Before the present building was constructed in 1863–66, the site was occupied first by the pub The Golden Talbot and later by The Royal Hotel. The Golden Talbot was recorded as being "ancient" in its 1751 mention in one of the local weekly newspapers and had been in operation during the reign of Elizabeth I. In 1784, the pub was demolished to make way for The Royal Hotel, built by the politician John Crewe. It became the headquarters of the Independent Party, who were the party opposed to the Grosvenor family. In 1815 it was purchased by Robert Grosvenor, who was at that time Earl Grosvenor. It was then renamed the Grosvenor Hotel, and it became the city's "premier place to stay". While it was in possession of the 1st Marquess' son, Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster in 1863, this building was demolished. The building now present on the site was originally called the Grosvenor Hotel. It was designed by the Chester architect Thomas Mainwaring Penson and was Penson's last major work. It was completed after his death by his elder brother's firm R. K. Penson & A. Ritchie. The hotel passed into the estate of the Duke of Westminster when Richard's son, Hugh Grosvenor, was advanced to 1st Duke of Westminster in 1874. On 10 January 1972, the building was designated as a Grade II listed building.
Hotel and restaurant
The upper façade of the building is distinctive half-timbered black-and-white, in the Tudor revival style that is typical of Chester architecture. As a hotel, it is recognised as offering five-star, luxury accommodation and service. The hotel has 68 guest bedrooms and 12 suites, a fitness centre, a spa, a lounge and bar, boardrooms, a Parisian style family restaurant La Brasserie and a highly acclaimed restaurant, Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor. Formerly known as The Arkle, the name of the restaurant changed in 2008 to reflect the success and expertise of its head chef, Simon Radley, who first joined the hotel in 1986. In 2013, the restaurant was awarded its 24th consecutive Michelin star. One of only four restaurants in the UK to have retained a star for that length of time, it is also the only restaurant in the north of England to have done so. Notable guests include Princess Diana and several Princes of Wales. Queen Elizabeth II visited the hotel when it hosted wedding festivities for a daughter of the Grosvenor family.
