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Summary of reviewsThe Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms in Chester enjoys high praise from guests for its enviable location nestled on the serene banks of the River Dee. Its proximity to the city center, historic attractions and delightful river walks make it an ideal base for exploring Chester. The tranquil setting combined with easy access to local amenities adds to the allure.
Breakfast at the Boathouse Inn is a standout feature with guests commending the quality, variety and portion sizes. The full English breakfast and vegetarian options are especially noted, though occasional slow service and high prices are mentioned. The scenic riverside views enhance the morning meal experience.
Dinner also impresses with guests praising the excellent food quality and variety, including vegan and gluten-free options. Notable dishes like fillet steak and ribs enhance the dining pleasure, though some note occasional slow service and small portions. The restaurant's ambiance and riverside views contribute to the overall positive dining experience.
Rooms at the Boathouse Inn receive commendation for their spaciousness, modern decor and cleanliness. Guests highlight comfortable beds and thoughtful amenities despite occasional issues with room temperature and maintenance. The picturesque riverside location further enhances the guest experience, although some mention noise from the car park and limited air conditioning.
Cleanliness throughout the hotel is frequently highlighted with descriptions of spotless rooms and thorough housekeeping. However, there are occasional mentions of maintenance concerns, particularly in the bathrooms.
The staff at the Boathouse Inn are a standout feature, consistently praised for their friendliness, helpfulness and professionalism. Guests appreciate their attentiveness and efficient service, which significantly enhances the overall experience.
Free Wi-Fi is available but noted to be inconsistent, especially in the rooms. However, the hotel's ambiance and service often outweigh this shortcoming.
The provision of free onsite parking is a significant bonus, though the limited number of spaces can lead to a crowded car park at times. Guests appreciate the convenience despite occasionally needing to seek alternative parking solutions.
The beds are generally described as comfortable, contributing to restful nights, although there are occasional mentions of firmness issues and pillows not meeting all preferences.
Most guests agree that while the Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms may fall just short of a four-star rating, it offers excellent service, comfortable accommodations and great value. The modern decor and high standard of the rooms, combined with the riverfront location and quality dining, make it a highly recommended choice for visitors to Chester.
Accessibility features are well-regarded, though some mobility challenges are noted due to the steep hill and narrow staircases. Ground floor rooms and ample parking assist in mitigating these issues.
Overall, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers a charming, convenient and comfortable stay with outstanding staff service and dining experiences, making it a highly recommended choice for travelers. Show more
Read review summaries for all categories
Categories
Luxury Inn
Features chic, contemporary riverside rooms with luxurious bathrooms, offering a higher-end accommodation experience alongside a traditional inn.
Accessible Inn
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers accessible rooms equipped with wet rooms, good showers, and numerous grab rails. The entire unit is wheelchair accessible, and ground floor rooms are available. Accessible features include roll-in showers, lowered sinks, and walk-in showers. Accessible parking is also provided.
4-Star Inn
This property offers a terrace and some rooms have river views. Free WiFi and on-site parking are provided. The staff is helpful, and the location is excellent.
Inn with Parking
Room Types
Double or Twin RoomFree WiFi, HD TV and private bathroom feature in this room.
Double RoomFree WiFi, HD TV and private bathroom.
Cosy Double RoomProviding free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. The double room provides a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe, parquet floors, a carpeted floor, as well as a flat-screen TV. The unit offers 1 bed.
Cosy Double Room with Wet RoomFeaturing free toiletries, this double room includes a private bathroom with a walk-in shower and a hairdryer. The double room features a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe, parquet floors, a carpeted floor and a flat-screen TV. The unit has 1 bed.
Superior Double Room with Partial River ViewProviding free toiletries and bathrobes, this double room includes a private bathroom with a shower and a hairdryer. The air-conditioned double room provides a flat-screen TV, a tea and coffee maker, a wardrobe, parquet floors as well as river views. The unit offers 1 bed.
Guest Reviews
8.7
Very Good
Location
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms in Chester boasts an enviable location, highly praised by its guests. Nestled right on the tranquil banks of the River Dee, the hotel offers stunning riverside views and a serene ambience. Despite its peaceful setting, it remains conveniently close to the vibrant city center with just a short 5 to 10-minute walk leading to Chester's historic attractions, shops, bars and restaurants. Guests appreciate the ease of access to local amenities and the picturesque surroundings. The proximity to delightful walks along the river, Grosvenor Park and the city walls adds to the hotel's charm, making it an ideal base for exploring the city's rich history and vibrant nightlife. The combination of scenic beauty, quietness at night and central convenience makes the Boathouse Inn a fantastic choice for visitors looking to experience the best of Chester.
