For food, It depends what you want there are such good selections. It may be easier for you state the type of food you like and then I can be more accurate and select better.

Bars again there are plenty, but do you want young and lively or a bit more quiet, are you staying in the city centre?

Dave

p.s. Have a great time in my home town

My Wife and I are regular visitors to York, probably about 3 or 4 times a year and absolutely love the place (My Wife initially worked up there for a couple of days a week).

As a change and because of a wish to visit Aintree for the Grand National, we have decided to spend some days the week after Easter in Chester.

We are looking at 3 nights, Weds, Thurs and Friday staying at the HI Express Chester Racecourse.

I know the hotel is reasonably central, easily walkable to the city centre but can anyone let me know details of some good bars and restaurants we can visit whilst up there?

I guess what I am asking, as in the question, is it going to be as good as our beloved York?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi
We live approx15 mins from Chester and often spend a day walking around the walls,shops etc.
Comparing it to York in my opinion there is a lot more to do in York however that may be because I visit Chester regularly.
Regarding bars/restaurants I will do a bit of homework and get back to you. Any particular types of restaurants? Chinese/Italian?
If the weather is nice a boat trip onthe river or take in a bus tour around Chester.
You have chosen a nice hotel literally less than 5 mins walk to the start of the walls/shops etc.
Are you driving to Aintree>If you don't want to the rail service is very good: Chester through to Liverpool and change for Aintree.
Any other questions please ask?
Speak soon.
Irene

My friend and I spent a weekend in Chester last year, we stayed at the holiday inn and could not fault it, had a lovely room at the back overlooking the racecourse.
During the day we did Go Ape in delamere forest - an aerial assault course - and at night we ate in a fab restaurant called La Taverna - I can get the website for you if you want.
Funnily enough we are going to York later on this year.

Hard choice as i love both these places & have visited many times !!

Off to Chester on Friday for our first weekend there. We are regular visitors to York as its only 30 minutes away. I'll let you know about Chester when I get back. The Chester tourist Info site isn't too inspiring.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Irene, any info on restaurants and bars greatly appreciated. York has some great bars, can always do a good pub crawl there, is it the same in Chester?

With regards to restaurants, Italian or Mexican would be a first choice. York has Fiesta Mehicana which although still good was better about 3 or 4 years ago in my opinion. They also have Ask which I know is a chain, but the Assembly Hall location has to be seen to be believed.

Glad we made a good choice with HI Express at the racecourse. Not that cheap but I guess you do get a breakfast included.

Keep the info coming....

Hi
Spoke to a work colleague today who frequents Chester on a regular basis she recommends the following Italian restaurants:
Pastarazzi, Ego, and Zizzi, I will ask around for any Mexican recommendations - can't recall seeing any though? There are quite a few lovely pubs so she should be ok. Can't say I have done a pub crawl as we usually go during the day and with our sons.
Will keep you informed.
Irene

For restaurants Try this
http://www.chester360.co.uk/chester-restaurants-4.htm

Piccolino is relatively new Italian.
Black House grill - good steaks but expensive
We went to Chez Jules (French) recently & loved it. Francs is also well established French restaurant.

For pubs - http://www.chester360.co.uk/chester-pubs.htm
There are loads of pubs in the city. Look for "gate" streets - Watergate, Northgate, Eastgate & Foregate Street and Bridge Street. Also, Telford Warehouse is good for pub food & often has bands on. Its near the HIE.

I don't think Chester can match York but it has its own charms & we like it for a nit eout (& I'm a Welshman!)

I used to live in Chester and loved it but it does seem that some visitors can confuse it with York! One lunchtime on the way home from work I was walking down Eastgate past the Grosvenor Hotel which was used a lot at the time by the American Express tour groups when I was stopped by an elderly American couple. The man asked for directions to the Yorvik exhibition and I had to point out to him that Yorvik was the Viking exhibition in York and that this was Chester. He looked so disappointed that I felt obliged to stand-up for my home city and point out to to him that just like York, Chester was a walled city (and that our walls were still more complete and made for a pleasant walk!) and had many Roman attractions they could go and visit and started to give him directions to the amphitheatre and the temple of Mithras etc. My impromptu tourist spiel was, however, interrupted by his wife kicking him in the shins and shouting at him 'See, I told you so, we SHOULD have gone yesterday after all.' I decided that retreat was the better part of valour and wished them a nice day before continuing on my way :-)

SM

Hi,
I live in Chester and can recommend quite a few good bars and restaurants.

Restaurants:
Piccolino's - Italian (very popular)
Donato and Sandro's - Italian (small, but very inviting and friendly with excellent food)
Restaurant Locus - (Bistro)
The Red House - A pub on the outskirts of the city centre that has recently had a lot of money invested in to it to make it in to a restaurant. It has had rave reviews. (We are going next Wednesday so I can comment further then.)
The Mill - A hotel, but they do a dinner dance (3 couron a Friday and Saturday which is really good value and the fse meal, coffee and disco) food is great too!

Bars:
Amber Lounge
Watergates
Got Wine
Havanna's

and lot's more, but depends what you like in a bar.

Need any more info, just drop me a line

Sunaholic.

Spent last weekend in Chester stayed at Carden Park, 10 miles south of the city. Good to see they have Park and Ride like York - £3 return for two including parking was a bargain.

Not as geared up for tourists as York and the cathedral isn't as impressive as the Minster (but at least it's still free!). River isn't a prominent feature in Chester - you have to go and find it, whereas in York you can't miss it.

Chester Racecourse is handy for the centre - pity there was no racing on!

I preferred the shopping in Chester - The Rows are really interesting with some lovely smaller shops. The shopping arcade next to the posh hotel in the centre was a bit depressing!

So if you want to do lots of touristy things go to York, but Chester edged it for me for its shopping and architecture.

Oops just re-read my message, what was I on?

(3 couron a Friday and Saturday which is really good value and the fse meal, coffee and disco) food is great too!

Meant to say - 3 courses on a Friday and Saturday for £29, which is really good value and includes the meal, coffee and disco til 1!) food is great too!

Sunahoic.

I would say that Chester is only good for at most a day's visit, however there are so many other places to visit within an hour in any direction, it really depends on what you like.
for shopping - cheshire oaks.
for somewhere a little unusual - Port Sunlight, it has a lovely (free) art museum and a stunning war memorial.
Salford quays near Manchester has the imperial war museum north, absolutely worth a visit - very moving. plus the Lowry museum and Old trafford.
for the seaside - Llandudno, a lovely traditional sea front and you can go up the great orme - pricey though! a little further away is Conway - also picturesque.

We are off to Chester this weekend. Our first visit as well although we have been to York a good few times, but decided we would try Chester instead.
Thanks for the nice restaurant recommendations.

York is far better than Chester IMO.much bigger centre, more attractions both in the city and its surrounding radius.That said if you based yourself in Chester you have other cities near by such as Liverpool,Manchester ect.

Had 2 days in Chester in January and although the centre is nice go a few strrets out of the centre and you come to some rather tatty and scruffy parts.

Both nice places - lots more to do and spend on in york but chester has some lovely boutiques and especially the two tiered shopping streets. we stayed at a premiertravelinn just opposite the hospital and is only a short walk/bus ride into the centre.
chester has all all the top names plus some local dept stores etc.
I like both but prefer york with its museums, galleries etc.

hi any good value hotels or bb nr to town centre

If you want basic There is a travel lodge in the city centre botty . I nearly booked it myself for a couple of nights over christmas for £29 per night . You can get these good rates for booking so many weeks in advance . they call them saver rooms