Don’t know about you, dear reader, but I have long been a fan of the citybreak. A short, sweet and tasty adventure in a pretty city somewhere lovely. Has taken me on some fine and fancy, far flung trips. To such super cities as Venice, Lisbon, Barcelona and Vienna. All leaving behind fond memories of great times.
All of which gave me an idea. Why not go on a citybreak somewhere closer to home, somewhere slightly unexpected? Somewhere that isn’t generally considered sweet and tasty. See how it works out. Hmm. Interesting thought. So, long story short, that is exactly what I did recently, took myself off up to Chester for a few days, to take in the sights and sounds. Must admit, spoiler alert, it turned out really rather well.
Getting There
Getting there is easy, you simply head towards north Wales and hit the brakes just before you get to the border. Actually, it’s so close to the border I felt the need to some research.
Turns out, there are different opinions as to whether it ever actually was in Wales in the past, or not. Seems like everyone agrees that, right now, it definitely is in Cheshire, England. Which is nice to know.
Moxy Chester Hotel
The hotel we had chosen, Moxy Chester, was in a modern, bright and giftboxy building, right next to the Grand Union canal. There was a warm and welcoming look to the place. Walking into the lobby felt a bit like walking into an upmarket student hostel.
A very well kept funky one, mind, with friendly faces all around and lots of funky stuff to get you smiling. Talking of which, the bloke who checked us in was fab and friendly too. Meant that even before I got to my room, I had already decided this was going to be one great little adventure.
Bedroom
The bedroom was clean, fresh, well laid out, cosy and equipped with everything you could possibly need for a couple of nights of easy going city exploration.
There was a comfy bed, fab ensuite bathroom, enormous telly, tea making kit and plenty of quirky storage space taking up the whole of one wall. It also had a picture window with far reaching views over the skyline, taking in lots of newly built, lego style, apartment blocks.
All clustered round the canal and overlooked by an impressive old brick built chimney. All very lovely.
The Hotel Lobby
Next morning we headed downstairs to the lobby for breakfast. There was a bit of everything on offer; cereals, pastries, fruit juices, teas, coffees and for those who like to keep things simple. A buffet style, build your own, full english breakfast. All of which did the job perfectly of setting us up for the day.
On our way back upstairs we passed a couple of chill out zones, with quiet corners to sit in, a couple of squishy sofas, complete with flamingo standing guard and best of all, we found the games room. A space complete with pool table, old fashioned arcade games and, joy of joys, a fussball table just perfect for reliving old rivalries.
When the time came to head outside for a look round town, rain clouds had appeared. With drizzle the order of the day. When I pulled a face at the weather, the friendly bloke who had checked us in drew my attention to a little stand by the door. Incredibly, they have an umbrella machine. Where you can rent Moxy themed umbrellas for a mere 2 quid, for two days. Brilliant.
If anything summed up my feelings towards the hotel, it was this. In truth, the place is at the budget end of the B&B market, costing around eighty quid for a night, but they are definitely punching way above their weight when it comes to quality, level of service and attention to detail.
Artezzan Restaurant
That evening, after hanging around the hotel for a couple of happy hours (playing a few friendly games of fussball), our stomachs started rumbling, so we made our way to Artezzan, a local Mediterranean restaurant that instantly transported us back to brighter times and sunnier climes. Definitely helps that it looks great, smells great, (thanks to the wood fired oven) and has an excellent menu.
We started off with Padron Peppers—charred and smoky, with just a hint of heat. The Greek mezze was next, with creamy hummus, tangy tzatziki, and fresh baked pita bread, (baked in that lovely wood oven, obvs), perfect for dipping. The whipped Feta and olives were fab too, bursting with freshness.
But the star of the show was the chicken and chorizo paella we both had. Having just returned from Ibiza days before, have to say this particular paella was tastier than any I’d eaten over there.
The flavours were all absolutely spot on, with tender chicken, smoky chorizo, and saffron rice that was crisp and crunchy at the edges. The socarrat, that golden crust at the bottom, (I looked it up to see what it was called), was pure bliss. I couldn’t believe we had found such an authentic Spanish dish and such a superb eaterie, all within easy walk of the hotel. Muy bien. Perfecto.
Walking Tour
I’ve always found the best way to explore any new city, is to take a walking tour. Which is exactly what we did next day. We started off by popping into a Pret A Manger cafe, not for a coffee, but to look at the Roman remains in its cellar.
Turns out, Chester was one of the most important cities in England during the Roman times. Which means it is peppered with ancient remains, including a Roman amphitheatre.
Strolling round the city walls gave us a chance to see everything from the 17th century pub where John Lennon’s granny was born, right up to the modern day.
Turns out, the Chester Rows, those famous, medieval looking shops with their first floor walkways along the the front, are actually Victorian reproductions. Which probably explains why they still look in such good nick.
My favourite part of the proceedings was having a mug of tea at Huxleys, an ancient cafe with a porthole in one wall, giving you what they claimed, was the very best view in the whole of Chester. After looking through it, wouldn’t want to argue.
Chef’s Table
After a exploring the (not quite) medieval rows and ancient remains of Chester, Chef’s Table was the perfect spot to relax. As you might expect from the name, it is a super posh, super swanky, place. With each and every mouthful of food being a perfect example of the culinary profession at it’s very finest.
I started with the Squash and Gingerbread soup, which was smooth, delicious and packed with warm. For the main dish I went with the Togarashi Spiced Beef Fillet, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Tender and perfectly seasoned, served with crispy puffed rice and sweet Tokyo turnips.
The plate was full of tasty surprises, with all the various flavours bold yet balanced, every morsel had just the right mix of taste and texture. And if you think I’m getting carried away, you’re right. Mainly because the whole meal was a tour de force of the chefs art. Creative cuisine that carried us away to gastro heaven.
Conclusion
Never having been there before, Chester really was the perfect place for a city break. Heaving with history, oozing with charm and with an unexpected and awesome amount of mighty fine places to eat. If all of that wasn’t enough, the Moxy Chester turned out to be a real gem too. Still can’t get over how much hotel you get for so little money. It’s incredible.
The rooms, the breakfast, the fussball. It all worked so well. In short, I was blown away. The good news is that apparently there are several more of these establishments dotted around the country.
After sampling this one, I fancy taking a trip out to visit a few of them, get a few more home grown city breaks under my belt. See if they all live up to the same super standard.
FAQ’s
How much does it cost to stay at Moxy Chester?
Prices start from £79 B&B
How do I book Moxy Chester?
How do I book a walking tour?
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