Cheshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-an-excuse-for-a-spa-break-100-off-at-the-gilpin"><a href="https://thegilpin.co.uk/spa-trails-package/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Need an excuse for a spa break? £100 off at The Gilpin</a></h2>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="700" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/DSC03758-5-ezgif.com-resize.jpg" alt="Gilpin Lake House" class="wp-image-8499" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/DSC03758-5-ezgif.com-resize.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/DSC03758-5-ezgif.com-resize-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/DSC03758-5-ezgif.com-resize-768x538.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure></div>


<p>Fancy a slice of Lake District luxury this spring? <a href="https://thegilpin.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gilpin Lake House</a> — the serene sister property to the Gilpin Hotel — is serving up a dreamy reason to escape. Pitched in 100 acres of private woodland (with its own lake, naturally), this discreet bolthole is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary hotel escapes in the North. Arrive here, along a winding rural track, and you&#8217;ll be welcomed inside as though you&#8217;ve hired the entire house for your stay. It&#8217;s a proper country pile sort of place, with fires roaring in the lounge, squishy sofas for thumbing through books with a cocktail, and all bedrooms opening to achingly pretty views of the lake. </p>



<p>And it&#8217;s here, on the grassy slopes tumbling down towards Knipe Tarn, guests wander along its iconic <a href="https://thegilpin.co.uk/spa-trails-package/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spa trail</a>, combining Champers in the outdoor hot tub, afternoon tea beside the lake, and a dreamy couples&#8217; massage in a remarkably zen treatment room hovering over the water. </p>



<p>As a travel writer who has stayed in dozens of extraordinary hotels, The Gilpin Lake House is undoubtedly one of the greatest boltholes in the North. Every single detail feels considered, from the immaculate service and quietly luxurious interiors, to the sense that you’ve stepped into a genuinely special place rather than just another hotel.</p>



<p>And this April, there’s even more reason to go. <a href="https://thegilpin.co.uk/spa-trails-package/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Spring Spa Trail Escape</a> is back with £100 off, bringing the price to £673 per room — and it’s an absolute steal for what’s included. Go on, who could resist a lakeside float and fizz moment? </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="539" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-1024x539.jpg" alt="Gilpin Lake House jetty spa" class="wp-image-8498" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-1024x539.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-300x158.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-768x404.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-1536x809.jpg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/Gilpin-Lake-House-9-2048x1078.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-cheshire-restaurant-has-made-the-michelin-guide"><a href="https://www.restaurantnoted.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This Cheshire restaurant has made the Michelin guide</a></h2>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-1024x683.jpg" alt="Andrew Sheridan of Noted" class="wp-image-4939" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2025/07/ZX0B1364-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>


<p>Big foodie news for Chester — <a href="https://www.restaurantnoted.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Noted</a> has just been added to the Michelin Guide, putting the city firmly on the national dining map.</p>



<p>Helmed by acclaimed chef <a href="https://cheshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/whats-cooking-andrew-sheridan-of-noted-chester/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrew Sheridan</a>, the creative force behind Liverpool’s cult tasting menu spot <a href="https://www.restaurant8.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">8</a>, Noted has been quietly turning heads since opening last year. With its stripped-back aesthetic, warm buzz, and precision-led plates, it’s a down-to-earth dining spot that’s serious about flavour without any of the faff.</p>



<p>And now the Michelin inspectors have caught on to the all-day space, highlighting the restaurant’s &#8216;skillfully constructed dishes&#8217; and its confident, contemporary British cooking. Sheridan’s signature style — meticulous, modern, yet totally unpretentious — shines through at every turn. Fancy finding out what all the fuss is about? Nab a table asap!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chester-unveils-new-bookshop-cum-wine-bar"><a href="https://chaptersbookbar.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chester unveils new bookshop-cum wine bar</a></h2>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="500" height="600" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/IMG_8704-ezgif.com-resize.jpg" alt="Chapter Book Shop chester" class="wp-image-8501" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/IMG_8704-ezgif.com-resize.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/04/IMG_8704-ezgif.com-resize-250x300.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Caitlin Mortlock</figcaption></figure></div>


<p>Calling all book lovers (and wine lovers):&nbsp;<a href="https://chaptersbookbar.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chapters Bookshop &amp; Bar</a>&nbsp;has officially opened in Chester, and it’s the new literary hideaway to get lost in.</p>



<p>Mosey on over to Watergate Row and you&#8217;ll find this gorgeous new indie spot combining two of life’s greatest pleasures —&nbsp;thumbing through books and guzzling cracking drinks. Inside, beautifully curated shelves are stacked with fiction, memoirs and locally inspired titles, and there are plenty of nooks for curling up with a coffee, hell, a potent cocktail for those long, lost-in-a-novel afternoons.</p>



<p>There’s even talk of author events, book clubs and live music evenings, making it as much a social hub as a serene spot to unwind &#8211; we can&#8217;t wait to pop in. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farewell-to-this-grand-dame"><a href="https://www.chestergrosvenor.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Farewell to this grand dame</a></h2>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="450" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/03/External_1_4.jpg" alt="Chester Grosvenor" class="wp-image-8467" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/03/External_1_4.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/03/External_1_4-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cheshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2026/03/External_1_4-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure></div>


<p>It’s the end of an era for one of Cheshire&#8217;s sceniest grand dames —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chestergrosvenor.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Chester Grosvenor&nbsp;</a>has announced it’s closing its doors after more than a century.</p>



<p>A stalwart on the city’s hospitality scene, the Grosvenor has been ushering guests through its swanky doors for everything from swanky afternoon teas to milestone dinners and swish stays beneath those iconic black-and-white beams. Its Michelin-starred heritage — including the legendary&nbsp;Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor&nbsp;— helped put Chester firmly on the culinary map long before the city became the foodie hotspot it is today.</p>



<p>The hotel’s owners cite &#8216;evolving hospitality trends&#8217; and building restoration plans as part of the decision — but locals are gutted to see a true institution bow out. For generations, it’s been where proposals were made, anniversaries toasted, and cocktails lingered over in The Arkle Bar. This is one goodbye that truly hits hard. </p>


Hot right now: a luxe spa steal, Michelin buzz and a Chester icon bows out

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