Rowton Hall Hotel & Spa

About Rowton Hall Hotel & Spa

Rowton Hall stands on Rowton Lane at Rowton Moor, three miles south-east of Chester on the edge of the fields where the Battle of Rowton Heath was fought in 1645. The house is Georgian, built in the 1770s, and sits in eight acres of gardens and grounds that give it a genuine country-house feel despite being only about ten minutes' drive from the Eastgate.

There are forty bedrooms spread across the original hall, later wings, a set of apartments and a separate lodge. The rooms in the old house are the ones with character – sash windows, high ceilings and views over the lawns – while the newer wings are more uniform and better suited to families needing space or to guests who want a lift and level access. Master suites at the top of the range are considerably larger than anything available in the city centre at comparable money.

The spa and health club is the main draw for most guests, with an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, gym and a full treatment list. Thyme at Rowton is the restaurant, serving breakfast through to dinner with afternoon tea and a well-attended Sunday lunch, and it makes a point of using produce from the hotel's own garden. The hall is also a busy wedding and conference venue, so it is worth asking what else is booked if you want a quiet weekend.

It works best for couples wanting a spa break with the city as an optional day out, for families who need parking and room to spread out, and for anyone driving on to North Wales. Dogs are welcome in designated rooms and there are electric vehicle chargers on site. Parking is free and plentiful, and a taxi into Chester takes ten to fifteen minutes.