Breakfast
The breakfast at The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms receives widespread acclaim for its quality, variety and the scenic views of the river. Many guests describe the breakfast as excellent, delicious and plentiful with generous portions and a good range of both hot and cold options. The full English breakfast is particularly highlighted, as well as the vegetarian options. Guests appreciate the fresh fruit, continental choices and the freshly cooked dishes with some noting specific dishes like eggs Benedict as exceptional.
While most reviews are positive, noting attentive staff and delightful decor, a few guests mention occasional drawbacks, such as slow service, limited options on some days and high prices. Nonetheless, the overall sentiment is that the breakfast experience significantly enhances the stay at the hotel, offering a great start to the day. The picturesque setting by the river and the pleasant atmosphere further contribute to making breakfast at The Boathouse a memorable part of the visit.
Dinner
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms boasts an impressive dining experience highly praised by guests. The food is consistently described as excellent, delicious and lovely with evening meals and breakfasts receiving special accolades for quality and taste. The on-site restaurant is noted for its great atmosphere and efficient service. Guests appreciated the range of meal options available, including vegan and gluten-free dishes and found the prices reasonable for the high quality offered.
The breakfast menu stood out with its extensive variety, featuring not only the traditional English breakfast but also options like granola with fresh fruits and yogurt. Diners were pleased with both the food quality and presentation during both breakfast and dinner.
Service is generally seen as attentive and accommodating, although there were a few mentions of slow service during peak times. The setting of the restaurant with its beautiful décor and views by the river, adds to the overall enjoyable dining experience.
Moreover, specific dishes like the fillet steak, steak and ale pie and ribs received enthusiastic mentions. Even with occasional mentions of small portion sizes or less warm dishes, the overwhelming sentiment points to a satisfying dining experience that pairs well with the hotel's cozy atmosphere and top-notch accommodation.
Overall, guests found the combination of superb food, a welcoming environment and excellent service at The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms a key highlight of their stay.
Rooms
At The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms, guests frequently commend the accommodation for its homey atmosphere, comfort and cleanliness. Many reviews highlight the spaciousness and modern decor of the rooms, which are described as cozy, beautifully presented and well-equipped. The rooms often feature comfortable beds, pleasant furnishings and thoughtful amenities such as good size bathrooms and excellent facilities.
While the overall experience is positive, a recurring issue is that the rooms can get too warm, a sentiment echoed by several guests. Despite this, rooms are well-furnished and exceptionally clean with some reviews noting recent refurbishments that give them a modern, newly decorated feel. The presence of blackout curtains in some rooms is appreciated for providing excellent light control.
However, a few logistical hiccups are mentioned, such as occasional maintenance issues, noise from the car park and limited air conditioning. Ground floor rooms may lack privacy due to their proximity to the car park. Nevertheless, the hotel’s riverside location garners acclaim for its picturesque setting and convenient access to the city center, enhancing the overall guest experience.
In summary, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers a blend of warmth, comfort and modern amenities in a serene riverside location, though it could benefit from better temperature control and periodic maintenance updates.
Beds
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers an array of spacious and clean rooms with many guests highlighting the comfortable and large beds that contribute to a restful night's sleep. The majority of reviews praise the beds for their comfort, often describing them as "comfy" and "amazingly comfortable." Guests frequently noted that the beds and mattresses, whether semi-firm or supportive, provided a solid sleep experience. The bedding quality is generally received well with some rooms featuring exceptionally large beds, adding to the comfort.
However, the guest reviews registered occasional dissatisfaction with specific aspects of the bed quality. A few guests mentioned issues with bed firmness and some beds showed signs of needing renovation. There were mixed feelings about the pillows with critiques ranging from too hard to too soft. While most found the beds to be very comfortable, others found them hard, sagging or not supportive enough.
Despite these minor setbacks, the overall guest experience remains positive, underscored by the comfort of the rooms and the cleanliness of the facilities. The consensus points to The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms being a good choice for travelers seeking a cozy and restful stay.
Cleanliness
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms receives high praise for its cleanliness with numerous guests highlighting the modern and impeccably clean state of the rooms. Visitors frequently describe their accommodations as spotless, beautifully presented and very comfortable. The rooms are consistently noted for being airy, fresh and well-maintained, contributing to a pleasant stay. Housekeeping is described as thorough, ensuring that bed linens, towels and general room conditions meet excellent hygiene standards.
Despite these high points, some reviews indicate areas in need of improvement, particularly with the shower and bathroom cleanliness, often mentioning mold and dust issues. Occasional comments also touch upon external cleanliness and specific maintenance concerns, such as dirty green areas outside rooms and peeling paint.
