Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa

About Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa

Grosvenor Pulford sits on the Wrexham Road at Pulford, about five miles south of Chester on the Welsh border and a short drive from the Eaton estate. It is a large independent hotel rather than a chain property, family-owned and steadily extended over the years, and it has built its reputation on the scale and quality of its leisure facilities rather than on the age of the building.

Seventy-five bedrooms range from standard doubles to suites, and the newer rooms are notably generous, with separate seating areas and large bathrooms. Decoration is comfortable and traditional rather than fashionable. Because the hotel is spread out at ground and first-floor level around courtyards and gardens, it is worth asking for a room away from the function suites if a wedding is running, as it is a popular venue.

The Spa by Kasia is the centrepiece: a substantial complex with a pool, thermal suite, hydrotherapy facilities and a long treatment menu, and day packages are sold to non-residents as well as guests. Dining is at Palm Court, which holds an AA rosette for modern British and European cooking, with Nelson's Bar for something lighter, afternoon tea in the lounge and a Sunday carvery that fills up with locals.

The location suits drivers. Chester is ten to fifteen minutes north, Wrexham a similar distance south, and the A55 gives quick access to the North Wales coast, so it makes a practical base for touring both sides of the border. Parking is free and extensive. Those without a car will need taxis for every trip into the city, which is the main trade-off against the lower rates and the facilities.