Last Updated on October 16, 2023

Hotel Indigo Chester – charm, comfort and outstanding food

Introduction to the Hotel and Chester

Chester is one of those appealing English cathedral cities that everyone should put on their vacation or staycation wishlist.  Originally a Roman settlement founded in 79AD, it has some of the best-preserved city walls in the country, half-timbered buildings, a large Roman amphitheatre and a Cathedral that dates back a thousand years.  Like every trip though, finding the right place to stay is just as important whether you are planning a weekend or short break. The Hotel Indigo group of boutique hotels run by IHG is always a reliable option, and those hotels that are blessed with a restaurant run by Mike Robinson have a little bit of extra pull for me.  I’ve already visited Hotel Indigo Bath and Stratford – and I’ve been lucky enough to eat at his Michelin-starred pub, The Harwood Arms several times since it opened (it was my local!).  The restaurant alone made travelling up to Hotel Indigo Chester worth the journey for me – it’s just a couple of hours from London, with a change at Crewe.

The hotel is about eight minutes from the station, not in the historic centre.  But, Chester isn’t a huge place – on foot, it will take you five minutes to reach the Roman Amphitheatre and ten to get to the Cathedral.  The modern building houses well-equipped bedrooms all with the Hotel Indigo stamp – an interior design that has just enough local relevance and quirkiness to make the place feel special without making guests feel that they are staying in a theme park.

Rooms at the Hotel Indigo, Chester

In my experience, the group as a whole have never failed to provide a high level of well-thought-out interior design.  At the Hotel Indigo, simple but considered touches include shower controls set far enough back from the spray head to mean that you can get the water running to the right temperature without getting soaked in the process, USB sockets neatly set above the bedside tables and a desk that is comfortable to sit and work at.  That combined with detailing that just makes me smile, wonderfully fluffy bathrobes and towels and the RIGHT mix of zenology toiletries in the bathroom give an overall feeling of luxury.  Each room has a tea and coffee station with quality fresh coffee and tea bags.  There’s fresh milk and a few complimentary soft drinks in the fridge and snacks including popcorn and crisps.  What more could you ask for?

Well, perhaps a massive bed with Hypnos mattress, pristine crisp white sheets and with a scattering of decor cushions that don’t totally take over your space when you remove them.  A chaise lounge to relax on while you watch the TV.  Wooden floors with stylish rugs, and stunning lighting so that you can truly relax together with artwork on the wall that just needs further investigation. 

If you want more still there are upgraded rooms – mine was a corner room with extra space and I understand that some of the rooms have balconies and three have their own private roof terrace. There are four categories of rooms – Standard, Deluxe, Premium and King – all air-conditioned and equipped with the same high-quality fixtures and fittings. What a perfect place to spend a spring break!  There are also a few rooms with interconnecting doors which would be great for families.

Eating and Drinking – The Forge

Under normal circumstances, I would have happily stayed in my room here.  On the desk, there was a 24-hour room service menu which I initially thought was what to expect downstairs in The Forge.  I used to visit Chester for work – and I’d have been thrilled to find a place like this to base myself in if I was doing that again.  It had just the right balance of comfort food (pasta, burgers and more) mixed in with a few specials from the main menu.  I had a reservation at the Forge though and was genuinely quite excited by the idea of the food there.

Downstairs there’s a comfy lounge and casual bar area, a private dining room and the Forge restaurant which has clearly become a destination venue already. On a damp November Tuesday night, it was fully booked and buzzing. The menu, from head chef, Mike Peters, who is a Chester native and passionate chef, is his own version of classic Mike Robinson. There are plenty of steaks – albeit all for sharing (he told me that was changing!) and with a fired-up Josper and a proper meat ageing fridge, that’s definitely worth considering. But, since I was by myself, I opted for game (another Mike Robinson speciality).

I started the evening with a glass of crisp Gusbourne English sparkling wine, which I was delighted to see on the menu. Sourdough with white nigella seed and whipped butter was delicious, perfect to nibble on while I waited for my starter.

The stunning plate of chalk stream trout in Mike’s gin came with a garnish of tiny herbs, pickled cucumber and a truly moreish citrus-marinated roe that I ended up literally scraping up off the plate.  

For my main course, a Pave of Cotswold Venison (the rump cooked rare and then sliced thinly was served with griddled salsify and celeriac and with what was described on the menu as ‘artichoke’.  That turned out to be both the globe and Jerusalem type, a little bit of tongue-in-cheek cheffery methinks.  The venison was deliciously tender and the char on the vegetables provided depth of flavour.  On the side, a naughty little pot of Dirty Mash.  I’ve seen this on the menu in other Mike Robinson restaurants, though each version has the chef’s own twist. It’s a portion of mashed potato laced with crusty bits of meat scrapings, a rich jus and (I suspect) a lot of butter.  

That didn’t leave a lot of room for dessert, but I managed a light amaretti pannacotta with pistachio ice cream.  A lovely end to an excellent meal.

Back in The Forge for breakfast, I was still quite full from my meal the night before.  A good cup of freshly brewed tea really helped and I even managed to avoid the stunning pastries and the very, very tempting full English, instead opting for a lighter and delicious smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on sourdough

There were plenty of buffet options if you wanted breakfast which meant you didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day, together with a decent a la carte menu (complete with calorie count for each option).

Summary

Hotel Indigo, built just a few years ago in 2019, offers a warm and comfortable stay in quirky surroundings. A stone’s throw from the main City sights, it’s a great option if you want to explore and equally good if you are there for business or to visit the famous racecourse. Rooms start at around £120 a night. It’s worth noting there’s no parking on-site, though it’s a very short walk from the Station and the Hotel does have a reciprocal arrangement with a nearby public car park where you can leave your car for half the normal day rate.

Hotel Indigo Chester
Grosvenor Park Rd,
Chester CH1 1QQ