Overall, while the majority of guests are satisfied with the clean and modern ambiance, consistent overall cleanliness and lovely room decor, there are intermittent recommendations for better shower cleaning routines and more thorough detail cleaning in certain areas.
Staff
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms garners high praise for the exceptional service provided by its staff. Consistently described as friendly, helpful and accommodating, the team at the hotel goes out of their way to ensure a welcoming and pleasant stay for all guests. Numerous mentions highlight the staff's professionalism, attentiveness and cheerful demeanor, making interactions with them genuinely delightful. The reception team is particularly noted for being informative and efficient, contributing to a smooth check-in and stay experience.
Guests frequently commend the waiting staff for their attentiveness and helpfulness, especially during breakfast service. Special mentions of staff members going above and beyond to assist with specific needs, such as dietary requests, further illustrate the team's dedication to guest satisfaction.
Overall, the staff at The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms are a standout feature with many reviews indicating that their friendly and warm approach significantly enhances the overall guest experience. Whether it’s providing helpful advice, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere or delivering excellent service with a smile, the staff's efforts are deeply appreciated by those who stay at the hotel.
Wi-Fi
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers complimentary WiFi, which many guests appreciate. However, the quality of the WiFi appears inconsistent across different areas of the hotel. While the reception area tends to have a better connection, the signal in the rooms is noted to be unreliable and slow. Some guests report that the WiFi connections would only last a few minutes, if they could connect at all. Despite these challenges, the hotel's pleasant evening atmosphere and good service are frequently highlighted by visitors. Free, plentiful parking is another plus that adds to the overall convenience of the stay. However, for those for whom a stable internet connection is very important, the patchy WiFi might be a significant downside.
Parking
'The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms' offers the much-appreciated benefit of free onsite parking for its guests. This convenient feature helps in making stays more comfortable with many visitors expressing satisfaction with the ease and safety of parking their cars. The presence of secure parking spaces right outside the rooms adds to the appeal, providing an additional layer of convenience.
However, it’s important to note a few consistent concerns among guests. The availability of parking spaces is often described as limited, leading to a crowded or busy car park at times. Some visitors found it tricky to secure a spot due to the high demand, which can occasionally result in having to use a nearby public pay-and-display car park. For EV drivers, an added benefit is the charging station available on site.
Guests generally appreciated the free parking, viewing it as a significant bonus compared to other hotels in the area. Despite some challenges in managing the limited space, the hotel staff received praise for their helpfulness in navigating these issues. Overall, while the parking situation might not be perfect, the provision of free parking right at the doorstep remains a major plus for many visitors.
4 Star
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms offers a delightful stay with many guests highlighting their satisfaction with the facilities and services. While some suggest that it just misses the mark of a four-star rating, the consensus is that the hotel provides commendable service and offers great value, especially when compared to more expensive alternatives.
The decor of the hotel is frequently praised, described as modern, high-end and decorated to a high standard. Guests appreciated the well-furnished rooms and found them clean and comfortable, though some noted that a few details could use minor touch-ups.
The hotel's location is another appealing aspect, situated perfectly for exploring Chester. Guests found the convenience of being next to the car park beneficial and the proximity to the River Dee added to the charm.
Staff at The Boathouse Inn received consistent commendation for their friendly and professional service with many guests noting that their specific needs and requests were efficiently met. The breakfast experience received mixed reviews; while some found it simple yet pleasing, others expected slightly more.
Dining at the hotel was a highlight for many with the quality of food being described as superb, contributing to an enjoyable dining experience. Overall, although there are a few areas for improvement, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms generally offers a satisfying stay with comfortable accommodations, excellent dining and a convenient location.
Accessible
The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms boasts a prime location, conveniently close to Chester's city centre, making it easy to access various attractions. For those with disabilities, the hotel offers accessible rooms equipped with wet rooms featuring very good showers and numerous grab rails. Guests appreciated the easy walking distance and the convenient access to essential parts of the city.
However, some guests noted challenges, such as a steep hill leading into the town and narrow winding staircases, which could be difficult for those with mobility issues. Despite these concerns, the hotel's ground floor rooms and ample car parking were well-received. Taxi services, costing approximately £5 each way, offered a practical solution for easier mobility.
Overall, the accessible location and close proximity to the city centre made the Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms a suitable choice for many travelers, although certain architectural elements posed difficulties for individuals with more severe mobility constraints.
No, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms doesn't have any pool.
No, a spa isn't available at The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms.
No, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms doesn't allow dogs.
Yes, parking facilities are available at The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms.
No, The Boathouse Inn & Riverside Rooms doesn't have a gym.