Guests say
The Old Kings Arms is a characterful cottage praised for its excellent location near Chester and thoughtful touches like welcome gifts. Guests appreciate its cosy lounge, well-equipped kitchen, and dog-friendly amenities. While some find the beds comfortable, others suggest they could be improved. The property's unique charm and proximity to local attractions make it a popular choice.
Reviews indicate a generally clean environment, particularly the beds and showers. However, some guests noted areas that could benefit from deeper cleaning, such as under furniture and on top of the fridge. The property appears well-maintained, but attention to detail in certain spots could enhance the overall cleanliness.
The cottage's location is highly praised for its proximity to Chester city centre, local shops, and pubs. Guests appreciate the ease of access to walking routes, parks, and the convenience of being able to leave the car behind. The location is a standout feature, contributing positively to the guest experience.
Guests find the cottage cosy and the heating effective, with comfortable beds in some rooms. However, there are mixed reviews about the comfort of the main bedroom's mattress and the presence of a noisy boiler in one of the smaller bedrooms. Overall, the property provides a comfortable stay with some room for improvement in certain areas.
The property offers good facilities, including a well-equipped kitchen and effective heating. Guests mention a lack of basic condiments and some kitchenware needing updates. There are comments about the grill not working and the kitchen being cramped. The facilities are generally appreciated, but some aspects require attention and maintenance.
The provision of welcome gifts such as Prosecco and biscuits is frequently mentioned and appreciated by guests, adding a personal touch to their arrival. However, it is important to note that such gifts are a kind gesture and may not be a consistent offering for all stays.
About this property
An old, rustic and traditional mid-terrace cottage, The Old Kings Arms presents a quirky and stylish setting for a trip to the ancient Roman city of Chester, resting in the quaint district of Handbridge. Featuring very low ceilings with many exposed beams, The Old Kings Arms, being a former Coaching Inn, is full of classic cottage character, and is within easy reach of all of Chester's wonderful attractions. Step inside and be welcomed into the sitting room after a fun-filled day, relax on the corner sofa amidst the vibrant furnishings and watch some TV, with an electric log burner in here too, it's a homely setting.Prepare a home-cooked meal in the fitted kitchen, complete with an electric oven and hob and a dishwasher, while a living room/diner awaits to seat everyone at the table and enjoy some quality time with a feature fireplace in here too. A shower room can also be found on the ground floor, while upstairs there is a bathroom too. Choose from three beautiful bedrooms, each with quality furnishings and elegant decor; there are two double bedrooms and one twin room, so would easily suit a family of six or two couples. There is a bench to the front of the cottage where you can grab a coffee in the morning sun. On a mild evening you can relax out in the enclosed garden space. There is a gravelled area with outdoor dining furniture for alfresco meals, and an astro-turfed terrace with a lounge suite which is a real sun-trap in which to relax. The rear of the property overlooks gardens and a church yard giving a surprisingly rural feel given you are only a stones throw from the city centre. Walk down the road to the Handbridge shops to find all you need for essentials and food, with some delightful cafe's here too, as well as several pubs, including The Ship Inn lying just next to the Old Dee Bridge with views over the River Dee. Head down to the riverside and grab an ice cream from one of the vintage ice cream stands, wander by the bandstand and see if there's anyone playing for you to sit and watch, or make your way to the pedalos, rowing boats or river cruises and enjoy floating along the River Dee. Take a walk around the city walls and pass by the beautiful Chester Cathedral, take a look inside and if you're okay with heights then experience 'Cathedral at Height' and be taken up the tower to get the best view of Chester from 125 feet above ground. The Old Kings Arms is just a stone's throw from the beautiful Chester Meadows which run alongside the river, perfect for taking the dog too for a run around across the fields. A great day out can always be had at Chester Zoo, with over 35,000 animals spread out across 128 acres, you can see lions, tigers and even jaguars, as well as elephants and giraffes and many more, with a fabulous gift shop to visit at the end to pick a cute souvenir! Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet near Ellesmere Port is home to a wealth of your favourite designer shops at discount prices, as well as a great selection of restaurants, a cinema, adventure golf and the Blue Planet Aquarium with one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. Discover a wealth of attractions in Chester from the comfort of The Old Kings Arms.
