.