The Roman city of Chester is a bustling town with a wealth of attractions resting in the North West of England in Cheshire, near to the border with Wales. Its historic Roman city walls, beautiful Chester Cathedral and ancient amphitheatre make Chester an interesting place, as well as the fabulous selection of shops and restaurants. Visit Chester Zoo, Cheshire Oaks Retail Park, Blue Planet Aquarium and head down to the River Dee for walks on the meadows, ice creams and pedalo boat hire.
Accommodation
Three bedrooms: 2 x doubles, 1 x twin (the second double is very small and is serviced by a chest of drawers in the hallway).
Bathroom with bath, shower over, basin and WC.
Ground-floor shower room with shower, basin and WC.
Compact galley-style Kitchen.
Living room/diner
Sitting room with electric log burner.
Gas central heating.
Electric oven and hob, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, TV and WiFi.
Fuel and power included in rent.
Bed linen and towels included in rent.
On-street parking in front of the property and plenty nearby.
Enclosed courtyard with decking and seating
One well-behaved dog welcome.
Sorry, no smoking.
Shop and pub 0.3 miles.
Fuel for the log burner can be purchased from the local petrol station
Note: Fireplace is display only.
Note: Due to style of property, care should be taken as the stairs are very steep and there are many low beams, for this reason it is not recommended for guests with mobility issues.
Note: Check in is 5pm onwards, checkout 10am .
Note: This property has a Good Housekeeping bond of £150
Reviews (29)
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Sally
Just a 10 minute walk. Parking is abit of a nightmare as itâs on a double yellow road and thereâs only an agreement for one car to park in the designated street spaces so other parking is a walk away from the property. The double beds are very small, I would say the property comfortably accommodates 4 as opposed to 6. We had 4 plus a dog and it was cosy, 6 people would be cramped. It would be useful for some essentials in the kitchen like kitchen roll, salt, pepper, although there was an insane stash of dishwasher tablets which is rare, usually you only get 1 or 2. We would definitely return as the base is great for the city centre and some lovely pubs in the village, all dog friendly!
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Neil
House had a great location only 10 minutes walk to start of city centre. House was cosy and great for 4 people, any more would be cramped. Kitchen is very compact and lounge smaller than it looks in photos. Upstairs is brighter and more spacious. We thought house itself was needing a thorough clean. On surface looked ok but certain areas could be better. Downside aswell was there was no welcome pack to get you started, ie:- some teabags, coffee, sugar,salt or bread or milk. Other cottages we've stayed in all had something along those lines. When you've travelled for around 6 hours last thing you want is to go straight out to shops again, would be a nice touch to have these. Cutlery, mugs etc could be updated aswell. On the whole minor issues as we did thoroughly enjoy our stay. Loads of local walks for our dog and Chester itself was fantastic
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Carol
While the key elements were clean ie beds, showers, the whole house felt rather âtiredâ, cluttered (there are 48 false plants) and not very loved. The kitchen is very cramped with very old, in some cases grubby, crockery and kitchenware. The grill didnât work and it wasnât an inviting kitchen for any cooking. The boiler in the second bedroom isnât great - itâs noisy and in winter would be quite intrusive. Outside is a lovely sunny courtyard but the false grass is a weird addition. The cottage lacked any info on nearest shops, cafe or restaurant recommendations. The welcome of Prosecco is lovely if you happen to want that (we didnât!) but milk for a cuppa would be more welcome after a long journey. An unannounced visit from a âcleanerâ to collect linen for another property distressed our dog and was a bit of a shock to know how to deal with - some notice would have been appreciated. Location to Chester city is excellent with several good walking routes in and out and a lovely day walking park nearby. Parking is ok for one car - not two as stated.